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A Lions Partnership with Lions in Sight and Vista Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired
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 boxesonly (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, November 22, 2025Waiting for next date to be scheduled.
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).
⏵ Click to find out more about the scope of, and who is involved, in this great event…
Lions are in receipt of 100,000 or more used eyeglasses every couple of months through an anonymous corporate relationship. As of May 2025, more than ONE MILLION used eyeglasses have been recycled with the help of volunteers.
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 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.
⏵ Read more about this wonderful community activity, and one of our sorting events, in this article by SJSU’s Trevor Phillips by clicking this text.
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.
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:
Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, 101 N. Bascom Ave. (at the back of the property), San Jose (24 Hour Dropbox located outside lobby door.) Map/directions.
Total Vision Campbell, 338 E. Hamilton Ave. @ Central Ave., Campbell. Map/directions.
Spectrum Eye Physicians
Cupertino: 10300 S. De Anza Blvd., Cupertino Map/Directions
San Jose: 2577 Samaritan Dr., Suite 740, San Jose Map/Directions
Dr. Sayed Jovkar, M.D., 15251 National Ave., #100, Los Gatos Map/Directions
All Costco Eye Centers
Bring them to one of our meetings: 1st-4th Thursdays of each month (except on holidays), 12:00 noon-1:30pm at Denny’s, 1140 Hillsdale Ave., San Jose Map/Directions
Please, do not leave printer cartridges, hearing aids, or cellphones at these locations. Only eyeglasses are accepted at dropoff locations.
Click here for additional information about donations.
Help sort and label donated clothing, toiletries, etc. for The Grateful Garment Project
2025 Holiday Schedule: We will move sorting in Nov. and Dec. to Thursday November 20 and Thursday December 18. Sorting will not take place on Thanksgiving and Christmas Days.
On the fourth 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
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. Four Lensometers are available per shift.
A lensometer is a device used to measure the strength of each lens in a donated pair of glasses. We use them 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.
Eyeglass Sorting 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.
Club Meetings
We meet on the first, second, third, and fourth Thursday of each month at Denny's, 1140 Hillsdale Avenue, San Jose. Meetings start at 12:15pm.
We usually do not meet on the 5th Thursday of a month, if one occurs.
Upcoming Meetings & Activities
No Club Meeting January 1, 2026
Denny's, 1140 Hillsdale Ave, San Jose, CA 95118, USA
Lensometer Training & Use January 6, 2026 at 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Vista Center - San Jose, 101 N Bascom Ave, San Jose, CA 95128, USA
Lensometer training & use continues on Tuesdays, from 9:00am-11am, 11:00am-1:00pm, and 1:00pm-3:00pm. Four lensometers are available 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…
Club Meeting January 8, 2026 at 12:15 pm – 1:30 pm
Denny's, 1140 Hillsdale Ave, San Jose, CA 95118, USA
Rise Against Hunger - Packing Event January 10, 2026 at 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
St Francis Episcopal Church, 1205 Pine Ave, San Jose, CA 95125, USA
Help set up for, and then pack food items at the San Martin Lions Club Hall.Contact: Jen Bates jen.bates@comcast.net
Lensometer Training & Use January 13, 2026 at 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Vista Center - San Jose, 101 N Bascom Ave, San Jose, CA 95128, USA
Lensometer training & use continues on Tuesdays, from 9:00am-11am, 11:00am-1:00pm, and 1:00pm-3:00pm. Four lensometers are available 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…
Club Meeting January 15, 2026 at 12:15 pm – 1:30 pm
Denny's, 1140 Hillsdale Ave, San Jose, CA 95118, USA
Lensometer Training & Use January 20, 2026 at 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Vista Center - San Jose, 101 N Bascom Ave, San Jose, CA 95128, USA
Lensometer training & use continues on Tuesdays, from 9:00am-11am, 11:00am-1:00pm, and 1:00pm-3:00pm. Four lensometers are available 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…
Club Meeting January 22, 2026 at 12:15 pm – 1:30 pm
Denny's, 1140 Hillsdale Ave, San Jose, CA 95118, USA
Club Meeting January 22, 2026 at 12:15 pm – 1:30 pm
Denny's, 1140 Hillsdale Ave, San Jose, CA 95118, USA
Sorting at Grateful Garment Project January 22, 2026 at 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm
The Grateful Garment Project, 1777 Hamilton Ave Suite 2280, San Jose, CA 95125, USA