Allan and Margaret Keene
Reading glasses for patients and caregivers are provided by the Keene Reading Glasses Program.
Allen Keene paints portraits in gratitude for those who donate to the reading glasses program.
For several years, Allan Keene pushed a library cart stacked with books and magazines through the hospital corridors, stopping in each room to offer patients and visiting family members something to read and help pass the time.
“I’ve probably walked into hundreds of rooms,” Allan says of his time as a volunteer where his late father received care. “And I began to notice that many people did not have their glasses because they left them at home, or they needed glasses but couldn’t afford them. It really bothered me.”
Allan and his wife, Margaret, devised a plan and brought it to friends at Lenox Hill Hospital, leading to the creation of the Keene Reading Glasses Program in 2013. The initiative provides free reading glasses in a choice of three strengths to any patient or caregiver who needs a pair. Now in its tenth year, the program has expanded to 10 hospitals across Northwell. More than 50,000 pairs — from the original black semi-rimless style to the current clear frame — have been distributed, and a $1 million bequest from the Keenes now ensures the program will continue for years to come.
“Having these glasses available for our patients means so much to someone who needs them,” says Karen Garcia-Vasquez, director of operations for the Ophthalmology Department at Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital (MEETH). “They don’t need to struggle with things like paperwork, and we have also seen patients improve their mood just from being able to see better or read a book during their stay.”
For professional photographer Martin Pelta of Fair Lawn, New Jersey, the Keene reading glasses have eased several hospital stays. In 2016, an infection left him blind in one eye, requiring a series of cornea transplant surgeries over the next few years at MEETH. “I used the readers each time to see my phone and fill out forms,” he says. “And I still use them at home when I do my camera work or use the computer.”
When the pandemic raged in 2020, the Keenes also helped provide prescription surgical goggles to more than 300 physicians across Northwell, giving much needed relief to frontline workers caring for patients around the clock. And the support goes beyond glasses — thanks to Allan and Margaret, MEETH and Lenox Hill provide amenity kits with toiletries and comfort items for adult surgical patients as well as toys and games for pediatric patients.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Keenes for their visionary program which has helped provide ‘sight’ to so many patients across our entire hospital system,” said Richard E. Braunstein, MD, Northwell’s senior vice president and executive director of Ophthalmology and the Arlene and Arthur Levine Professor of Ophthalmology. “They have truly elevated the patient care experience at Northwell.”
The Keenes say helping others brings them joy. “We both feel it’s important to do good while we’re on this earth,” says Allan. “This is our way of giving back.”
St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center (Roslyn, NY) is the proud recipient of 3,000 pairs of reading glasses, thanks to the generosity of the Keene Reading Glasses Program, a New York City based philanthropic organization founded by Allan and Margaret Keene. The Keene family first started donating reading glasses to St. Francis Hospital in 2020, and have since donated more than12,500 pairs of glasses throughout the Catholic Health system—to St. Francis Hospital, St. Joseph Hospital and Mercy Hospital.
“A few years ago, as a hospital volunteer, I realized the need for eyeglasses in hospitals,” said Allan Keene, Founder of the Keene Reading Glasses Program. “As I circulated the library cart, I encountered many patients who did not have their reading glasses, as many are admitted to the hospital quite suddenly. It brings my family great joy and gratitude to be able to help patients through the gift of sight during their time in hospital.”
“These glasses will be distributed to hospital patients who may have left their glasses at home as they sought medical care,” said Sam Chwe, Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of St. Francis Hospital. “Patients need the glasses to better navigate their inpatient care journey. This generous gift lifts the patient’s spirit as well as their mental engagement in managing their healthcare needs.”
Dr. Charles Lucore, President, St. Francis Hospital, added his own thoughts, saying, “Our mission of providing patients with the most advanced levels of care is always combined with a deep commitment to compassion. Our approach aligns so well with Allan and Margaret Keene’s commitment to helping the community, and we are tremendously grateful to the Keene family for this generous gift.”
St. Francis Hospital, Catholic Health, and the Keene family all look forward to continuing this partnership for many years to come.
https://www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org
August 12, 2024
Allan Keene had a visionary thought while manning the library cart as a volunteer at a hospital. He’d seen time and again how patients (and sometimes their caregivers) – who may have come to the hospital in an emergency or with little notice – were caught short without their reading glasses.
And so, the non-profit Keene Reading Glasses Program was born. Since 2013, Allan and his wife Margaret have given out hundreds of thousands of reading glasses to patients at hospitals and other health care facilities in New York, Florida, and California.
Now, the program has come to Hackensack Meridian Health, as the couple recently made a donation of 3,000 glasses to Hackensack University Medical Center, with another 6,000 more glasses soon on the way to the health system.
"The glasses that Mr. and Mrs. Keene have so generously donated have made such a significant impact on our patients," says Elizabeth Paskas, DNP, MBA, RN, NE-BC, CPXP, senior vice president, chief patient experience and performance improvement officer, Hackensack Meridian Health. "This kind donation has been invaluable. It ensures that patients can read clearly and comfortably during their hospital stay. We are deeply grateful for the Keenes' support and dedication to improving patient care."
Allan said the couple was pleased to add Hackensack Meridian Health to their roster. “We make a lot of people happy,” he says. The glasses provide comfort during what may be a stressful time. “The patients who receive glasses give higher ratings to the hospitals, so it’s a win-win situation.”
The program distributes 100,000 pairs per year. The traditional reading glasses come in dark-frame and clear-frame varieties in three different strengths. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Keenes also provided prescription-strength goggles needed for the operating room of a New York hospital.
The couple largely funds the program themselves. When they do receive outside donations, Allan, a retired stockbroker, has been known to paint a portrait of the donor in gratitude.
He and Margaret were impressed during a recent visit to Hackensack University Medical Center.
“Everyone in the organization is committed,” he says, and he singled out the new state-of-the-art Helena Theuer Pavilion for praise. The nine-story pavilion features 530,000 square feet of surgical and intensive care space. “It is spectacular.”
We thank Allan and Margaret for their generosity and support of our patients! To make a gift in support of Hackensack University Medical Center, visit GiveHMH.org/HUMC or contact Richard Knupp, vice president of development, North Region, Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation at richard.knupp@hmhn.org.
