The gift will support the organization’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan to make a real change in eye care.
Prevent Blindness (Chicago, United States), a 117-year-old organization dedicated to saving sight, just received its largest donation ever—a whopping $9.7 million.
The gift came from the Estate of Pamela Behrens, a longtime supporter of the organization, who wanted to honor the legacy of her late husband, Richard Behrens, a former board member and national treasurer of Prevent Blindness.
Source: Prevent Blindness
Pamela Behrens’ donation has come at a critical time for the organization. Prevent Blindness is in the middle of crafting its 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, and the organization believes the funding will give them the muscle they need to make the changes in worldwide vision care core to their purpose.
“This extraordinary gift comes at a pivotal time for Prevent Blindness, empowering us to expand our reach, elevate public awareness and better support those most vulnerable to vision loss in an era of rapid change,” Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness, said of the significance of the gift.
Global impact on sight worldwide
With this historic donation, Prevent Blindness is gearing up to tackle some of the biggest challenges in eye care today. Rising rates of myopia in kids? They’re on it. An aging population with complex vision needs? Covered. And what about those amazing new tools like AI in diagnostics? They’re integrating those, too.
Here’s how this funding will be put to work:
- Strengthening Children’s Vision Programs: Expanding efforts to catch and treat vision problems early, ensuring every child can thrive.
- Increasing Public Awareness: Big campaigns are coming to teach people about the importance of eye health and early detection.
- Advocacy for Vision Health Equity: Advocacy efforts will focus on making vision care more available to underserved communities.
- Support for Those Impacted by Vision Loss: Resources and community support for people facing vision loss, including their caregivers.
- Global Collaboration: Collaborating with international partners to push for eye care equity around the world.
What’s next
Beyond direct initiatives, expect to see more from Prevent Blindness in the coming months. They’re planning a major awareness campaign to highlight their resources and invite more people to join their mission. On top of that, they’ll be upgrading their technology to better serve individuals and families across the country.
Jim McGrann, chair of the Prevent Blindness board, reminds us that this isn’t just about one big gift. “Whether it’s a gift of $5, $500, $1 million or more, all donations are valued and support the millions of people across the country impacted by eye health.”
As Prevent Blindness moves into this exciting new chapter, it invites individuals, families and communities to join its mission. With this historic gift and a commitment to innovation and inclusion, the organization is poised to make a lasting impact on eye health in the U.S. and beyond.