Health & Fitness
Introducing the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile!
On June 20, the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Ronald McDonald Care Mobile - a mobile eye care unit that will travel to schools throughout the St. Louis area to provide eye exams and glasses free-of-charge to underprivileged children. The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile is a joint effort of Ronald McDonald House Charities of St. Louis and the Eye Care Charity of Mid-America.
Members of the Chamber, several RMHC and Eye Care Charity of Mid-America Board of Directors, as well as Ronald McDonald himself were in attendance. Following the ribbon cutting, guests enjoyed tours of the Care Mobile and lunch.
The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, which is staffed by licensed optometrists, will visit elementary and middle schools throughout the Greater St. Louis Area, expanding the reach and impact of RMHC St. Louis by helping more children within the local community. It will travel to schools located in areas where the need for eye care is greatest due to low household income, with the goal of delivering 2,500 comprehensive eye exams free-of-charge in its first year of operation.
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In March 2013, the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile visited Hazelwood Middle School three times. Thirty students received complimentary eye exams, 27 of whom received a free pair of glasses.
Currently, there are 40 Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles in operation throughout the United States. However, the St. Louis Care Mobile is the first that is dedicated solely to providing vision care.
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The following grantors have provided funding for the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile: Emerson, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation, Missouri Foundation for Health, and Express Scripts. The St. Louis Ronald McDonald Care Mobile will depend on grants and donations for operating expenses and ongoing vehicle upkeep.
For more information about the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, please visit www.eccoma.org. To determine if a school near you qualifies for the services of the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, please contact Lora Mather, Executive Director for the Eye Care Charity of Mid-America, at 636-778-1022 or loramather@eccoma.org.