Health Foundation of South Florida Awards $300,000 to Bring Vision Care to Low-Income Schoolchildren in Miami-Dade and Broward

Grant will support mobile optometric clinics delivering free eye exams and prescription eyeglasses through Miami Lighthouse for the Blind's Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program

MIAMI, Sept. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Health Foundation of South Florida has awarded a $300,000 grant over two years to Miami Lighthouse for the Blind to support its Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program. The grant will fund mobile optometric clinics that deliver free, comprehensive eye exams and prescription eyeglasses directly to 1,851 low-income schoolchildren across Miami-Dade and Broward counties. This investment reflects Health Foundation of South Florida's commitment to advancing health equity by removing the cost, language, and transportation barriers that keep vulnerable children from receiving basic eye care.

Through the grant, Heiken's mobile clinics will bring dilated eye exams and prescription eyeglasses to PreK-12th grade students at 24 Title I schools in predominantly Black and Hispanic communities, including Overtown, Little Haiti, and Little Havana in Miami-Dade County and Hollywood in Broward County. The investment also allows the program to expand into 10 new schools in Broward County.

"Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive, but too many families across South Florida still face barriers to something as fundamental as vision care," said Loreen Chant, President and CEO of the Health Foundation of South Florida. "Bringing these services directly into schools helps remove those barriers while furthering our commitment to health equity and ensuring more children can access the care, they need to support their health, well-being and success."

The need is significant. One in four children has a vision impairment, yet vision problems frequently go undiagnosed because families lack access to routine eye care. Last year, Heiken received 14,519 referrals across Miami-Dade and Broward but had the capacity to serve only 6,318 children, a gap expected to widen following recent cuts to state funding for children's vision programs.

Through the Health Foundation of South Florida's investment, the program expects to provide 1,851 comprehensive eye exams, 1,111 pairs of prescription eyeglasses and 93 specialist referrals over the next two years, helping more children receive the vision care they need.

"Because of the Health Foundation of South Florida, nearly 2,000 low-income schoolchildren in Broward and Dade counties combined will have the gift of vision, with Miami Lighthouse's Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program bringing primary eye health directly to schools with dilated eye exams and prescription glasses," said Virginia Jacko, President and CEO of Miami Lighthouse for the Blind.

Since launching statewide in 2007, the Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program has served more than 254,000 Florida children and is recognized as a national model for school-based vision care. Independent evaluations of the program have found a 77% improvement in academic and behavioral outcomes among children after they receive eyeglasses, underscoring the connection between vision care and learning.

The program's mobile clinics bring licensed optometrists directly to schools to provide comprehensive eye exams, working with school nurses during the planning process to support on-site care. If an exam identifies a need for additional treatment, parents are notified and children may be referred to a specialist for follow-up care.

The Health Foundation of South Florida's investment builds on support from The Children's Trust and the Children's Services Council of Broward County, helping Miami Lighthouse expand the reach of the Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program and provide more children with access to essential vision care.

About the Health Foundation of South Florida
Health Foundation of South Florida has been serving South Florida for more than 30 years, investing more than $153 million in nonprofits that provide programs and services in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe counties. The Foundation's mission is to be a catalyst for collaborations, policy changes, and systems change that improve the health of South Florida communities, with a focus on vulnerable, low- to moderate-income populations. For more information, visit www.hfsf.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

About Miami Lighthouse for the Blind
Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired provides vision rehabilitation, education, and vision care services to children and adults who are blind or visually impaired. Its Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program brings free eye exams and eyeglasses to underserved children throughout Florida through a fleet of mobile optometric clinics.

SOURCE Health Foundation of South Florida