At Roshambo Eyewear, we believe that everyone should have access to affordable and quality eyewear, regardless of their budget. That's why we offer a wide range of styles and sizes that are flexible, adaptable, and durable. Our glasses and sunglasses are perfect for kids, babies, and adults alike. And because we know that every family is different, we offer a variety of styles and sizes that are perfect for any occasion.
Our company name, ro•sham•bo, is a reference to the nostalgic game we all grew up playing (aka rock, paper, scissors). It also pays tribute to our charitable support mission: special education teachers have told us that playing ro•sham•bo with children with autism can be a valuable teaching tool when they need a quiet, calming personal interaction. We also have autism in our family, so giving back to our community will always will be a pillar of our business!
Our charitable support mission is to donate a portion of every sale to children's charity! In 2022, we will be expanding our charitable donations to include a variety of other children's focused non-profits, notably Gigi's Playhouse (down syndrome) and Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (childhood cancer), in addition to our historical partner, Surfers Healing (autism) and Vision to Learn (low-income families) by donating glasses to kids in need.
About Surfers Healing
We take kids with autism surfing. We paddle out together on tandem boards to catch the waves that come our way. That's what we do; that's what we love.
On the surface, our contribution seems simple: each year, our volunteer-staffed camps give over 4,500 children with autism and their families a fun, engaging day at the beach. But go deeper, and you'll see that a quiet revolution is taking place. Through the simple act of riding waves together, we're defying the status quo.
When we help kids get up on a board, we're challenging preconceived notions of capability. When we encourage participants to dive in, we're empowering them to engage with the world. And when we ride the waves together, we're affirming that every person is a gift.
Many children with autism struggle with sensory overload; in other words, simple sensations can overwhelm them. The weightlessness and rhythms of the ocean offer a therapeutic experience, a respite from the constant assault on their senses.
Surfers Healing is the original surf camp for children with autism, and we've been serving the community since 1996. Yet what we offer isn't a 'cure', or even 'traditional' therapy. It's a completely different sensation and environment for our participants. We give individuals a chance to encounter the waves, to challenge themselves, to try something new. And since 1 in every 68 US children has an ASD (CDC report, March 2014), our work is more vital than ever.
Attending our camps positively impacts children with autism; the experience helps instill confidence and calm. Yet over the years we've seen that Surfers Healing also has a profound impact on parents. Autism parents are always hearing about what their children cannot do. But at a Surfers Healing camp, it's all about what their kids can do.
About GiGi's Playhouse
With over 50+ brick and mortar locations across the United States and Mexico and 200 inquiries to start new locations all over the world, GiGi’s Playhouse is the only network of Down Syndrome Achievement Centers. Every day, we provide FREE, life-changing therapeutic, educational, and career training programs for 80,000+ children and adults with Down syndrome, their families, and their communities.
Down syndrome is the largest chromosomal disability in our country and yet, it is the least funded. From a prenatal diagnosis to career skills, we make a lifetime commitment to remain by their side. Families are empowered with all the tools their child needs to succeed!
Through free programs and through our #GenerationG Campaign for global acceptance, we empower families by maximizing opportunities for daily achievement and lasting acceptance. To ensure lasting acceptance, we must show the world what individuals with Down syndrome are truly capable of achieving as students, co-workers, volunteers, friends, and valued members of their communities. Our program outcomes help advance this vital social impact goal.
"What I like best about GiGi’s Playhouse programs is that I get to meet new people and gain friendships I didn’t realize I needed!" said Cyd Devore, member of Gigi's Playhouse Canton and customer of Roshambo Shades. "Attending GiGi's programs forces me to take a break from the hectic daily schedule and catch up with other moms who go through the same struggles. We compare notes, we give each other tips/ suggestions on different methods to try with our kids, etc. We bond, we laugh, we cry and most of all, we encourage and celebrate our kids’ wins!"
About Alex's Lemonade Stand
Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) is changing the lives of children with cancer by funding impactful research, raising awareness, supporting families and empowering everyone to help cure childhood cancer.
Every day, 700 children worldwide are diagnosed with childhood cancer. Yet, childhood cancer research only receives less than 4-percent of the National Cancer Institute’s annual budget. It is up to all of us to fund research and find cures, so that someday these children are cured.
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of 4-year-old Alexandra “Alex” Scott, who was fighting cancer and wanted to raise money to find cures for all children with cancer. Her spirit and determination inspired others to support her cause, and when she passed away at the age of 8, she had raised $1 million.
Since then, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement. Today, ALSF is one of the leading funders of pediatric cancer research in the U.S. and Canada raising more than $200 million so far, funding over 1,000 research projects and providing programs to families affected by childhood cancer. For more information, visit AlexsLemonade.org.
"Our daughter is a retinoblastoma survivor and has been struggling with light sensitivity, so her prescription Roshambo sunglasses have been wonderful! Retinoblastoma is a type of cancer that starts in the retina, which is the very back part of the eye. It is the most common type of eye cancer in children." - Kari P.
About Vision to Learn
Millions of kids across the country do not have the glasses they need to see the board, read a book, or participate in class. Vision to Learn has helped provide about 2 1/2 million children with vision screenings, 500,000 with eye exams and 400,000 with glasses. All at no cost to the children or their families. Vision To Learn now operates the largest school-based eye care program in the country.
Vision To Learn (VTL) partners with school districts through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that outlines the responsibilities of Vision To Learn and the district. Vision To Learn’s program model makes it easy for students to access eye care, and easy for schools to bring Vision To Learn to campus.
Typical district responsibilities include coordinating consent forms for exams and escorting kids from the classroom to the mobile clinic. The program begins with vision screenings for all students, utilizing medically appropriate tools.
Vision To Learn’s optician will return to the school to provide the students their glasses. The optician will fit the glasses to each student individually, and instruct them on caring for and cleaning their lenses.
