Several Brooklyn elected officials today lauded Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña‘s announced expansion of the City’s vision partnership with Warby Parker, providing free vision screenings, eye exams and eyeglasses to an additional 97 Community Schools in the city this school year.
The expansion will bring critical vision services to all 227 Community Schools in the city, reaching an additional 118,000 students and providing nearly 20,000 pairs of eyeglasses.
Since the partnership was launched in 2015, approximately 94,000 students attending 130 Community Schools received vision screenings and more than 20,000 pairs of free eyeglasses have been distributed over this same time period—far exceeding the goal of providing 20,000 pairs of eye glasses in the first four years.
“I applaud the City and Warby Parker for the foresight and vision that led to this partnership, helping students in need get eyewear and eye care that can make a world of difference in their education and overall wellness. Initiatives like these are truly enhancing the Community School mode that I have been proud to support through millions in capital investment at a number of institutions across Brooklyn, including the creation of a school-based health and vision center at PS 188 Michael E. Berdy in Coney Island. Let’s continue to explore innovative approaches that help our city raise healthy children and families,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.
Deputy Mayor Richard Buery, Executive Director of Community Schools Chris Caruso, Senior Advisor Gabrielle Fialkoff and Warby Parker co-Founders and co-CEOs Neil Blumenthal and Dave Gilboa announced the expansion at P.S. 315 in Flatbush. This is the school’s first year in the Community Schools program.
The City is dedicating more than $1 million to support the expansion of this innovative partnership that provides free vision screenings and medical eye exams for all children in Community Schools who need them. Children can then select their own pair of glasses for free from a wide array of Warby Parker designs created specifically for Community School students. One in five children who have received screenings have been found to need glasses and this partnership allows students to see more clearly and better prepares them to learn.
“There are many students in our school system that do not have their vision tested and are in need of glasses. The vision partnership expansion between the New York City Mayor’s Office and Warby Parker is another step in the right direction as it will not only ensure that our students have access to adequate vision testing services, but that they are able to get the support they need to thrive in and outside of the classroom,” said State Sen. Kevin Parker.(D-Flatbush, Flatlands, Park Slope, Kensington, Midwood).
Founded in 2010, Warby Parker is a NYC-based lifestyle brand that offers designer eyewear at a revolutionary price while leading the way for socially conscious businesses. Serving the community has been a part of their DNA since the very beginning.
Internationally, Warby Parker’s Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program trains adults in developing countries to give basic eye exams and sell glasses to their communities at affordable prices. To date, Warby Parker has distributed over 3 million pairs of glasses to people in need. Prior to the partnership with the Community Schools Initiative, the company piloted a similar program from 2014-15 to provide New York City students with the vision corrections they need to excel in the classroom. This Community School expansion will enable the brand to reach even more kids, furthering the goal of ensuring that all local students who need glasses have the resources to access them.
“The Vision Partnership between NYC and Warby Parker has produced outstanding results,” said Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte. (D-Flatbush, Ditmas Park) “This partnership has been incredibly beneficial for our Community Schools and especially for our children. The provision of free vision screenings, eye exams and eyeglasses just continues to exemplify Mayor Bill de Blasio and his Administration’s complete dedication to ensuring every child will have access to every tool and resource necessary to improve their education and ultimately, improve their lives. An additional 118,000 students will benefit from this expansion and I wholeheartedly applaud these efforts.”
The expansion of free vision services builds on the city’s commitment to Community Schools. Through the Community Schools Initiative, students and families can access a range of resources that support learning, health and wellness, family and community engagement and attendance improvement. Based on local need and availability of additional resources, Community Schools also offer a range of services, including school-based health centers, food pantries and adult education courses, in addition to vision services.
“Students face a wide variety of obstacles that stand in the way of their receiving the best possible education. One that is too-often neglected is simple- an inability to see clearly, and therefore to concentrate, in class,” said City Council Member Jumaane Williams (D-Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood). “We need to do all that we can to address these kinds of impediments to learning, and I’m pleased that Warby Parker and the City are able to partner together to make these solutions accessible to low income and disadvantaged students and improve their quality of life and quality of education in a meaningful way.
