RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif.—The U.S. Conference of Mayors and VSP Global kicked off their partnership to provide access to eyecare for those in need with four days of no-cost eye exams and glasses to residents in Atlanta yesterday, May 15. The partnership was announced in January 2016.

The partnership is part of VSP Global’s larger initiative, Eyes of Hope: A Million More. Earlier this year, VSP celebrated the millionth person served through Eyes of Hope’s charitable programs, and renewed the commitment to providing access to a million more by 2020, as VMail reported. To help achieve this goal, VSP and the U.S. Conference of Mayors will co-host multi-day events in 10 cities across the country. For each event, VSP will provide no-cost eye exams and glasses for qualifying adults and children in need. Beyond 2016, VSP will work with the cities to create sustainable access to eyecare services after the events wrap.

In 2016, the partnership will bring the Eyes of Hope: a Million More initiative to these cities, with additional ones to be announced soon: Atlanta, Columbus, Denver, Indianapolis, Louisville, Phoenix, Portland and San Francisco. VSP will work with the participating mayors, city agencies and community partners to identify a tailored approach to increasing access to eyecare specific to the needs of each city.

“We’re proud to partner with the U.S. Conference of Mayors and provide access to high-quality eyecare to people in need across the country, ” said Jim McGrann, CEO of VSP Global. “This partnership supports the efforts of both of our organizations as we increase access to health care in our nation’s communities.” In the U.S., around 46.5 million households are not covered by a vision plan and do not have employer access to vision insurance.

“Vision care is one of those so-important aspects of our health that too often isn’t affordable or fully covered by insurance, and therefore out of reach for many of our most vulnerable communities,” said Tom Cochran, CEO and executive director. “Through our partnership with VSP Global, we’re responding to this challenge on a national level—one community at a time. At the end of the day, our nation’s mayors want to ensure that not one child or adult is hampered in their ability to learn, to be safe or to benefit in the many ways they can from comprehensive full vision care.”

Eyes of Hope, VSP’s charitable platform since 1997, provides both immediate and sustainable solutions for vision care globally. As of March 2016, VSP Global businesses have invested close to $175 million in no-cost eyecare and eyewear for one million people in need through programs that include mobile eyecare clinics, gift certificates and eyewear donations.

VSP Mobile Eyes clinics partners with community and charitable organizations, public officials and VSP doctors to provide no-cost eyecare where it’s needed most. These clinics are equipped with state-of-the-art eye exam rooms and a full dispensary with a variety of eyewear brands—a full service doctor’s office on wheels.