The details
According to a news release, the non-profit will provide free replacement eyeglasses for victims of the Hill Country flood.
"Our hearts are with everyone affected,” said Megan Burkes, executive director of I Care San Antonio. “We can only imagine how overwhelmed everyone is, and we're here to help the best way we can. By offering emergency eyeglass replacements, we hope to restore not just vision—but a small sense of normalcy and comfort when it's needed most."
To be eligible, residents:
- Must have lost their eyeglasses in the floods
- Must live in affected areas in the Hill Country
- Must present valid identification confirming their residence
To receive assistance, residents can either visit I Care San Antonio, 1779 NE Loop 410, which is open from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or contact the nonprofit at 830-229-1779 or [email protected]. No application is required, and prescription glasses will be expedited.
The backstory
I Care San Antonio was founded in 1991 by Dr. Robert A. Rice, an ophthalmologist who has been practicing in San Antonio since 1985, and a group of fellow members from the Covenant Presbyterian Church. The nonprofit launched a series of outreach clinics along the Mexican border by 1995 and provided more than 3,000 pairs of glasses to Hurricane Katrina victims.
Using more than 40 volunteer eye care providers, including specialists in pediatrics, cornea and glaucoma, has served the San Antonio community for over 30 years.
Since its founding I Care San Antonio has:
- Served over 58,000 patients
- Performed over 5,700 surgeries
- Provided more than 45,000 pairs of glasses or optical vouchers
