NEW YORK—As the world looks to assess the effects of Hurricanes Irma, Jose and Maria, Texans who were affected by Hurricane Harvey are just beginning to get their footing. With relief efforts well underway, the optical community continues to reach out in an effort to aid those who have been affected and are trying to get their lives back on track.

VSP Global has committed up to five million dollars in relief efforts which includes partnering with VSP network doctors whose businesses have been damaged to help them return to providing eyecare and eyewear for community members in need.

VSP is currently on scene in Houston with the VSP Global Eyes of Hope 40-foot mobile eyecare clinic, which gives local VSP eye doctors who have been affected by the hurricane a place to provide care and new glasses to patients. Since arriving on Sept. 11, doctors have seen nearly 350 people in need. A second mobile eyecare clinic is ready to be deployed to Florida to partner with local VSP network doctors there to also help those impacted by Hurricane Irma.

The Eyes of Hope mobile eyecare clinic was on site at Glam4Good’s disaster relief initiative in Houston on Sept. 23. Glam4Good—an award-winning, empowerment platform and organization—along with the support of Dee and Tommy Hilfiger, Macy’s and Marchon Eyewear, helped restore the wardrobes and personal care essentials for hundreds of women and their families who have been affected by the devastation of Hurricane Harvey.

The Eyes of Hope mobile eyecare clinic provided free eye exams and prescription glasses at no cost to those who lost or damaged their glasses. Recipients chose from popular designer frames donated by Marchon, while eye exams were provided by local, VSP network eye doctors, including many who were personally impacted by Hurricane Harvey.

The VSP mobile eyecare clinic will be open to the public daily from 9 am to 5 pm at the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center located at 2401 Termini Street, Dickinson, Texas until Sept. 30. If your practice was damaged, or your patients are in need of replacement eyewear or eyecare, visit www.vspglobal.com/disasteroutreach or call (800) 615-1883 to learn more about the support programs available from VSP Global companies.

Other relief efforts provided by VSP Global include, the reinstatement of benefits for VSP members whose glasses or contacts were damaged or lost; outreach to VSP network doctors whose practices have been destroyed to provide resources like donations or discounts of products such as transition of patient records to the cloud for easy access; and matching employee donations up to $25,000 to the Red Cross.

“We have nearly two million VSP members in Houston and the surrounding areas, and to date, we know of 25 VSP network doctors whose eyecare practices were damaged or destroyed,” said Rob Lynch, VSP Global Board Member and interim CEO. “As a mission driven company, we are dedicated to playing our part in helping communities recover after disasters, big or small, by providing access to eyecare for those who are most in need.”

In addition to the mobile clinics, VSP has also provided 4,000 gift certificates to charitable partners to distribute to those in need across all of the areas affected. The gift certificates are redeemable at local VSP network doctors’ offices and include a comprehensive eye exam and eyewear at no-cost to Houston residents.

For more information about VSP Global outreach, please visit VSP’s Eyes of Hope disaster relief resource site.

Eyewear company David Kind is also contributing to Hurricane Harvey relief. In partnership with Together With Texas, David Kind and like-minded brands such as Trumaker and Taylor Stitch, are donating $2 of every sale to the Greater Houston Community Foundation.

David Kind combines 200+ processes in its sunglasses and glasses; the finest zyl, pure titanium or stainless steel construction, and patented photo measurement to accurately assess frame fit.