2023-2024 Impact Report Our Mission:
To Prevent Blindness
and Preserve Sight This idea of shared humanity and the connections that we make with one another - that's what, in fact, makes life worth living. -Clint Smith CHECK OUT OUR IMPACT A letter from Prevent Blindness Texas CEO
Heather Patrick As I think about last year the thing that stands out the most to me is all the different partners and individuals that are a part of PBT. We are an organization that believes deeply in collaboration and partnership to move our mission forward. When I am asked what we do, I used to list out all the services we offer, but then I started to think about what we really do when each day closes, and it is all about connection. We connect people to each other, to resources, to knowledge, to providers, and most importantly, to hope.

The need for services continues to climb and with that the desire for systems to be more cohesive, for more care coordination, and more voices coming together to talk about innovative ways to solve access issues. We often have conversations about the connection of vision to overall health, and the impact our vision has on our body and health. We take for granted the automatic connection our eyes, hearing and brain have, until it doesn’t work, until your balance is off, or you get dizzy from activity, or you are seeing double. When we are connected to each other, when we are connected to what we need, and when our body is connected the right way, we often find ourselves thriving, but when those things are off, life can become challenging. Life truly is about connection, and at PBT, we value that, in all that we do. Our goal is to connect our clients to the solutions they need to thrive and connect our donors to an organization they want to invest in to make a difference in people’s health, and ultimately their quality of life.

I hope you will join our movement and get CONNECTED to PBT.
All my best, Heather Patrick CEO, Prevent Blindness Texas KEEP READING Eric came to PBT through an internship opportunity in the spring of 2022. While working with us, he assisted with screenings, helped us educate the public on the importance of eye health, and learned about the significance of the services PBT provides. The PBT interns and volunteers are essential to our mission, because they help us reach thousands of clients each year.

“Starting optometry school has given me a chance to reflect on how grateful I am for the people who have helped me get here. Thank you so much for letting me intern with PBT and teaching me about volunteering and serving the community with vision care services. I’m one step closer to my goals, and I couldn’t have done it without your help. Thank you once again for everything.” Eric Doan, PBT Spring 2022 Intern Why Eye Volunteer AWARENESS AND OUTREACH For over a decade, the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation has served as a cornerstone for the expansion for both our children and adult programs and services in the Greater Houston Area. The Herzstein Foundation’s belief in our work strengthens our capacity to increase our reach by working with partners to provide certified vision screenings, eye health education, navigation services and financial eye care resources for individuals identified with a potential vision problem. PBT recognizes the Foundation as a true partner in our mission and shares a commitment to strengthen and educate individuals and communities, and to encourage individuals to realize their ability to achieve their highest quality of life. Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation EMPOWERMENT AND ADVOCACY Our partnership with San Jose Clinic has enhanced access to vision care and resources in Fort Bend County. According to Areli Estrada, Clinic Operations Supervisor, many individuals served through our efforts are receiving eye care for the first time. Through this collaboration, we have conducted numerous vision screenings, identifying vision issues early and connecting individuals with the follow-up care. By providing these screenings and resources, we have helped improve health outcomes for the community. This partnership represents our shared mission to addressing healthcare disparities and supporting the well-being of the Fort Bend community. San Jose Clinic KEEP READING RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP Prevent Blindness seeks to honor the generosity of its individual, corporate, organizational and foundation sponsors and donors by maintaining the highest standards for non-profit finances and governance. DOWNLOAD THE ANNUAL REPORT