In 1978, Bill Austin created the Starkey Fund, which was a battery-recycling program with proceeds aimed at helping people in need receive hearing assistance. This fund evolved into the Starkey Hearing Foundation, which was officially founded in 1984 by Bill and Tani Austin.
In 1985, Starkey Hearing Foundation conducted it’s first mission at XV World Games for the Deaf in Los Angeles, fitting more than 800 deaf athletes.
In 2015, Starkey Hearing Foundation was the official Healthy Hearing partner of the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles. As the Healthy Hearing partner, the foundation provided free hearing health exams and free hearing aids to Special Olympics athletes.
The foundation fits more than 175,000 free hearing aids annually to children and adults through global hearing missions all around the world and through the daily efforts of its domestic Hear Now program. As a member of the Clinton Global Initiative, the foundation has pledged to fit more than one million hearing aids by the end of this decade.
Austin’s philosophy is that the gift of hearing opens up a whole new world of opportunity by connecting individuals to life and helping them realize their potential. The goal of the Foundation is not only to help restore hearing, but to empower people with the ability to build themselves better lives and the knowledge that they too can help those around them.
The Starkey Hearing Foundation works closely with strategic partners in each country it travels to. These partners include national and regional health leaders, schools and non-government organizations. Members of the foundation recruit and train local volunteers to help ensure the long-term success and sustainability of each hearing mission.
The foundation is committed to global hearing health and leads a national program called Listen Carefully. Through music and education, Listen Carefully aims to help teens understand the science of hearing and dangers of exposure to high-decibel sounds
World Liberty TV, had the pleasure of Speaking to Bill Austin & Tani Austin Co-Founders of Starkey hearing Foundation, at The CGI 2015 Meeting, see how these 2 great Humanitarians are making a difference with there foundation Worldwide, right here in our World Liberty TV, Humanitarian Channel.
