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December 3, 2012 - Samaritan Clinic, a local 501c3 community free clinic, continues its partnership with the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation Kids Program with a focus on serving children in the Dougherty County School System. Samaritan Clinic has facilitated the coordination of a vision clinic on December 11, 2012 for eligible students starting at Sherwood Acres Elementary School. Students, who have no insurance of any kind, are eligible for the free vision program. All vision exams will be performed in the school and will begin at 7:30am. Eligible children will have a fully dilated, eye examination and will have the opportunity to choose their own eyeglass frames. Parents are welcomed and encouraged to come to the eye exam with their child.Since May, the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation Kids Program has provided 200 kids with eye exams and/or eyeglasses across the state. Traditionally, children with vision needs in Albany were served through the Samaritan Clinic offices. However, on the heels of The Lighthouse’s 2011 success of providing access to vision services to elementary, middle and high school students in one community, the school based, youth vision program was borne. We plan to continue this service throughout the Dougherty County Schools such that any child in need of vision services is able to receive those services.The Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing access to vision and hearing services to Georgians in Financial need. Last year alone, the Lighthouse Foundation served 6,000 uninsured and underinsured Georgians. The Lighthouse Foundation is able to maintain a statewide reach by setting up mobile equipment in 23 clinic locations across the state on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. Samaritan Clinic, a 501c3, faith-based, free community clinic has been the Lighthouse’s vision partner in Albany since 2008. Through this partnership, 212 Dougherty County residents have received 15 eye surgeries, 113 eye exams, and 147 pairs of eyeglasses. Due to the in-kind services of our medical providers and volunteers, these services total $108,533. Samaritan Clinic also provides medical, breast and cervical cancer screening, diabetes monitoring and education, medication assistance, and emergent dental services for patients who qualify. If you have any questions about the vision clinic at Sherwood Acres Elementary School on December 11, 2012, please call Nedra Fortson at 229.888.7445 or via email at nfortson@bellsouth.net. For more information about youth focused clinics, in general, please contact Judith Kerr via email at jkerr@lionslighthouse.org.About the Partnership
Samaritan Clinic is an outreach ministry of Mt. Zion Baptist Church and Second Mt. Zion Baptist Church. Established in 2008, Samaritan Clinic partnered with The Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation to provide vision services for uninsured patients in Dougherty and surrounding counties.