Atlanta Hawks
Hawks, 'Vision To Learn' Assist Camp Creek Middle School
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On Wednesday afternoon, the Atlanta Hawks Foundation and Vision To Learn, a non-profit provider that grants free eye exams and glasses to students in metro Atlanta, joined together to host a celebration at Fulton County Schools’ Camp Creek Middle School, where more than 150 students received new eyeglasses of their choice and vision screenings.
“It is important that the Hawks Foundation continues to empower the city’s youth,” said Hawks Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility Andrea Carter. “This event at Camp Creek Middle School is one way that we continue to make an impact through the power of vision not just on the court, but also in the classroom and beyond.”
The event featured Hawks star John Collins, who was joined by members of Hawks Entertainment, including in-game host Shamea Morton, Harry the Hawk, ATL Hawks Dancers, and the Flight Crew. They worked together with volunteers from Vision To Learn to distribute eyeglasses to the students at College Park, Ga. After receiving their glasses, the students collaborated with Hawks Entertainment and Collab Crib, an Atlanta-based content house made up of black creators, to create TikTok videos.
“Vision To Learn is proud to continue our incredible partnership with the Atlanta Hawks Foundation, which has already helped over 15,000 kids in the Atlanta metro area get the eye exams and glasses they need to succeed,” said Ann Hollister, President of Vision To Learn. “The need for our program has never been greater, and together with the Hawks, we plan to help thousands more kids in the year to come.”
Children in metro Atlanta go to school every day without the glasses. They need to see the board, read a book, or participate in the classroom. The primary hurdle is a lack of access to vision services for students in low-income communities. To solve this problem, Vision To Learn brings vision services to students at school using mobile clinic vans.
“We were thrilled to bring the Vision To Learn partnership to the students of Fulton County Schools,” said Chelsea Montgomery, Fulton County Schools’ Executive Director for the Office of Student Supports. “Based on vision screenings thus far, the need for vision support is much greater than we expected. We are working very hard to remove all barriers to reading and learning for ALL of our students, and Vision To Learn is now a critical piece of that solution.”
Since 2017, the Atlanta Hawks Foundation has partnered with Vision To Learn to service schools in metro Atlanta by providing them access to free eye exams and glasses. In 2018, the Hawks and Vision To Learn visited Toney Elementary School, where more than 60 students tried on new glasses and were treated to a surprise basketball clinic.
For more information about the Hawks efforts in the community, visit Hawks.com/community.
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