NEW YORK—Specialty eyewear company Tortoise & Blonde announced today a donation of more than $230,000 worth of eyeglass frames and lenses to Eye Care 4 Kids, a charitable organization that provides professional eye care to low income, visually impaired children. This contribution will allow thousands of children with poor vision the ability to see more clearly with a pair of prescription glasses from Tortoise & Blonde.

Eye Care 4 Kids helps children from poor and low-income families in Utah receive optical treatment, serving more than 200 kids each week. The goal of Eye Care 4 Kids is not only to provide high-quality glasses to needy children, but also to educate the families of children suffering from visual impairments, giving them the knowledge they need to keep their child’s vision healthy and correct.



“This generous gift from Tortoise & Blonde could not have come at a better time”, said Joseph G. Carbone, CEO and founder of Eye Care 4 Kids. “We see so many kids every day who tell us they can’t see their school work, or the blackboard in their classroom. It’s our mission to treat this problem, and to make sure that no child goes without vision correction.” Carbone goes on to say, “The best part of my job is being able to help each and every kid that comes into our clinic, whether they have money or not, and watch them leave with a whole new perspective. The Tortoise & Blonde donation makes it possible for this organization to continue to grow and expand to new regions, helping even more children along the way.”

Tortoise and Blonde was founded in 2011 and is the product of an optical family with more than three generations of experience. Their collections are inspired by everyday people, in every day places, and because of their life-long relationships with the industry’s top manufacturers, Tortoise & Blonde is able to offer the their customers a high-quality product at a low price point, with complete frames starting at $97.00.

A recent study found that 12% of teenagers have undetected or untreated vision problems. “We were shocked by the statistics”, said Dr. Steven Weisfeld, seasoned optometrist and co-founder of Tortoise & Blonde. “When Eye Care 4 Kids shared how many children in America suffer from some sort of visual disability, we knew we had to help.” The earlier a vision problem is diagnosed and treated, the less the potential negative impact it may have on the child's development.

“It is our honor and privilege to be able to partner with such a deserving organization that is able to help so many children on a daily basis,” added co-founder Evan Weisfeld. “The gift of sight is so precious, and no one deserves that gift more than the children of our future. We use German-engineered hinges and hardware to make frames that will last for many years and will also fit the specific needs of each child. The frames are manufactured in the same factories that today’s best eyewear brands are made in, but are then tailor-made for each child by our in-house optometrist.”