Prevent Blindness North Carolina (PBNC) received $2,000 in contributions from the Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation to assist with its Star Pupils Program during the 2013-14 school year. The Star Pupils program purpose is to prevent unnecessary vision loss and future learning problems in children so that they can start school each day “ready to learn” and succeed.
“I am so pleased that Prevent Blindness North Carolina was chosen as one of the organizations to receive a contribution from the Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation to strengthen and expand our Star Pupils Program, said Jennifer Talbot, Prevent Blindness North Carolina’s President and CEO. This grant helped PBNC provide vision screening training & certified screening for over 9,000 preschool and school-aged students in Burke and Caldwell counties. The Star Pupils program also provides access to donated, comprehensive eye exams and glasses for referred children who cannot afford follow-up appointments. PBNC will continue to conduct follow-up activities to ensure referred children have access to comprehensive eyecare throughout the remainder of the school year.
The Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation awards grants in communities throughout its service territory.
Prevent Blindness North Carolina received the grant through the Health and Human Services component of the Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation’s Community Enrichment Initiative. Among other things, the initiative supports organizations that provide increased access to critical healthcare services and comprehensive medical treatment including preventative care, prescription medication, medical exams, screenings, immunizations and dental care
About Philanthropy at Piedmont Natural Gas
The Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation was formed in 2004 to support nonprofit organizations in communities throughout its service territory. Since its beginning, the Foundation has invested more than $6 million in the communities Piedmont Natural Gas serves. The Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation’s giving strategy promotes Environmental Stewardship and Energy Sustainability, Community Enrichment Initiatives, and Energy Assistance Program. To learn more, visit www.piedmontng.com/ourcommunity/ourfoundation.
About Prevent Blindness North Carolina
Prevent Blindness North Carolina was organized in 1967 as an affiliate of Prevent Blindness America, the country’s second-oldest national voluntary health organization. Prevent Blindness North Carolina (PBNC) is the state’s leading volunteer-driven nonprofit public health organization dedicated to fighting blindness, saving sight, and ensuring healthy vision for North Carolinians for their lifetime. Focused on promoting a continuum of vision care, PBNC conducts public and professional education, advocacy, certified vision screening training, community and patient service programs, research, and outreach. PBNC serves all 100 NC counties providing direct services to over 550,000 North Carolinians annually. For more information or to make a contribution, call 800-543-7839. Or, visit us on the web at nc.preventblindness.org or facebook.com/PreventBlindnessNC.