{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20141024005509/http://www.coons.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/release/sen-coons-gov-markell-wnba-superstar-elena-delle-donne-launch-vision-to-learn-delaware", "Sen. Coons, Gov. Markell, WNBA Superstar Elena Delle Donne launch Vision To Learn Delaware", "2014-10-23", "2014", "2014-10", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, October 23, 2014\n                    CONTACT: Brian P. Cunningham 302-573-6054 \n\t\t\t\t\t Sen. Coons, Gov. Markell, WNBA Superstar Elena Delle Donne launch Vision To Learn Delaware \n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t 35 students presented with their own pair of glasses \n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\nWILMINGTON, Del. \u2013 U.S. Senator Chris Coons, Gov. Jack Markell and WNBA superstar Elena Delle Donne joined Vision To Learn founder and chairman, Austin Beutner, to launch the organization\u2019s first public/private partnership to bring free mobile eye exams and free glasses to school children in low-income communities in Delaware. The event culminated in the distribution of free eye glasses to 35 school children at the Evan G. Shortlidge Academy.\nVision To Learn selected Delaware as the first state in a nationwide rollout to show how a close collaboration of state government, health care providers, school districts, and philanthropy can work together to meet the vision needs of school children in low-income communities.\n\u201cWhen you can improve the vision of a child, you open up an entire new world to them,\u201d Senator Coons said . \u201cToo many Delaware children who need glasses go without, so I was proud to help bring Vision To Learn to Delaware so students who are in need of glasses receive them to help them achieve their full potential.\u201d\n\u201cFrom providing high-quality early learning opportunities to increasing access to college and job training, we must be committed to ensuring cost is not an obstacle for Delaware\u2019s students to receive a great education,\u201d Governor Markell said. \u201cBut that\u2019s not possible if our children can\u2019t see what their teachers are showing them in class. I want to thank Austin and his team\u00a0for their commitment to this important initiative and Senator Coons for his leadership in making vision services available to kids who need them the most. Together, we will help develop a roadmap for all children to see a clear and bright future.\u201d\n\u201cToday\u2019s event kicks off a new chapter for Vision To Learn, combining private philanthropy and Medicaid reimbursement to provide the funds necessary to ensure all children get the glasses they need,\u201d Mr. Beutner said. \u201cOur efforts in California have been funded entirely by private donations, so this marks a new and exciting public/private partnership model for our organization and for the future.\"\nStudents who can\u2019t see have a more challenging time learning. As many as two million children across the United States lack the eye glasses they need to succeed in school and life. Vision To Learn\u2019s common sense approach allows optometrists and opticians, working out of a state-of-the-art mobile clinic, to provide service directly to the schools and the students. Established in 2012 by the Beutner Family Foundation, Vision To Learn has already helped more than 25,000 children in California receive free eye exams and free glasses.\nPhoto courtesy of Saquan Stimpson/Vision To Learn\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141024005509/http://www.coons.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/release/sen-coons-gov-markell-wnba-superstar-elena-delle-donne-launch-vision-to-learn-delaware"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.809818971902132, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}