GlaxoSmithKline Honors South Jersey Eye Center with 14th Annual IMPACT Award

Nov. 15, 2010 - PRLog -- GlaxoSmithKline, one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, has announced that the South Jersey Eye Center, Inc. of Camden, N.J. is one of its GlaxoSmithKline 14th Annual IMPACT Award recipients. The Camden County nonprofit will receive $40,000 for having a significant impact on its community by providing access to proactive and effective healthcare services. A ceremony will be held on Monday, December 13, at GlaxoSmithKline in Philadelphia to honor the Philadelphia-area nonprofit.

“All of the GlaxoSmithKline IMPACT Award winners are leaders in the nonprofit world and in their communities,” said Mary Linda Andrews, GlaxoSmithKline Director of Community Partnerships. “The dedicated teams of professionals and volunteers at these organizations are working on the front lines to provide access to healthcare at a time when people need it most. These awards provide additional resources to help them continue their important work.”

The South Jersey Eye Center’s mission is to reduce vision impairment by providing high quality comprehensive eye health and vision care and to raise the awareness of eye health. It is the only facility of its kind in New Jersey completely dedicated to providing high quality comprehensive free and low cost eye health and vision care to needy, poor, low and moderate income, uninsured, and underinsured residents of Camden City and the Southern New Jersey region.

The South Jersey Eye Center provides a host of eye health and vision programs, including the Sight First for Kids, Sight for Adults and Seniors, Homeless Eye Care, Amblyopia (Lazy Eye) Detection and Remediation, and the Low Vision Rehabilitation program, among others. The centerpiece of the South Jersey Eye Center is its Mobile Vision Clinic that delivers the above services at health fairs, special events, schools, community organizations, faith-based organizations, governmental programs and corporate health programs making services accessible to people in need.

Through partnerships the South Jersey Eye Center is able to provide important community outreach at long-term senior residences and behavioral health centers, programs with the Camden City Housing Authority, and an array of other tailor-made programs for each segment of its target population. The South Jersey Eye Center prides itself on its aggressive efforts to reduce disparities in access to healthcare. The organization continues to expand geographically and increase the number of patients served.

About GlaxoSmithKline IMPACT Awards

Every year the GlaxoSmithKline IMPACT Awards acknowledge, highlight and reward nonprofit organizations that have a significant impact on their communities and are accomplished, proactive and effective in their work. GlaxoSmithKline’s IMPACT Awards represent and support Innovation, Management, Partnership, Achievement, Community focus and the Targeting of needs within community-based healthcare organizations. Nonprofits that exemplify the IMPACT Awards criteria continue to provide quality, accessible healthcare to their communities despite their financial and resource limitations. Winners in previous years include organizations that provide medical and dental care for the underserved, pediatric therapy and counseling services, and disease prevention programs for high-risk populations.

GlaxoSmithKline will be accepting award applications for the GlaxoSmithKline 15th Annual IMPACT Award beginning in January 2011. In order to qualify, applicants must provide access to community healthcare services (primary mission) in the Pennsylvania counties of Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery, and Philadelphia and the City of Camden, New Jersey; have annual total operating expenses between $160,000 and $3 million, as documented in the organization’s most recent fiscal year financial statement; and have been in existence as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization for at least five years. A panel of local and national healthcare delivery experts and GlaxoSmithKline representatives will determine the winners based on a strong demonstration of ongoing success in providing access to healthcare; commitment to serving people in need; facilitation of healthcare delivery, substantive partnerships; policy development; and a solid record of achievement, management and leadership. For more details on the GlaxoSmithKline IMPACT Awards, visit www.gsk-us.com and click “Our work with communities,” then click “Health programs,” then click “Awards,” or call the GlaxoSmithKline Office of Community Partnerships at 215-751-5171.  

About GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline – one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For company information, visit GlaxoSmithKline on the World Wide Web at us.gsk.com.  

Media Contacts: Leah Ludwig (215) 340-0480 / leah@furiarubel.com or Brandyn Bissinger (267) 446-7010 / brandyn@furiarubel.com

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