Angels for Sight Nonprofit Opens New Vision Clinic to Provide Eyecare to Underserved Long Beach Community

Image courtesy of Angels for Sight

LONG BEACH, Calif.—Angels for Sight, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization that provides free vision screenings, eye exams and glasses to low-income and unhoused individuals, dedicated its new vision clinic on March 28, 2025 with community members, dignitaries and charitable partners in attendance, according to an announcement. The clinic’s opening represents over 20 years of work by dedicated volunteers and supporters, the organization noted, and its dedication was attended by representatives from the offices of congressman Robert Garcia, congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán, California state senator Laura Richardson, the Compton mayoral and city council, as well as Long Beach councilwoman Dr. Suely Saro and representatives from regional nonprofits.

At the dedication, Long Beach mayor Rex Richardson expressed his support for the Angels for Sight Vision Clinic while helping to cut the ceremonial ribbon with the organization’s board members and longtime supporters.

“This clinic represents more than just health care; it’s a vital resource that will improve lives and strengthen our community,” said Richardson. “We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped fulfill the dream of founder Shea Hamilton, ensuring that her legacy of service will continue to support families and youth in the greater Long Beach area for years to come.”

Hamilton, Angels for Sight’s founder, had long hoped to open a larger facility to better serve the community she loved; however, she passed away in 2023 shortly after learning that the much-needed funds to help her realize her dream were finally going to become a reality, the announcement noted.

Attendees toured the facility and met with medical team representatives from Marshall B. Ketchum University’s (MBKU) Southern California College of Optometry, who will be staffing the clinic.

The partnership with MBKU, a private, nonprofit health sciences institution dedicated to hands-on training in optometry, pharmacy and physician assistant studies, was based on funding from the California State Budget Allocation. Angels for Sight’s board of directors created a new collaboration with the MBKU’s Southern California College of Optometry, whose students and doctors will be staffing the clinic, the announcement noted.

Former state senator and current California lieutenant governor candidate Steven Bradford, a supporter of Angels for Sight since its 2004 launch in his district, was instrumental in helping to secure the funding needed to build the new state-of-the-art vision clinic, the announcement noted.

“I’m honored to have secured the state funds to make this facility a reality and honor my good friend Shea Hamilton,” said Bradford. “Through her passion and vision, thousands of kids and adults will not only be able to properly see but succeed and thrive in life’s daily challenges. Angels for Sight is truly life changing! Shea’s legacy and memory will forever live on through this organization and the services they offer.”

In addition to offering vision care, the clinic has partnered with Good Stuff Kiosks, originally launched by the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation and supported by Partnership for a Healthier America, on a pilot program to provide healthy food to the community, the announcement said.

“The connection between food and health is undeniable, and just like access to quality vision care, everyone in America deserves access to nutritious food,” said Noreen Springstead, president and CEO of Partnership for a Healthier America.  “We’re honored to partner with the Good Stuff Kiosk program and Angels for Sight to help bring access to affordable, nutritious food to Long Beach. Combining health services with efforts to make mealtime healthier and easier for the community is a win-win for California families.”

The Angels for Sight Vision Clinic will open its multipurpose room to other local organizations to help further its work in the community and serve as an example to similar organizations, the announcement noted.

“At Angels for Sight, we believe that vision care is not just about eyesight; it’s about access, equity and empowerment,” said Angels for Sight executive director, Jesa Townsend.  “Clear vision shapes a child’s ability to learn, a worker’s ability to provide and a senior’s ability to maintain independence with dignity.

“It is the foundation upon which opportunities are built. When we provide essential eyecare, we are not simply offering a health service. We are breaking down barriers that have held the most vulnerable back for far too long. Our mission is to ensure that no one’s future is blurred by socioeconomic circumstances. Together, we can bring vision into focus and create a more just and equitable future for all,” she said.