LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga.—The National Vision chain, parent of America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses and other retail brands, is kicking off a new not-for-profit foundation called Frames For The World as a spinoff of the company’s previous philanthropic efforts.

Reade Fahs, president and chief executive officer of National Vision, said the foundation was established to fill the need for low-cost, good-quality frames in optical clinics and eye hospitals in poor and developing countries.

Frames For The World is encouraging eyewear manufacturers and optical retailers to donate new frames; the foundation will pre-qualify eligible not-for-profit clinics and hospitals to ensure their not-for-profit status, that they primarily serve the poor, that donated frames will enhance those institutions’ ability to serve the poor, and that the frames will not be sold to any for-profit or black market entity.

Fahs said, “Our efforts to help provide access to affordable glasses in some of the poorest parts of Latin America have put us in touch with several impressive and inspirational clinics and eye hospitals. It is our hope that Frames For The World will become one component part of the tapestry of models and solutions that will be required to bring vision to the world’s poor.”

He told VMail the frames will be distributed to those in need through the selected institutions’ existing infrastructures.

The first recipient of donated frames will be the Instituto De La Vision in Montemoreles, Mexico, an ophthalmological hospital serving the poor that is associated with the University of Montemoreles.

Manufacturers and other organizations with new frames to donate can contact the new foundation at [email protected].