Tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM, the doors will officially open for the Veterans Raising Children Vision Health Fair at 930 National Parkway in Schaumburg.
The outpouring of support from our partners, sponsors, and clinical teams over the last few weeks has been nothing short of miraculous. It truly takes a village to raise a village, and tomorrow, we get to see our village in action. A special thank you goes out to State Representative Michelle Mussman for recognizing our efforts and sharing the health fair on her social media platforms to help us reach even more families.
An Incredible Update: Restoring Sight to Local Students
Our outreach to local school districts (46, 54, and 211) has been overwhelmingly successful, so much so that we are already surpassing our initial goals. We have already identified a waitlist of 122 students who failed one if not two of their vision screenings and desperately need prescription glasses, but whose families lack the coverage to afford them.
Tomorrow, we are launching an emergency community fundraiser to bridge the $7,339 gap needed to manufacture these glasses. When you join us at the fair, you will have the opportunity to directly sponsor a student's sight!
Tomorrow's Highlights:
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM: Doors open! Connect with dozens of veteran-focused vendors, nonprofits, and healthcare providers.
Free Clinical Care: Vision examinations provided by Midwestern University and the Illinois College of Optometry, plus medical screenings by Waubonsee Community College and Harper College nursing students.
The Career & Wellness Speaker Series (Vendor Expo Room):
10:30 AM: Lynda Strelitz (Overcoming Hearing Loss)
11:00 AM: Lunch will be served in the Cafe area
11:00 AM: Jodi Weinberg (Maximizing Physical Health)
11:30 AM: Diana Zarkha (Funding Your Business)
12:00 PM: Allison Thurman (Design for Wellness)
12:30 PM: Mansa Latham (Community Address & Live Guitar Giveaway!)
1:00 PM: Diana Lakstutis (Veteran to Business Owner)
1:30 PM: Megan Monti (Taking Control of Your Mental Health)
One Final Push:
As a reminder, every day we lose 17 veterans to suicide. The veteran in your immediate network might not be the one who needs our support right now, but they may be the one who gets a late-night phone call from a friend who does. Please continue to share the event registration link with your networks so our community knows these resources are here for them. Information is the first step towards making an impact in the community.
I cannot wait to see what we accomplish together tomorrow. See you in the morning!
Warmly,
When you’re ready, here are 3 ways we can collaborate:
1. Explore the Vision @FTDMinistry.org: Don't just read it, see it in action. Discover how our youth program Exhale open mic is turning our Kids into Creators.
2. Be a Messenger: There is a veteran in your circle who needs support. Forward our Health Fair to your network and turn a single share into a blessing.
3. Serve Those Who Served: We need friendly faces on Feb 28th! Join us on the front lines as we provide vision and medical screenings supporting military families.