CHICAGO, June 9, 2023 – The Illinois Prairie Community Foundation has awarded Eversight a $1,200 grant to support the purchase of sight-saving recovery supplies for McLean and Livingston counties. This grant will ensure that local cornea donors and their families will be able to give the gift of sight to help people receive sight-saving cornea transplants or contribute to eye and vision research.
“There are so many nonprofit organizations, including Eversight, that are doing great things in our community, but still need financial assistance in funding their programs,” said Michele Evans, Grants & Communications Director, Illinois Prairie Community Foundation. “This year, IPCF awarded more than $173,000 in three categories of competitive grants to 83 programs in McLean, DeWitt, Livingston and Logan counties.”
In 2022, Eversight worked with the families of 54 McLean and Livingston County residents who gave the gift of sight as cornea tissue donors, thanks in part to the generosity of the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation. In the same year, Eversight provided tissues for transplant that restored sight to 41 McLean and Livingston County residents.
“Donor families rely on us to be responsible stewards of the gift of sight, and those living with vision impairment rely on us to provide tissue for sight-saving transplants,” said Marta Garczarczyk, Philanthropy Director, Eversight. “The Foundation shares our dedication to advancing the health and well-being of Illinois residents, helping us continue to restore sight, and in turn, independence.”
As the sole eye bank serving Illinois, Eversight is committed to providing tissue for sight-saving surgeries, made possible by Illinois donor families; conducting innovative research into blinding eye diseases; administering education and training for our partner surgeons and more.
The Illinois Prairie Community Foundation is a grant-making public charity dedicated to improving the lives of people in McLean, DeWitt, Livingston and Logan counties. Their mission is to connect people who care with causes that matter by offering philanthropic leadership, organization and grant-making for the long-term enrichment of the community.
Visit eversightvision.org/give to join the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation in contributing to our mission today and help make our life-changing work possible.
About Eversight
Eversight is a nonprofit organization with a mission to restore sight and prevent blindness through the healing power of donation, transplantation and research. The Eversight network is responsible for recovering, evaluating and providing human eye tissue for transplantation; supporting research into the causes and cures of blinding eye conditions; promoting donation awareness through public and professional education; and providing humanitarian aid to people around the world in need of corneal transplantation. Operating in Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio and South Korea, Eversight works in collaboration with surgeons, researchers, academic medical centers and eye banks across the United States and abroad. For more information, visit eversightvision.org.
Media Contact
Mackenzie Mohr
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(517) 204-1413
