Eyeglass Sorting Event

WE NEED YOUR HELP

Lions Club Eyeglass Recycling

A Lions Partnership with Lions in Sight and Vista Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired

sign-Lions Recycle for Sight

This is a volunteer event to help sort and clean donated used eyeglasses. Volunteer for part of the time, or work the entire event. Lunch will be provided. You do not need to sign up in advance for this event.

  • Help sort, clean, and box eyeglasses for shipment.
  • No heavy lifting required. 
  • No previous experience required.
  • Willingness to have fun while volunteering a plus!
  • Suitable for most skill levels/abilities.
  • Donations of clean towels and apple boxes also accepted.
    • We are currently in urgent need of apple boxes!
    • Please, bring apple boxes only (for consistent size). Speak to the produce manager at your local grocery store to see if you can pick up their empty apple boxes. Do not bring us other boxes.
  • Date: Saturday, May 17, 2025
  • Time: 9:00am-2:00pm
  • Location: Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, 101 N. Bascom Ave., San Jose.
    (Building is at the rear of the property).

Background:

  • Lions are in receipt of 100,000 or more used eyeglasses every couple of months through an anonymous corporate relationship. More than 800,000 used eyeglasses have been recycled with the help of volunteers.
    • At this event on May 17th, we will complete sorting our first ONE MILLION (1,000,000) pairs of used eyeglasses!
    • We couldn’t have done this without all of the volunteers that join us for our sorting events. Thank you!
  • The recycled prescription eyeglasses are distributed to the needy in Lions in Sight and Lions Clubs International sponsored international medical missions
  • Vista Center has graciously provided a room at their San Jose location for storage, and use of their auditorium for sorting and cleaning the donated eyeglasses

Framing the Future, One Lens at a Time

Read more about this wonderful community activity, and one of our sorting events, in this article by SJSU’s Trevor Phillips. This article features San Jose State University alumni and current students involved in an eye glasses refurbishing project at the Vista Center on Bascom Ave. The article features the Delta Gamma sorority, Gayle Kludt, Bob Stewart, Dave Kaplow and Her Campus, all involved in this incredible initiative.

Read the article

Comedy Night Update

Image: text reading "Stand-Up Comedy" above a microphone on an empty stage.

Thank you everyone for making our 2025 Comedy Night a big success. This year’s event sold out early. 200 members of the Community — Lions, neighbors, and friends — attended this years event and helped us raise over $14,000!

We are already planning our 2026 Comedy Night. Watch this space for news on this event.

Monthly Activity: Sorting & Labeling Donated Items

Help sort and label donated clothing, toiletries, etc. for The Grateful Garment Project

On the third Thursday of each month, from 2:00-4:30pm, we help The Grateful Garment Project sort and label newly donated items. Contact us if you would like to join us at one of these sorting events.

The Grateful Garment Project provides victims of sexual violence the clothing and other resources they need to reclaim their dignity and begin the healing process. They work with hospitals, shelters, law enforcement and other nonprofits to meet victims’ immediate needs after a crisis, and support their ongoing needs along their road to recovery

Left: emergency whistles have been labeled. Right: Lions sit at a table attaching labels to new items.

Donate your old eyeglasses.

Do you have a pair of old but usable eyeglasses to donate? We collect used eyeglasses for reuse by those in need. In our area, you can drop off your gently used (not broken or scratched) eyeglasses at the following locations:

  • Family EyeCare Center, 338 E. Hamilton Ave. @ Central Ave., Campbell. Map/directions.
  • Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, 101 N. Bascom Ave., San Jose (Dropbox located outside lobby door.) Map/directions.

Weekly Activity: Lensometer Training & Use

sign-Lions Recycle for Sight

Volunteers needed to help measure used eyeglass lens strength

Lensometer training & use continues on Tuesdays, from 9:00am-11am, 11:00am-1:00pm, and 1:00pm-3:00pm. Six volunteers are needed for Lensometers per shift. Additional volunteers can also help sort and clean donated eyeglasses (the steps that occur before measuring the prescription with a lensometer). We sort donated eyeglasses to pick out the pairs that are not scratched or broken and can be reused as is. The broken eyeglasses are recycled.

About lensometer trainings

A lensometer is used to measure the strength of each lens in a donated pair of glasses, so that we can label and sort the used eyeglasses to be given to someone in need. We have many thousands of pairs of glasses to be tested and labeled.

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