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Silicon Valley leaders mark 5th anniversary of nonprofit AINAK
Since its establishment in 2020, AINAK has distributed more than 5,000 pairs of eyeglasses to ensure access to essential vision care.
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Staff Reporter - Tue, 28, Oct 2025
- 14:47 EDT
- 17
Glimpses of the event / Image courtesy: Tara Sreekrishnan
Community leaders, elected officials, and educators gathered over the weekend to mark the fifth anniversary of AINAK, a Silicon Valley-based nonprofit providing free eye exams and prescription eyeglasses to underserved students and families across Santa Clara County.
The anniversary event highlighted the organization’s partnerships with the Santa Clara County Office of Education and local school districts, as well as a recent grant awarded by Supervisor Susan Ellenberg to expand services for students and seniors.
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Performances during the event / Image Courtesy: Tara SreekrishnanPoonam Goyal, founder and executive director of AINAK, cited federal data underscoring the scale of unmet vision needs nationwide.
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 62 million people in the U.S. lack vision insurance or access to eye care and eyeglasses, and about one in four preschool-aged children has an undiagnosed or untreated vision problem,” she said. “These conditions can severely impede learning and development without timely exams and glasses.”
Attendees during the event / Tara Sreekrishnan
Supervisor Ellenberg described AINAK’s work as central to advancing health access in the county. “Their commitment to improving access to vision care helps children perform in school and adults maintain their independence—this is the essence of public health equity,” she said.
Assemblymember Ash Kalra noted that access to vision care should not depend on income or geography. “AINAK’s dedication to serving working families across our region is a model for community-driven health outreach,” he said.
San Jose City Councilmember Peter Ortiz emphasized the group’s neighborhood-level approach. David M. Toston, Sr., Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools, added that the nonprofit’s collaboration with school districts has direct educational impact. “Our partnership with AINAK reflects our shared belief that vision is foundational to learning,” he said.
Founded during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, AINAK — which stands for “Advocacy, Inclusion, and Access through Knowledge”—began as a volunteer initiative to address gaps in basic eye care among low-income families.
Since its establishment in 2020, AINAK has distributed more than 5,000 pairs of eyeglasses annually, working with local schools, community organizations, and service agencies to ensure access to essential vision care.
The nonprofit has since developed a network of optometrists, educators, and volunteers conducting on-site screenings and providing prescription eyeglasses at no cost.
Its outreach has expanded through collaborations with entities such as the Rotary Club of Saratoga, Star One Credit Union, the Sunday Friends Foundation, and the Santa Clara County Office of Education.
The organization has also integrated mobile vision clinics at public schools to identify vision problems early, a step that local educators say has helped improve classroom engagement and reading comprehension rates.
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