TAMPA, FL — Lions World Vision Institute (LWVI) announced it has closed on a property in Ybor City that will become the site of a new 30,000-square-foot Vision Health Center, with a target opening date of March 2027.
The facility, located across from LWVI’s existing Ybor City campus, is expected to serve more than 20,000 children and adolescents annually by providing free vision screenings and access to prescription glasses.
According to the organization, the center will consolidate comprehensive vision services under one roof, including screenings, diagnostics, treatment, and community-based programs. The project is intended to address gaps in access to vision care, particularly for low-income families.
The Vision Health Center is being financed in part through the Federal New Markets Tax Credit program. Florida Community Loan Fund provided $14 million in tax credits for the project, while Truist Bank contributed an additional $2 million in tax credits along with funding as an investor.
The new facility will expand LWVI’s existing Youth Vision Program and Mobile Vision Clinics, which currently serve students in public schools across Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties. Services include free vision screenings, eye exams, and prescription glasses for children ages 5 to 17, along with referrals for further care.
LWVI stated the Vision Health Center is designed to serve children, families, and individuals who face barriers to accessing vision care and is expected to function as a national model for pediatric-focused, nonprofit vision services.
Founded in 1969, LWVI operates as an eye bank, ocular research center, and pediatric vision health organization, and reports having helped more than 500,000 individuals improve or regain vision.
SOURCE: Lions World Vision Institute
