New Eyes for the Needy
Encyclopedia
New Eyes for the Needy is a non-profit organization started in 1932 (incorporated 1948) and based in Short Hills, New Jersey
, which provides people in the United States with eyeglasses and sends recycled eyeglasses to needy people overseas.
is: "To improve the vision of poor children and adults by purchasing new eyeglasses in the United States and recycling donated glasses for distribution in developing nations worldwide."
The organization was founded by Julia Lawrence Terry in 1932 in Short Hills, New Jersey. http://www.neweyesfortheneedy.org/vision/history.html Terry worked in the Red Cross during the Great Depression
and realized the need for eyeglasses in the US. Area residents donated basement space for sorting eyeglasses.
and Parade Magazine articles, and had its first television appearance on WCBS
. As the organization grew, the Junior Service League of Oranges and Retired Men's Club in Short Hills began to volunteer. In 1947, the Junior Service League of Short Hills took over New Eyes with the passing of Mrs. Terry. By 1949, 455 people per month were receiving "new eyes".
In the 1950s, New Eyes for the Needy had 55 volunteers sorting eyeglasses. The organization averaged 25-35 mailbags of glasses weekly. New Eyes was set up as an independent organization, a community project under the Junior League of Oranges. The Jewelry Committee was formed by Connie Hurd.
By 1979, over 100,000 pairs of eyeglasses were being shipped overseas. $150,000 in grants were allocatied to hospitals and medical schools. New Eyes broke the 1,000,000 mark in eyeglass donations for one year, which allowed for the purchase of over 10,000 new percription glasses.
New Eyes received $35,000 in grants during the 1990s. It launched its first direct mail campaign for new donations and ran a PSA
campaign featuring comedian Steve Allen
. Susannah Likins became the new executive director in 1993.
To be eligible for the program, applicants must be in financial need, have had a recent eye exam, and have no other resources available to them to pay for glasses, including federal or state programs or assistance from local charitable organizations. New Eyes does not pay for eye exams. A New Eyes voucher typically covers only the cost of a basic pair of single or bifocal eyeglasses.
Donations made up 57% of funding in 2006 (compared to 1% in 1974). Grants made up 31% of funding, jewelry sales from the showroom Fabulous Finds made up 8%, and scrap metal made up 4%.
. They also receive recycled eyeglasses as donations, offer volunteer work to help with their events, sponsoring a donation drive, and volunteering to help physically distribute the glasses. Donations can be made via their website.
. As of March 2008, the company's net assets have reached $3,303,346. The organization has had celebrity spokespeople such as Jake Gyllenhaal
make videos to send their message. In the fall of 2008, the organization was the subject of a school assignment for many students at Seton Hall University
as part of a Public Relations
campaign assignment.
Fourteen new volunteers were welcomed at the organization.
The Heart of New Eyes fundraiser in February 2010 raised $15,000 to support the U.S. eyeglass
voucher program. The second Annual Kids Rock for Vision Concert in March 2010 raised $8,700 for children’s eyeglasses. The See For Change fundraiser raised nearly $6,000 for children’s glasses in New York City.
Fabulous Finds jewelry and giftware re-sale showroom raised $51,000 for the U.S. eyeglass voucher program.
New Eyes secured awards totaling $71,000 in foundation grants.
Overall, New Eyes for the Needy has improved the eyesight of more than 7,000,000 people in the world.
The 2010-11 budget limits New Eyes to issuing 80 vouchers per week, which requires re-instituting the wait list. It also expects fundraising to remain flat in 2010-11.
Short Hills, New Jersey
Short Hills is an unincorporated area located within the township of Millburn, in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. It is a popular commuter town for residents who work in New York City...
, which provides people in the United States with eyeglasses and sends recycled eyeglasses to needy people overseas.
Vision and History
The group's vision or mission statementMission statement
A mission statement is a statement of the purpose of a company or organization. The mission statement should guide the actions of the organization, spell out its overall goal, provide a path, and guide decision-making...
is: "To improve the vision of poor children and adults by purchasing new eyeglasses in the United States and recycling donated glasses for distribution in developing nations worldwide."
The organization was founded by Julia Lawrence Terry in 1932 in Short Hills, New Jersey. http://www.neweyesfortheneedy.org/vision/history.html Terry worked in the Red Cross during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and realized the need for eyeglasses in the US. Area residents donated basement space for sorting eyeglasses.
1940s and 1950s
By the end of the 1940s, the organization was receiving an average of 1,194 glasses monthly. "Old age glasses" were sent to hospitals in New York City and nursing homes in Kentucky. New Eyes was also featured in Woman's DayWoman's Day
Woman's Day is aimed at a female readership, covering such subjects as food, nutrition, fitness, beauty and fashion. The magazine edition is one of the "Seven Sisters", a group of women's service magazines....
and Parade Magazine articles, and had its first television appearance on WCBS
WCBS
WCBS may refer to:Assets of CBS* WCBS , a radio station licensed to New York, New York, United States* WCBS-FM, a radio station licensed to New York, New York, United States...
. As the organization grew, the Junior Service League of Oranges and Retired Men's Club in Short Hills began to volunteer. In 1947, the Junior Service League of Short Hills took over New Eyes with the passing of Mrs. Terry. By 1949, 455 people per month were receiving "new eyes".
In the 1950s, New Eyes for the Needy had 55 volunteers sorting eyeglasses. The organization averaged 25-35 mailbags of glasses weekly. New Eyes was set up as an independent organization, a community project under the Junior League of Oranges. The Jewelry Committee was formed by Connie Hurd.
1960s and 1970s
New Eyes opened its new headquarters at 549 Millburn Avenue in the 1960s. At this location, the organization began accepting items for consignment in the jewelry showroom. A second floor was added to the establishment which included a showroom for jewelry and silver sales. The Millburn Old Guard began volunteering at New Eyes for the Needy, which would become a tradition lasting over 40 years. In 1968, the organization paid off its mortgage.By 1979, over 100,000 pairs of eyeglasses were being shipped overseas. $150,000 in grants were allocatied to hospitals and medical schools. New Eyes broke the 1,000,000 mark in eyeglass donations for one year, which allowed for the purchase of over 10,000 new percription glasses.
1980s and 1990s
Income from scrap metal declined in the 1980s, while the amount of requests for new eyeglasses rose. This marked the start of the eyeglass voucher program. This decade marked the beginning of computer use in the offices and the 50th anniversary of the organization, which was attended by Governor and Mrs. Tom Kean.New Eyes received $35,000 in grants during the 1990s. It launched its first direct mail campaign for new donations and ran a PSA
PSA
PSA may refer to:* PSA International , world's second largest port operator* PSA Peugeot Citroën, French vehicle manufacturer...
campaign featuring comedian Steve Allen
Steve Allen
Steve Allen may refer to:*Steve Allen , American musician, comedian, and writer*Steve Allen , presenter on the London-based talk radio station LBC 97.3...
. Susannah Likins became the new executive director in 1993.
2000s
In the past decade, New Eyes for the Needy raised reimbursment rates for the voucher program for the first time since the program began. It also introduced its website. Its first fundraising gala, Hocus Focus, took place at the Herbst family home.2009-2010
In 2009-10, in partnership with social service agencies and optical dispensers across the country, New Eyes helped 4,102 disadvantaged U.S. residents purchase the eyeglasses they needed but could not afford. Currently, Susan Dyckman is the group's executive director.Voucher Program
New Eyes for the Needy purchases prescription eyeglasses for indigent people in the U.S. through a well-established voucher program. Eligible clients can receive a voucher through a social service agency or a school nurse. Clients can present a New Eyes voucher to any participating local optical dispenser, who fits the client with the proper prescription eyeglasses. The dispenser then receives reimbursement directly from New Eyes.To be eligible for the program, applicants must be in financial need, have had a recent eye exam, and have no other resources available to them to pay for glasses, including federal or state programs or assistance from local charitable organizations. New Eyes does not pay for eye exams. A New Eyes voucher typically covers only the cost of a basic pair of single or bifocal eyeglasses.
Funding
Since most contemporary eyeglasses are no longer framed in gold, New Eyes must now rely on a variety of funding sources.Donations made up 57% of funding in 2006 (compared to 1% in 1974). Grants made up 31% of funding, jewelry sales from the showroom Fabulous Finds made up 8%, and scrap metal made up 4%.
Donations and volunteer work
New Eyes for the Needy depends primarily on volunteer work and donations. The standard donation they ask for is $60, which goes towards buying new eyeglasses for people in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. They also receive recycled eyeglasses as donations, offer volunteer work to help with their events, sponsoring a donation drive, and volunteering to help physically distribute the glasses. Donations can be made via their website.
2007-2008
New Eyes for the Needy is run by a 15 person Board of Trustees and runs mainly through volunteer action. It still operates out of its original home in New Jersey but has expanded to become globalized. In 2007-2008, the organization helped 5,845 United States citizens and 200,000 people overseas with their eye care needs. The company has been highlighted in several prominent media outlets such as the Newark Star Ledger, the Philadelphia Inquirer and ABC's Eyewitness NewsEyewitness News
Eyewitness News is a style of news broadcasting used by local television stations in different markets across the United States. It refers to a particular style of television newscast with an emphasis on visual elements and action video...
. As of March 2008, the company's net assets have reached $3,303,346. The organization has had celebrity spokespeople such as Jake Gyllenhaal
Jake Gyllenhaal
Jacob Benjamin "Jake" Gyllenhaal is an American actor. The son of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner, Gyllenhaal began acting at age ten...
make videos to send their message. In the fall of 2008, the organization was the subject of a school assignment for many students at Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States. Seton Hall is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the...
as part of a Public Relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
campaign assignment.
2010-2011
In 2010-2011, New Eyes purchased eyeglasses for 2,582 adults from 45 states and the District of Columbia, 486 children in 28 states, and 1,096 seniors living in 41 states and the District of Columbia. The group distributed nearly 200,000 pairs of recycled eyeglasses to poor people living in 30 developing nations around the world.Fourteen new volunteers were welcomed at the organization.
The Heart of New Eyes fundraiser in February 2010 raised $15,000 to support the U.S. eyeglass
voucher program. The second Annual Kids Rock for Vision Concert in March 2010 raised $8,700 for children’s eyeglasses. The See For Change fundraiser raised nearly $6,000 for children’s glasses in New York City.
Fabulous Finds jewelry and giftware re-sale showroom raised $51,000 for the U.S. eyeglass voucher program.
New Eyes secured awards totaling $71,000 in foundation grants.
Overall, New Eyes for the Needy has improved the eyesight of more than 7,000,000 people in the world.
The 2010-11 budget limits New Eyes to issuing 80 vouchers per week, which requires re-instituting the wait list. It also expects fundraising to remain flat in 2010-11.