Building Upon Our Legacy of Health, Nutrition, and Vision
Over the past several decades, Helen Keller Intl has continued to expand our ability to help people around the world create lasting change in their own lives. Today, we reach more than 70 million children and family members across 20 countries with the essential building blocks of sound health, good nutrition, and clear vision. We […]
2023 Year in Review: Forces for Good [Photo Essay]
Every day, members of the Helen Keller Intl community are choosing to be forces for good. Community health heroes, entrepreneurs, parents, youth, and Helen Keller staff work tirelessly to help improve health, nutrition, and vision for people in their communities, countries, and around the world. We’re highlighting some of the incredible contributions made by members […]
Kindergartener’s worldview changes thanks to new eyeglasses
When Prince, a new kindergarten student, entered P.S. 152 in Brooklyn, New York, he spoke Creole exclusively. He wasn’t able to identify numbers, letters, or count past four. Our teachers were trying absolutely everything they could. Whitney Arnold, P.S. 152’s director Due to long-term school closures and remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, most of […]
Helen Keller Intl and Partners Celebrate Vision Milestone, Screening One Million Students in New York City
Established in 1994, Helen Keller Intl’s US-based vision work helps students reach their true potential by providing in-school vision screenings, eye exams, and no-cost prescription glasses New York, NY (October 31, 2022) – On October 31, 2022, Helen Keller Intl will reach a major milestone: its NY Vision team will provide free vision services to […]
First-ever Minnesota Sight Day delivers eyeglasses to folks of all ages [Photo Essay]
At the first-ever Minnesota Sight Day, Helen Keller Intl partnered with Saint Paul Public Schools, VSP Global, Lions KidSight, and Phillips Eye Institute to deliver eye screenings and exams, new prescription glasses, and eyewear care tips to nearly 100 children and adults. Thanks to our global community of donors, Helen Keller’s US Vision team continues […]
Missing out on school and social life because of vision impairment
Many high school students worry about their grades, their friendships, and their futures. Mary, a junior living in Elizabeth, New Jersey, has another thing to worry about: seeing in class. Mary is nearly blind, with a prescription that makes it difficult to see far away with her naked eyes. “She doesn’t see anything without her […]
Clearing a Path to Clear Vision for Struggling Students
Nine-year-old Guillermo Gonzalez attends school in Montebello, California, just east of Los Angeles. This past fall, when the other students in his fourth-grade class were taking turns reading aloud from favorite books, the usually bubbly Guillermo could only sit quietly and listen. Because his eyeglasses had the wrong prescription, he simply couldn’t see words clearly […]
3 Reasons to be Optimistic in 2022
Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows. Helen Keller The start of a year offers an opportunity for renewed hope and a fresh perspective. While the challenges of COVID-19, a mounting hunger crisis, and economic strains are all daunting, we choose to side with our co-founder Helen Keller’s persistent optimism, […]
Big Smiles at Little Earth
By the time Riko walked into a Helen Keller vision clinic in Minneapolis earlier this year, her usual pair of glasses were of little use to her. The lenses were badly scratched, and her prescription needed to be updated. “It’s hard to prioritize my own health when I’m so busy taking care of others,” says […]
Jorge Valdez Shares Strategies for Safe Back-to-School Vision Screenings
With vaccination rates up and COVID-19 cases down, many school districts are looking to fully return to the classroom after a year and a half of online and hybrid learning. But what will this look like? Masks? Social distancing? The reality is no one knows for sure, and even as plans roll out, they may […]
