Sound Beginnings Children’s Hearing Aid Program

The Sound Beginnings Children's Hearing Aid Program, renewed through September 30, 2010, offers Quota International service clubs in the United States the opportunity to distribute up to 100 vouchers for free hearing aids supplied by Siemens Hearing Instruments, Inc., to qualified applicants—children who are:

• Age birth through 23 years and reside in the United States. (In 2010, the program was expanded to include young people through the age of 23.)
  
  
• Diagnosed with hearing loss by a licensed audiologist.
  
  
• From a family whose income is below to 50% above the federal poverty level, or family income is above current poverty guidelines, but special circumstances put the family in need of assistance.
  
  
• Not covered by public or private health insurance OR covered by an insurance policy that does not cover the cost of hearing aids.

Up to two hearing aid vouchers will be awarded to each qualifying applicant approved for participation. Siemens is generously providing vouchers for instruments from three different product lines: the Explorer™, the CIELO 2, and the Siemens Motion™ 100 MX.

This program is the second renewal of the Sound Beginnings pilot partnership originally launched in January 2008. The program expires when all 100 vouchers have been distributed or September 30, 2010, whichever comes first.