Desert Voices Carries On 27-Year Legacy of Hear for Kids Program
Image courtesy of Desert Voices
For 27 years, the Hear for Kids program has helped Arizona children access hearing healthcare that might otherwise have been out of reach. Now, that work will continue under Desert Voices, preserving the program’s legacy while ensuring eligible children and families have uninterrupted access to critical services.
More than 4,000 hearing aids have been provided to Arizona children through Hear for Kids over the past 27 years. But the program’s impact extends beyond the devices themselves, helping children who are deaf or hard of hearing access communication, education and connection.
Founded and led by Lylis Olsen through the EAR Foundation of Arizona, Hear for Kids has connected financially eligible families with hearing devices and essential hearing healthcare services. With Desert Voices assuming leadership of the program, its mission will continue – to help Arizona children reach their full potential by making necessary hearing care more accessible. Funding for the program will continue through Vitalyst Health Foundation.
“We are honored to continue the legacy Lylis and the EAR Foundation of Arizona have built,” Executive Director Kristen Levi said. “Every child deserves the opportunity to hear, communicate and thrive. We are committed to ensuring Hear for Kids remains a trusted resource for Arizona families.”
Hear for Kids provides financial assistance to qualifying children from birth through age 18, or through age 21 for those who are enrolled in school. Families must meet income eligibility requirements and cannot have or qualify for AHCCCS. The program helps cover a range of hearing-related services, including diagnostic hearing evaluations, hearing aids and repairs, cochlear implant programming and repairs, and medical clearance for hearing aid use. Loaner hearing aids are also available through participating providers in Maricopa County.
The transition to Desert Voices allows that support to continue while honoring the work that has gone into building Hear for Kids over nearly three decades. As Desert Voices takes on leadership of the program, families will continue to have access to the same core mission of providing financial assistance for essential hearing healthcare. For more behind this Frontdoor, visit desert-voices.org.
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