Donating eyeglasses to low-income, visually impaired individuals can be rewarding for the donor and life changing for the recipient. Donated eyeglasses are typically cleaned, repaired and/or measured to determine the correction, and then cataloged in a computer database by charitable organizations and matched to needy people, reports the University of Connecticut Office of Environmental Policy. Help a needy individual by donating your unused eyeglasses to a reputable charity or organization based in Massachusetts.
Instructions
Things You’ll Need:
Eyeglasses
Cardboard box
Bubble wrap
Shipping or masking tape
1 Locate a charity or nonprofit organization in Massachusetts that accepts eyeglass donations. You can locate such an organization by conducting a search on the Charity Navigator website (see Resources). Visit the Charity Navigator website and click the “Advanced” link on the “Charity Search” toolbar. On the “Advanced Search” form, choose “MA” from the drop-down menu of states and type in the name of your city in the accompanying box. Click the “Submit” button to see a list of charities in your area. Pick one or more of these organizations to contact about your donated eyeglasses.
2 Contact the Massachusetts charity to ensure that they accept eyeglass donations. Ask the organization for acceptable drop-off times. Some charities only accept donated items during certain hours or on specific days of the week.
3 Gather the eyeglasses that you intend to donate and discard all broken or damaged glasses. You can donate sunglasses, prescription eyeglasses or reading glasses to charity.
4 Place each pair of eyeglasses in a protective case. If you don’t have a protective case, put the glasses in a small cardboard box. Wrap each of pair glasses in bubble wrap to protect them. Tape the box closed with shipping or heavy-duty masking tape.
5 Drop the eyeglasses off at the charity organization’s location or donation bin, or mail the eyeglasses to the charity if you’re not able to deliver them in person. You can rest assured that the charity will distribute your donated glasses to Massachusetts residents who desperately need them.
Tips & Warnings
If you can’t find a acceptable charity in Massachusetts through the Charity Navigator website, consider donating your eyeglasses to an established organization such as LensCrafters instead. LensCrafters accepts donated eyeglasses and distributes them to needy individuals. Simply drop the eyeglasses off at any LensCrafters store in Massachusetts. LensCrafters stores are currently located in Cambridge, Boston, Brookline, Medford, Saugus, Braintree and Stoneham, Massachusetts. For a complete list of LensCrafters stores, visit the LensCrafters store locater tool (see Resources).
You will need to mail the eyeglasses to the organization if you don’t want to travel to the organization and drop the donation off in-person.
Shipping your donated eyeglasses by mail can be a bit costly, depending on the actual amount you’re donating to the charity..