The first person to apply for a grant from the George H. Riedel Foundation is working with them to give Hannibal children vision screenings.
Another important thing that Saving KidSight does is work to find eye problems early on, which is important so they don’t become long-term problems.
With a gift of $1,800 from the Riedel Foundation, 300 Hannibal children will be screened in daycares, community centers, and pre-schools in the area. As early as six months, the babies can be screened.
“Vision problems are a big obstacle to learning. Studies show that up to 25% of school-aged children have vision problems that make it hard for them to read, write, and participate in class,” said Saving KidSight board member Mary Jane Noellsch in a news release.
When we find a child who needs help with their vision, we work closely with their family to get them in touch with local eye doctors so they can get the care they need.”
“This is the first time we’ve worked with Saving KidSight,” said Sarah Deien, the supervisor at Riedel. We got in touch with some of the local groups they’ve worked with before because we had heard great things about them.
Most babies, toddlers, and children don’t get any kind of eye exam, and we agreed that this could help them in the long run.
The Riedel Foundation has given more than $6 million in funding to non-profits that help people in Hannibal since it began in 2000.