Pacific Eye celebrates the holiday season with $10,000 in total contributions to local non-profit organizations this week as a result of its 4th annual Pacific Eye Gives Back Challenge. Thousands of supporters from around the Central Coast participated in the contest throughout the month of November. Community members cast over 17,000 votes with the top-three organizations securing the largest donations.
Jack’s Helping Hand secured the $5,000 first-place donation in the contest with 5,652 votes. The organization assists children with illnesses and disabilities, providing special treatments, services, equipment and transportation that are not readily provided by local sources or exceed a family’s financial capacity.
With Pacific Eye’s donation, Jack’s Helping Hand intends to expand upon their current programs to enable and empower more families and volunteers to meet the unique and unmet physical, mental and medical needs of children in our community.
The San Luis Obispo Youth Symphony followed in second with 4,512 votes in the Pacific Eye Gives Back Challenge, garnering them a $2,250 donation. Since 1965, conductors and coaches with extensive experience have provided the community’s young musicians an excellent environment to develop their skills through symphonic and chamber music training. The organization has become the only program between Santa Barbara and Monterey for school-age musicians to receive full orchestral training.
Tying up the third-place donation of $1,000, with 3,965 votes was Central Coast Funds for Children. CCFC benefits children in need of special services and supports youth organizations in San Luis Obispo County through their fundraising events and donation drives. Since 1994, over a million dollars has been granted to local programs for children in our community.
The remaining seven organizations, AmpSurf, Clark Center Performing Arts Foundation, Cuesta College Foundation, Hospice of SLO County, Noor Foundation, Women’s Shelter of SLO County and Woods Humane Society will each receive a $250 donation.
The eligible organizations were selected from dozens of worthy non-profits nominated by community members earlier this year. The eye care practice’s annual contest was designed to highlight the outstanding organizations that make positive change visible on the Central Coast. 2015 marks the fourth year that the contest has been held.
For more information, visit Pacific Eye’s website (www.PacEyeMD.com) or email Amie DuMong (adumong@paceyemd.com).