Eye Spy Foundation Jacksonville

Eye Spy Foundation Wins $8K OGS Grant in Jacksonville

Nick Mendler

October 14, 2026

Eye Spy Foundation Named in Optometry Giving Sight's Nearly $1 Million 2026 Global Grant Announcement

Eye Spy Foundation is proud to announce it has been selected as a grantee in Optometry Giving Sight's (OGS) 2026 global funding cycle, which awarded nearly $1 million to vision care initiatives around the world. The $8,000 grant funds the launch of Eye Spy Jacksonville: Optometry-Supported Navigation and Community Hub, a pilot program connecting local eye doctors directly to peer navigation services for people facing permanent vision loss.

The Problem: The Clinical Cliff

In Northeast Florida, thousands of people leave an eye appointment each year with a life-changing diagnosis and no clear next step. No roadmap. No referral to daily living support. No connection to community. Advocates call this the "clinical cliff," and it is one of the most common points of failure in vision care.

Eye Spy Jacksonville is built to close that gap.

How It Works

Through the pilot program, doctors across 20 anchor "Ally" practices in Northeast Florida—including leading independent eye care centers and specialty clinics—will be equipped with physical referral cards, low-vision prescription pads, and white-labeled digital portals.

With a single handoff during an appointment, a patient is connected directly to the Eye Spy Navigator Network. From there, a trained peer navigator—someone who lives with sight loss themselves—provides personalized, one-on-one guidance on assistive technology, orientation and mobility training, mental health support, and local independent living programs.

While the pilot deeply onboards these 20 core Ally practices with physical collateral and hands-on training, Eye Spy Foundation is simultaneously rolling out automated digital profile claims for all 165+ practices across the region this month during Blindness Awareness Month.

"Receiving support from Optometry Giving Sight is a major milestone for the Eye Spy Foundation and the entire blind and low vision community in Northeast Florida. This $8,000 grant allows us to bridge the clinical cliff by establishing a direct link between local optometrists and long-term, everyday support, extending patient care far beyond the clinic walls. Whether a patient is newly diagnosed or has been navigating vision loss for years, we connect them directly with a dedicated peer Navigator, a compassionate human who truly understands the journey and can guide them into a wonderful, supportive community that helps them thrive in daily life."

— Nicholas Mendler, President and Founder, Eye Spy Foundation

A Model Built to Scale

Jacksonville is the starting point, not the finish line. The City Hub is designed as a turnkey model for expansion across Florida's major medical markets. Eye Spy Foundation's regional partners include UF Health Jacksonville Ophthalmology, Vision Is Priceless, Brooks Rehabilitation, Arlington Low Vision Clinics, Ellie Mental Health, and regional Lions Clubs, forming a full support ecosystem around optometrists and their patients.

About Eye Spy Foundation

Eye Spy Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping the blind and low vision community navigate toward a more informed, connected, and confident life. Founded in 2023 in Jacksonville, Florida by Nicholas Mendler, who was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at age 16, Eye Spy bridges the gap between clinical diagnosis and daily-living success through technology, peer navigation, and community-driven support. Learn more at eyespy.org.

About Optometry Giving Sight

Optometry Giving Sight is the only global fundraising initiative specifically targeting the prevention of blindness and impaired vision due to uncorrected refractive error. OGS funds projects that establish vision centers, train local eye care personnel, and deliver vision care services to communities in need. In 2026, OGS awarded nearly $1 million in funding to support optometric development and service delivery projects globally. Learn more at givingsight.org.