Eyeglass Recycling Program
For decades, the Lions have spearheaded the effort to collect used eyeglasses in the United States and redistribute them in developing countries. Hundreds of thousands of pairs of eyeglasses are collected across the U.S. and Canada. The Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation administers the Lions Eyeglasses Recycling Program for the State of Oregon. Over 150,000 eyeglasses are collected every year from communities across the state. Throughout the process, in your neighborhood and to the mission field, it is a Lions Club member doing the work to collect, sort and distribute the eyeglasses.
To find out where you can donate your old eyeglasses, please click here.
Collection Process
The Lions Clubs set up drop boxes throughout their communities at locations such as doctor's offices, eye care clinics, laser surgery sites, grocery stores, and small businesses. The Lions Club is then responsible for transporting the collected eyeglasses to the Foundation office in Portland. Other service organizations, such as the Elks, Kiwanis, Northwest Medical Teams and Boy Scouts of America partner with with us by giving the Lions eyeglasses that they have collected.
Sorting Process
Every second Wednesday of the month there is an Eyeglass Sorting Party held at the Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation office from 9:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m.
On the 3rd Saturday of most months, the Portland Cascade Lions Club hosts an Eyeglass Sorting Party at the Legacy Recycling Center located in Portland on the corner of NW 21st and Pettygrove. If you would like to attend, please RSVP by clicking here.
Some clubs hold their own sorting parties as a special club activity and we encourage all Lions to pre-sort their collected eyeglasses by removing any cases or loose lens. We have streamlined the sorting process, making it easier for Lions and other volunteers to process the eyeglasses.
Calibration Process
Currently, the Foundation partners with Coffee Creek Correctional Facility to process eyeglasses. At CCCF, there are up to 20 inmates that clean, calibrate and sort the eyeglasses for missions. This program has been in place for several years and gives the women a chance to give back to the community.
Supplying Mission Trips
An inventory is kept of the mission ready eyeglasses when they come back from calibration. Vouchers are issued to mission teams to monitor the number of eyeglasses that leave the warehouse. The number of eyeglasses given to the mission group is based on the needs of that mission trip. There are many organizations that partner with us to send out mission teams. A few of those organizations are Lions Clubs, Northwest Medical Teams, Mercy Ships, Mercy Corps, Hope Alliance, VOSH and the AMIGOS.
Many used eyeglasses are also shipped to Lions in Sight, in Vallejo, CA. Some of the countries that have benefited from eyeglasses we provided are: Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Solomon Islands, West Samoa, the former Soviet Union, El Salvador, Peru, and Kenya.
The Foundation is grateful for the continued efforts of the Lions of Oregon and all of the partnering organizations. Working together we collect more used eyeglasses for missions that will help more individuals in developing countries around the world see more clearly.