CORAL SPRINGS, Fla.— ABB Optical Group has announced the 10 non-profit organizations that have each won $1,000 in the optical product distributor’s inaugural grants program, ABB Cares. Launched in August 2014, the program celebrates organizations throughout the U.S. that have improved the quality of life in communities served by ABB. Due to the large number of applications, 140 non-profit organizations nominated by eyecare professionals nationwide, ABB expanded the number of $1,000 grants available from five to 10.

“At ABB Optical Group, we firmly believe in the power of corporate giving, and we are proud to support organizations that have a tremendous impact on the lives of so many,” said CEO Angel Alvarez. “We thank our customers, eyecare professionals nationwide, for all of their nominations and for making this program such a success.”

The 2014 recipients of the ABB Cares grant program are Best Buddies Indiana, Indianapolis, Ind.; Buddy Cruise, Lithia, Fla.; Corpus Christi Metro Ministries, Corpus Christi, Texas; Hope Children’s Home, Tampa, Fla.; Lighthouse of Pinellas, Largo, Fla.; MEND of Pacoima, Calif.; Prevent Blindness Northern California, San Francisco; Semper Fido, Marlton, N.J.; Southeastern Guide Dogs, Palmetto, Fla.; and Vision to Learn of Los Angeles, Calif.

The mission of Best Buddies is to establish a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Nominated by Optique Vision Center, the Indiana Best Buddies chapter offers local participants socialization and leadership opportunities, as well as job coaching.

Buddy Cruise provides educational opportunities and resources for families who know first-hand the joys and challenges of raising a child with special needs. Nominated by Marengo Vision Center, the organization holds an annual conference at sea to support families touched by disabilities.

Founded in 1983 as a response to its community’s burgeoning homeless population, Corpus Christi Metro Ministries strives to create a community that is free from hunger and homelessness. Nominated by Coastal Bend Eye Center, the organization has provided more than 4 million meals and more than 300,000 beds to residents in need.

Since 1968, Hope Children’s Home has cared for more than 5,000 abandoned, abused, neglected and orphaned children from newborn to 18 years old. The organization was nominated by St. Lucy’s Vision Center. 

Nominated by InnoVision, Lighthouse of Pinellas strives to change the lives of blind or visually impaired individuals in Largo, Fla., by offering a continuum of care that addresses the physical, mental and social challenges associated with vision loss for individuals and their families. Its services enable people with low vision and blindness to enjoy safe, independent and productive lives.

Founded in the early 1970s in an effort to transform the lives of disadvantaged residents of the San Fernando Valley, MEND has grown to become the largest poverty-focused agency in its community, serving more than 38,000 individuals each month in 2013. Nominated by Visualeyes Optometry, the organization helps those living in poverty attain self-reliance by providing emergency food and clothing; medical, vision and dental care; job skills training and job placement assistance; English as a second language classes; and youth activities.

Prevent Blindness Northern California is devoted to the preservation of sight and provides services to residents of Northern California to prevent vision impairment, including direct vision screening services, vision screening training programs, and public education. Since 1966, the organization has screened more than one million children and adults, connected more than 50,000 people to vision care services, and certified more than 25,000 vision screeners. The organization was nominated by Boghossian Vision.

Nominated by Moorestown Eye Associates, Semper Fido is committed to uniting wounded service men or women suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder with rescued shelter dogs to nurture a healing and rejuvenating bond between the two. Dog partners have a tremendous stress reduction effect on their human partners as measured through cortisol levels, heart rate and blood pressure, and the result is a positive and unconditional relationship that restores and improves quality of life.

Named as Tampa Bay Business Journal’s 2014 Nonprofit of the Year, Southeastern Guide Dogs employs the latest in canine development and behavior research to create and nurture partnerships between extraordinary guide dogs and visually impaired individuals and veterans. Nominated by James Podschun, OD, PA, the organization has matched more than 2,700 guide dogs and continues to place more than 100 dogs each year into careers nationwide.

Vision To Learn, nominated by Jeffrey E. Marshak, OD, provides free eye exams and eyeglasses to elementary school students in low-income, poverty-stricken and urban communities throughout California. The organization has screened more than 120,000 children in Los Angeles and Sacramento, as well as provided more than 20,000 eye exams and more than 16,000 free glasses.