Access to quality eyecare should be available to everyone, no matter their circumstances. That belief guided SEE’s recent community outreach event at Casa de la Raza, where we partnered with local organizations to deliver essential vision screenings and resources directly to those who need them most.
Set in the heart of Santa Barbara, Casa de la Raza has long served as a trusted, community-centered space, making it the perfect place to meet people where they are.
A Collaborative Approach to Care
This event was made possible through collaboration with Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics and local partners dedicated to expanding access to healthcare. During the day, we completed 30 vision screenings, and of those screenings, 12 patients received comprehensive eye exams.
Eva Bretado, Manager of the Medical Mobile Unit at Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics, shared what drives their work:
“We’re here for the community. We want to make affordable healthcare reachable to everyone. With this mobile unit, we bring healthcare to you because we understand that our community sometimes might not have transportation,” she said.
For over a decade, Eva has helped lead efforts to remove barriers to care, whether that means offering bilingual services, connecting families to food and housing resources, or providing preventive screenings like blood pressure and diabetes checks. Santa Barbara Neighbor Clinic’s mobile model delivers care directly to the community, removing the need for patients to travel to receive services.
Through this partnership, SEE was able to add vision screenings to the medical, dental, and behavioral health services that were made available during the event.
Creating Safe Spaces for Care
For many people in the community, accessing healthcare starts with trust.
Jackie from the Restorative Justice Education Center, located within Casa de la Raza, emphasized why culturally safe spaces matter:
“People are fearful, so they come to spaces that are safe, like Casa de la Raza. A partnership like this gives people the opportunity to feel safe and receive services they might never otherwise seek,” she said.
Casa de la Raza has served the community for over five decades, providing a place where individuals—especially migrant and underserved populations—can access support without fear or stigma. Events like this ensure that critical services, including vision care, are available in environments where people feel welcomed and protected.
Meeting Patients Where They Are
This event provided long overdue opportunities for community members in need. For instance, Cecilia came in for a vision screening after years without an exam:
“I wanted to get my eyes checked. It’s been about six or seven years,” she said.
Like many others, Cecilia began noticing changes in her vision, particularly difficulty seeing at a distance. But cost and access had delayed her ability to seek care:
“Not everyone can afford going to the doctor, getting their prescription and their glasses. So, it’s nice because some people just can’t afford it.”
The Power of Accessible Vision Care
Events like this are particularly important because they allow SEE and its partners to focus on the following:
- Early detection of vision issues before they worsen
- Removing financial and logistical barriers to care
- Building trust within our community
- Connecting patients to ongoing support and resources
Most importantly, they focus on making care more accessible for everyone.
This outreach at Casa de la Raza speaks to the importance of organizations uniting around a shared mission. Thank you to our partners and supporters who make this important work possible!
