How to Donate Reading Glasses

Donating old eyeglasses can help someone see who is unable to purchase her own glasses.

Around the world, approximately 1 million people who reside within developing countries need reading glasses, according to the Northwest Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center. Many people suffer from insufficient funds to purchase eyeglasses and others live in rural locations where eye doctors or clinics do not exist. Eyeglasses of all strengths can benefit those in need. Many people require a new eyeglass prescription every year or two, and they unwittingly throw away their old eyeglasses once they receive the new prescription. Through donation practices, the old glasses can go on to help someone in desperate need, and the practice also helps the environment through recycling.

Things You'll Need

• Tag
• Pen
• Cardboard box with padding or padded envelope

Instructions

1. Sort your eyeglasses prior to donation. Sort by single vision and multivision lenses. Tag the glasses with a small piece of paper affixed to the frame that states what the lenses are.

2. Ship eyeglasses in a sturdy padded cardboard box or padded envelope to charity eyeglass recycling centers, such as the Northwest Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center or New Eyes for the Needy in New Jersey.

3. Drop off tagged glasses at any Goodwill store location, LensCrafters store, or Lions Charity drop box in any city, according to Charity Guide. Goodwill and LensCrafters stores will send the eyeglasses to the Lions Clubs International for distribution.

Tips & Warnings

• Ship glasses to:

• Northwest Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center

• 9013 Mullen Rd. SE

• Olympia, WA 98513-4570

• 360-923-2075

• lionsnwlerc.org/index.html

• or

• New Eyes for the Needy

• 549 Millburn Ave.

• P.O. Box 332

• Short Hills, NJ 07078

• 973-376-4903

• neweyesfortheneedy.org/vision/vision.html

• Shipping charges for eyeglasses are tax deductible, according to Planet Green.

• Lions Clubs International and New Eyes for the Needy also take sunglasses, which are distributed to people living near the equator who require sunlight eye protection.

References

• Northwest Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center
• New Eyes for the Needy: Vision
• Planet Green: Donate Old Eyeglasses and Sunglasses to New Eyes for the Needy
• Charity Guide: Donate Your Out-Of-Prescription Eyeglasses

Resources

• Wate: Donate Old Eyeglasses
• Reading Glasses: Donage Old Eyeglasses