By CLICK Staff
MADISON, Wis.—Crowdsourcing, via sites like
IndieGogo and
Kickstarter and others, have gained traction as grass-roots ways of raising funds for everything from special purpose projects to financing for-profit independent films, businesses and other larger non-profit works. Read more on how certain crowdfunding sites stand out as catalysts for eyewear initiatives in
Crowdfunding: Catching the Public’s Eye.
A new example is one which supports the concept of helping young children feel good about wearing eyeglasses and eyecare professionals can take part.
Combined with social media, a new
Kickstarter campaign is underway (with 13 more days to go) to help fund the launch of Glasses! a board book for babies and toddlers who wear glasses.
Written by Ann Zawistoski, creator of the
Little Four Eyes, the largest online community for parents of kids who wear glasses, the book's simple, positive message will help young children feel happier about wearing their own glasses. A common refrain from parents on LittleFourEyes.com was that their kids wanted to see pictures of kids like them wearing glasses, and Glasses! is full of such images.
|
Kickstarter lets artists and creators bypass traditional banks and investors by going directly to their communities to find many backers. This innovative crowd-funding model is the perfect venue for the Glasses! project, its creators say, since it is aimed at a very specific and passionate market. Backers can give a little bit or a lot in exchange for a variety of unique rewards. For just $17, backers of the Glasses! Kickstarter will receive the book itself and a thank you on the website. For $65, the Eye Care Professional package features a copy of the book and a framed poster of the book images and text to display in a store, and a link to the store will appear on the website. Several other reward levels offer a reward package for everyone.
|
"Parents don't have an abundance of options for positive and high-quality books geared specifically toward children in glasses," say the organizers, something Zawistoski knows from her own experience as a librarian and mother of a one-year-old who needed glasses.
"Books like Ann's serve a dual purpose: filling the need for high-quality, entertaining media that raises the self-esteem of kids in glasses, and raising awareness of the importance of early detection and treatment of vision issues. Share the Glasses! story with your readers today, and help make a difference in the lives of young children with vision issues." Learn more
here.
Also, CLICK readers should be on the lookout for how they can join other eyecare professionals and parents and their children around the country for the 2014 Great Glasses Play Day which will be held May 3-4, 2014, in cities around the country. Organized by LittleFourEyes and
PeepsEyewear,
Great Glasses Play Day promises a range of activities designed to encourage self-esteem among very young eyeglass wearers. ECPs can take part, via their own practice involvement and via social media.
Back to Newsletter