Started in 2017, The Eyeglasses Project is a Vancouver-based, volunteer-led initiative whose mission is to: Make Eyesight Accessible. We bring together skilled and resourceful people to help the vulnerable get access to eye examinations and prescription eyeglasses. The skilled include optometrists and other eye care professionals. The resourceful includes community service organizations and sponsors. The Eyeglasses Project was initially founded with the goal to provide the marginalized who reside in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside with a basic tool, eyeglasses, to help them live more productive lives. Our renewed goal is to serve 1,000,000 disenfranchised people across Canada.
Our Vision
Making Eyesight Accessible.
During our Carnegie Community Centre Project on October 23, 2018. Downtown Eastside, Vancouver.
Our Team
Who we are.
HOWARD MA
Founder and Chair
BONNIE HE
Board Director
DR. HARBIR SIAN
Board Director
GEOFFERY CHING
Board Director
STEPHANIE LI
Communications Advisor
“This idea came up back in February 2017 when I was looking to pick up a brand new pair of glasses for myself, but then I remembered something; the last pair I bought costed $800 and that got me thinking about something — what do the poor and low-income do when they need a new pair of glasses?”
— Howard Ma, Founder of The Eyeglasses Project
We wondered, do the marginalized people do without glasses or do they use a really old prescription? Our founder and chair, Howard Ma, felt like something was missing there and wanted to do something about it. A team of a few people got together around December 2017 to work on our first pilot project that successfully launched in March 4, 2018.
Project Spotlight
What We Accomplished.
March 4 2018
October 23 2018
March 10 2019
May 15 2019
September 29 2019
November 3 2019
December 15 2019
October 3 2021
Recent Media Coverage
What's been happening?
New local charity project to give free eyeglasses to Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside residents by Daily Hive Vancouver, Feb 21, 2019
A Day With The Eyeglasses Project by Ollie Quinn, Dec 21, 2018
Eyeglasses Project focused on helping Vancouver’s vulnerable see more clearly by CBC News, Mar 11, 2019
溫市中心東端50長者 獲免費驗眼及配眼鏡 by Sing Tao Daily, March 5, 2018
Volunteers offer free eye care to seniors in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside by Amy Smart, The Canadian Press, March 5, 2018
The Eyeglasses Project is helping low income people in #Vancouver see clearly again by BCIT News, March 7, 2018
Through the looking glass by Sucheta Singh, Douglas College, March 29, 2018
For media inquiries, please contact Spotlight West Communications at info@spotlightwest.ca
Get Involved
Bring the Community Together.
The Eyeglasses Project brings together a community of skilled and resourceful people ready to make a difference. This includes optometrists, other eye care professionals, community service organizations and sponsors. If you’d like to get involved in making eyesight accessible in your community, then please contact us below. We’d love to hear your proposal!
Let’s talk accessible eye care and send us a message below!
And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook page
Or reach out to info@theeyeglassesproject.org