Warby Parker to provide free glasses to NYC students

Warby Parker might be known for their stylish and affordable frames, but, they are also committed to social justice as well. NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio has teamed up with the fashionable frames company to help provide NYC students in need a free pair of eyeglasses. The partnership is expected to extend to 130 NYC schools.

Under this new partnership, Warby Parker is expected to provide over 20,000 pairs of eyeglasses over the next four years. For students whose learning might be impaired by their vision, and whose parents may not have the means to afford proper eye care for them, this new program could make a world of difference. “For thousands of children who are ready to learn, but whose vision may be holding them back, the future just got clearer and brighter,” de Blasio was quoted saying in WWD. “This is a great new partnership — one of many we are building between homegrown tech companies like Warby Parker and the city to invest in our young people and our future.”

Bill de Blasio and Warby Parker team up to give students in need eyeglasses

Dave Gilboa, the co-founder and co-CEO of Warby Parker, has described vision disability as "the single most prevalent disabling condition among children in the United States." Through this new program Warby Parker hopes to begin to do their part in addressing a condition that is all too uncommon. Neil Blumenthal, Gilboa's co-CEO, added to his business partner's statement, saying, "Our goal is to provide these students with their first pair of glasses for free so they can experience the immediate and direct positive impact that a pair of glasses can have on their life, especially academics.”

As part of this new initiative, NYC will be expanding it's vision screening program to all 130 community schools, meaning 65,000 students in the city will be receiving free exams. Bill de Blasio has shown his support for the fashion community and has often cited the fashion industry as one of the crowned gems of NYC's economy. This partnership with Warby Parker is just one of the ways fashion is giving back to a mayor and city that has continuously supported the retail and fashion sectors.