EYECARE National Vision Cares Empowers Doctors and Associates to Support Local Communities By Staff Tuesday, November 29, 2022 12:58 AM RELATED CONTENT Giving for Good ABB Optical Group Makes Giving Easy for Employees L'Amy America and Two Blind Brothers Join Forces for a Bigger Purpose For ECPs, Social Purpose Is Every Day Johnson & Johnson Vision and Lions Clubs International Partner on Sight For Kids Vera Bradley Foundation’s Breast Cancer Research Is Long Supported by The McGee Group At Classic Optical, Giving Is Focused on Providing Eyeglasses to Students in Need Through its domestic National Vision Cares program, National Vision empowers doctors and associates to support people in need in their local communities. All of National Vision’s stores have access to the National Vision Cares Program. Each month, stores are provided with vouchers for a free eye exam and pair of glasses to give to eligible patients, customers or individuals in the community in need of vision care and who do not have vision insurance or participate in governmental health care programs, including those who have suffered major financial setbacks or have been affected by natural disasters. Stores are encouraged to reach out to local organizations, schools and other entities to help identify people that need assistance. In 2021, National Vision Cares was made one of the company’s central priorities, and National Vision Inc. (NVI) allocated more than $400,000 in funding to expand the program’s reach and impact. This funding supported outreach to communities across the U.S., as well as an increase in the number of vouchers offered from each store. As a result of these efforts, the program delivered eyecare and eyewear to over 21,000 low-income members of the company’s communities in 2021. This is more than 10 times the number of people reached in 2020. This year, National Vision associates have provided more than 30,000 vouchers to people in need throughout the U.S. “When our associates encounter a person in crisis or identify a need in their community, the National Vision Cares program empowers them to do what’s right and respond with compassion,” said Heidi Henneman, senior vice president, head of stores. “National Vision’s philanthropy helps people all around the world—over one million people last year. National Vision Cares is a way for our associates to make a truly meaningful impact in the lives of individuals right here, right now.” National Vision, Inc. released its first Corporate Responsibility Report last month, titled A World Worth Seeing, (https://www.nationalvision.com/SEEG) as part of its ongoing efforts to increase transparency in the company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) activities. “As a low cost health care provider to primarily uninsured Americans living on tight budgets, our business provides an inherent social good,” said CEO Reade Fahs. “This report is National Vision’s first attempt to lay out in detail all the things we are doing to be responsible citizens and to bring eyecare and eyewear to low income Americans and people around the world,” Fahs said. The new report builds on the company’s 2019 philanthropic impact report and for the first time, expands disclosure across key ESG areas. Beyond data, the report presents National Vision’s approach to corporate responsibility and leverages the company’s “SEE+G” framework to focus activities and reporting within four key pillars: Social, Employees, Environment and Governance. Some of the highlights of NVI’s activities in each of the SEE+G focus areas, include: • Social: Donated more than $2.3 million to strategic nonprofit partners to alleviate the global vision crisis. • Employees: Enhanced benefits to align with what associates said mattered most to them, such as extending the amount of paid parental leave. • Environment: Completed the company’s first Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory. • Governance: Board composition and diversity overview, including achieving gender parity among independent directors. • Response to COVID-19, including supporting the safety and well-being of associates, doctors, patients and customers. • The company’s Crisis Relief Fund granted more than $900,000 to associates and doctors in need. • Efforts to foster a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. • Launched new DEI strategy and goals. In addition to the America’s Best banner group, National Vision operates Eyeglass World, Vision Centers inside select Walmart stores, Vista Opticals inside select Fred Meyer stores and on select military bases, and several e-commerce websites.