Optometry’s Fund for Disaster Relief

Here when you need to rebuild.

20 year OFDR Logo

When a fire, flood, tornado, hurricane or other catastrophic event disrupts the ability for a doctor of optometry to provide care or a student to attend school, Optometry’s Fund for Disaster Relief (OFDR) is available. OFDR is here to aid in recovery and is always poised and ready to help, so doctors can get back to doing what they do best. Since the program began 20 years ago, OFDR has distributed nearly $2 million in disaster relief support to more than 800 doctors and students affected by catastrophic events.

ABOUT OFDR

OFDR provides immediate financial assistance to doctors and students who have experienced property damage to their home or business due to a disaster situation. We are NOT able to cover loss of income.
NEW: Doctors who have patients impacted by a recent disaster may apply through the OFDR application to receive a 90-day supply of ACUVUE® contact lenses for up to three patients. Supported by Johnson & Johnson.

ELIGIBILITY

For financial assistance, the applicant must show that they suffered property damage (to their home or office) and/or incurred business expenses not already covered by insurance (NOT including loss of income) attributable to the disaster and as determined by the Optometry's Fund for Disaster Relief committee.
For contact lens assistance, the applicant must show that property damage was suffered to their office or the patient’s home.
- Eligible replacement lenses must have:
  - Been previously purchased by the patient
  - Been lost either:
    - in the doctor’s office during the disaster, or
    - in the patient’s home and reported to the doctor following the disaster
A “disaster” must be determined by the committee in accordance with the definition provided below.
- A disaster is defined as a “sudden occurrence which inflicts extensive catastrophic damage.” Disasters can be both natural and caused by human conduct. Examples include but are not limited to: civil disorders (excluding acts of war), explosions, fires, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, tidal waves, forest fires, hurricanes, and catastrophic infrastructure failures.
Grants for disaster assistance shall be offered only once per applicant per disaster as defined in these rules.
Applications for disaster assistance must be submitted within 90 days of the date of the disaster.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applications are reviewed within 3 business days.
Grant payouts: AOA member doctors are eligible for up to $4,000, non members are eligible for up to $1,000 and students who are in good standing with the AOSA are eligible for $250.

APPLY HERE