Lincoln Financial Group, Eagles Youth Partnership And United Way Teaming Up To Provide Vision Screenings To Philadelphia Students

Organizations Partnering Together As Part of the Eagles Eye Mobile Program

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Oct 04, 2012, 01:30 ET

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Lincoln Financial Group, Eagles Youth Partnership and the United Way announced late last month that, for the second year in a row, they will partner together to provide vision screenings for students across the School District of Philadelphia. Volunteers from Lincoln Financial's Philadelphia area offices are joining forces with the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey to visit 13 elementary schools through Oct. 12 as an extension of the Eagles Eye Mobile Program.

"Lincoln's dedication to provide vision screenings to local students reinforces our commitment to volunteerism and the community. Working side-by-side with the Eagles Eye Mobile team and the United Way, we invest in our most precious asset, our youth," said Lisa M. Buckingham, Lincoln's chief human resources officer and board member of Eagles Youth Partnership.

The vision screening program began in Fall 2011 in response to a lay-off of more than 100 school nurses throughout the School District of Philadelphia. As a result, a limited number of school nurses were assigned to cover multiple schools, and many of the nurses were unable to provide the mandated vision screenings. The number of school nurses in the district has not been increased for the current year, so the same challenge remains.

The Eagles Eye Mobile team and their optometrist have trained Lincoln's volunteers and offer onsite supervision in each school. Beginning with kindergarteners, volunteers screen as many students as possible throughout the day. School nurses then examine any students who did not receive a screening. Beginning in November and continuing throughout the school year, the Eagles Eye Mobile team will provide full exams and glasses to students who failed the screenings.

"Lincoln Financial Group's involvement in our Eagles screening blitz is an example of partnership at its best. They stepped up to meet a critical need for kids, investing both dollars and significant staff time to ensure that children can see the blackboards and their books. When Lincoln talks about investing for the future, they really mean it – for their clients and for the community," said Sarah Martinez-Helfman, executive director of Eagles Youth Partnership.

In 2011, over 2,600 students were screened thanks to volunteers from Lincoln. This year, since Sept. 24, approximately 92 Lincoln volunteers have visited seven schools and provided vision screenings to 1,352 students. Their efforts are supported by the United Way's 365 Days of Caring initiative, which assists dozens of local companies with volunteer projects each year.

"Corporate and community partners like Lincoln Financial and Eagles Youth Partnership are truly the vehicle through which community-level change can happen," said Jill Michal, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. "We're so pleased that they have chosen to align this project with United Way's 365 Days of Caring. Thanks to their dedication, children in our community will have improved vision and will be better equipped to learn as they set out on the path to success."

About Lincoln Financial Group
Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for Lincoln National Corporation (NYSE: LNC) and its affiliates. With headquarters in the Philadelphia region, the companies of Lincoln Financial Group had assets under management of $168 billion as of June 30, 2012. Through its affiliated companies, Lincoln Financial Group offers: annuities; life, group life, disability and dental insurance; 401(k) and 403(b) plans; savings plans; and comprehensive financial planning and advisory services.

About Eagles Youth Partnership
Eagles Youth Partnership (EYP) is dedicated to ensuring that all children in the region can see, can read and can play safely, regardless of their zip code. Leveraging the brand and resources of the Philadelphia Eagles Football Club and its partners, EYP helps vulnerable children reach their potential, bringing health and educational resources to more than 50,000 kids in low-income neighborhoods each year. Learn about EYP initiatives and impact at www.eaglesyouthpartnership.org.

About United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey
United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, serving communities in Pennsylvania's Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties, and New Jersey's Atlantic, Burlington, Camden and Cumberland counties , is part of a national network of more than 1,300 locally governed organizations that work to create lasting positive changes in communities and in people's lives. United Way engages the community to identify the underlying causes of the most significant local issues, develops strategies and pulls together financial and human resources to address them, and measures the results. United Way is advancing the common good in Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey by positively impact the lives of people throughout the region in the areas of education, income, and health.