Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity - The VOSH concept originated with a Kansas optometrist, Dr. Franklin Harms, in 1972.  His basic idea was to collect a library of used eyeglasses and distribute them in the areas of the world where eye care is unavailable.

What was once a simple state project has evolved into a rapidly expanding organization. There is a continually growing number of individual state and foreign chapters. Most optometry schools have student chapters (sVOSH) encompassing the domestic, foreign and student chapters in VOSH International.

Eight years ago, Dr's Joe D'Amico, Phil Richmond (deceased), Harry Zeltzer, and Lee Lerner went on a student VOSH mission to Merida, Mexico. They found that the mission itself was disorganized, so on their return, the four of them got together and with $1000 in seed money they started VOSH-NECO (New England Council of Optometrists). It was established that Newton ( a small city in Massachusetts) had a sister city in Nicaragua called San Juan del Sur, and VOSH-NECO's first trip was to that town. VOSH-NECO has since done innumerable missions to Nicaragua and many other developing countries in both Central America, and other countries around the world. We are now VOSH-ONE. (Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity - Optometrists of New England).

VOSH-ONE is a chapter of  VOSH/INTERNATIONAL. The organization is dedicated to the preservation of human sight, mainly in developing countries where there is no welfare system.

VOSH-ONE accomplishes it's goals through it's own missions or by assisting other groups with the same purpose.


WHO ARE THE MEMBERS?

We are optometrists, opticians, ophthalmologists, medical personnel and trained lay persons who have no political or religious agenda. Yet, we work with tolerant religious organizations, government agencies and service organizations.

VOSH/International is the voice of 33 regional chapters and 22 student chapters in the United States, Canada, Honduras, India, Africa, South America and the Netherlands.

Volunteers pay their own way. For the last 35 years we have functioned without a payroll. Our only compensation is the satisfaction of helping others. Many volunteers return year after year.

The need for eyecare in underdeveloped nations where wages may be a $1.00 a day is overwhelming.

Our objective is to improve peoples vision so they can be more productive and enjoy a better quality of life. We are committed to this task.

WHAT HAVE WE DONE?

Each year VOSH/International averages between 80 and 90 missions serving over 100,000 people. Missions are from one to two weeks. In addition VOSH/International has helped establish permanent eye clinics in Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Haiti and Mexico.

Our programs provide new and recycled eyeglasses, treat eye disease and refer/perform eye surgery.

We also set up clinics in disaster areas... as in Bosnia following a war... as in El Salvador following an earthquake... and in Honduras and Dominican Republic following a hurricane.

VOSH was one of the first relief organizations to arrive in Albania after the fall of Hoxha. In 2005, 2006 and 2007 VOSH chapters treated victims of Hurricane Katrina in Houston and New Orleans.