Donate Eyeglass and Hearing Aids…

The New Jersey Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center (NJLERC) provides executors and families with a useful donation option for eyeglasses discovered while sorting an estate. Prescription eyeglasses, non-prescription glasses, reading glasses and sunglasses may still have value even when they are no longer useful to the estate or family.

NJLERC accepts used eyeglasses and sunglasses for children and adults, including both strong and weak prescriptions. Reading glasses are also useful, as are sunglasses. Donated glasses are collected, inspected, cleaned and sorted by volunteers. Their prescriptions are identified and the glasses are packaged and stored so that appropriate pairs can be supplied to Lions-sponsored vision programs and other qualified mission groups serving people in need.

The New Jersey center operates at the Katzenbach School for the Deaf in West Trenton and is part of the broader Lions eyeglass recycling effort. NJLERC reports processing approximately 1.2 million pairs of donated eyeglasses annually. The organization is volunteer operated and works to prepare recycled eyewear for distribution through vision missions in communities around the world.

Why This May Be Useful When Settling an Estate

Eyeglasses are easily overlooked during an estate cleanout. An executor may encounter several pairs accumulated over many years as prescriptions changed, along with reading glasses, sunglasses or eyewear belonging to more than one member of a household. Rather than automatically discarding these items, usable eyewear can potentially be directed to a specialized recycling program designed specifically to give it another purpose.

Glasses may be donated through participating Lions collection locations, participating Walmart Vision Centers, local Lions clubs or Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centers. Eyeglasses may also be mailed to NJLERC.