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Many of you know that my son, Ryan, is a Peace Corps volunteer. Recently I noticed that nobody ever wears eyeglasses in the photos he shares. Naively, I asked him if he knows why the people in his country don’t require glasses like so many people do here in the United States.
Ryan quickly educated me on the fact that many of the people do need glasses. They simply can’t afford them.
He also shared stories about some of the children in his classroom and the learning difficulties they experience due to impaired vision. Sadly, most of these kids have common vision problems like nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism that are easily corrected with eyeglasses.
This hit close to home because I’ve worn glasses since I was in second grade. I can’t imagine how different my life would be if I had grown up without the luxury of glasses.
For one thing, I would never have been able to fulfill my dream of becoming a nurse. When my children were young, it would have been very difficult for me to help them with their homework. Besides, driving a car would be out of the question. Just stop for a moment and think about all the things we do in life that depend on good vision.
Today I want to encourage you to make a difference in the lives of people with impaired vision. You can do this by hosting an eyeglass donation drive at your nursing home. We’ve done this twice at our facility over the years, and I’ve been amazed to discover how many people keep old glasses tucked away in junk drawers.
Why should we donate our eyeglasses?
- You’ll enable children to succeed in school.
- You’ll help people find work so they can support themselves and their families.
- You’ll support older people in maintaining their independence.
- Your donated sunglasses will protect eyes from sun damage that increases the risk of cataracts.
What happens to the eyeglasses we donate?
After arrival at the distribution center, volunteers clean the glasses, sort them according to prescription, and prepare them for shipment. Medical teams distribute the glasses to people in developing countries who otherwise could not afford this luxury.
Not all eyeglasses are appropriate for redistribution. For example, if the lenses are scratched, the frames are badly damaged, or the prescription is unusual, they might not be reusable. For this reason, nonprofits partner with recycling centers that pay them for the scrap metal and plastics.
Where can we donate our eyeglasses?
Several charities collect used eyeglasses. These are the three that are most familiar to me. If you know of others you would like to recommend, please leave a note in the comment section.
- Lions Club Recycle For Sight
This is probably the most well-known organization that collects and distributes used eyeglasses. You’ll probably find their drop boxes at a variety of businesses in your community.
In our city, I’ve seen them at grocery stores, optical shops, and at Walmart stores. To find the location of drop boxes in your community, simply contact your local Lions Club.
Glasses can also be mailed to this address:
Lions Clubs International Headquarters
Attention: Receiving Department
300 W. 22nd Street
Oak Brook, IL 60523, USA
Besides sponsoring their own programs to distribute eyeglasses to developing countries, medical mission organizations can request glasses from the Lions Club to bring along on their medical mission trips.
- Eyes of Hope
This non-profit program provides free eye exams and eyeglasses to low-income people around the world. You can order free donation boxes to place in your facility, then simply ship the glasses back to them using their pre-paid label after your donation drive ends. They also provide downloadable posters and flyers to help promote your event.
- New Eyes
Serving people since 1932, New Eyes sponsors free eyeglass vouchers for children and adults in the U.S. who can’t afford to get eyeglasses by any other means. They also collect and distribute used glasses to developing countries overseas.
You can send eyeglasses to this address:
New Eyes
549 Millburn Avenue
P.O. Box 332
Short Hills, NJ 07078
How can we host an eyeglass donation drive?
The process is easy. You simply set up eyeglass donation boxes in high-traffic locations at your facility. The next step is lots and lots of advertising. Spread the word through any means you can think of: Facebook, Nextdoor, posters, word of mouth, Twitter, etc.
Also, check with local optometry clinics, churches, or colleges and see if you can find someone who distributed eyeglasses as part of a medical missions team. Personal stories always make a tremendous impact, so invite them to speak to your residents and employees.
You can collect any type of glasses including prescription eyeglasses for adults and children, reading glasses, and sunglasses. However, please do not collect eyeglass cases.
Set a deadline, then ship the eyeglasses to the organization you chose in advance. Finally, be sure to let everyone know how many pairs of glasses you collected so they know they were part of something big.
Have you ever helped distribute glasses in a developing country? I would love to hear your story!
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