The Lions

Lions Clubs International is the largest service organization in the world, with 1.3 million members in more than 180 countries.
The Lions motto "We Serve" reflects a mission that starts in local communities and ripples throughout states, the nation, and the world.

The Lions’ dedication to helping the visually-impaired and blind is nearly a century old. In 1925, when Lions International was in its infancy, the legendary Helen Keller spoke to members at their annual convention. She challenged them to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.” That speech set the Lions’ course as stewards of vision research, treatments, and cures.

In Minnesota, the Lions represent some of the state’s most dedicated volunteers. There are more than 20,000 Lions and Lioness members in Minnesota and more than 600 Lions clubs statewide.

Lions and the University

The Minnesota Lions first formed a partnership with the University of Minnesota’s Department of Ophthalmology in 1960 when they established the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank. This partnership, known as the Lions Sight Program, has grown and to-date has garnered the University more than $18 million in Lions’ contributions.

The Lions Sight Program at the University of Minnesota includes:

  • Minnesota Lions Eye Bank, dedicated to recovering, processing, and distributing donated eye tissue for use in sight-saving corneal transplants, vision-enhancing surgery, research, and education. The Minnesota Lions Eye Bank is one of the most successful of its kind in the country, and more than 18,000 people have received the gift of sight with donated eye tissue provided through the bank.
  • Lions Children’s Eye Clinic, established in 1969, where more than 5,000 children are seen every year. The clinic is the second largest and best-staffed clinic of its kind in the country.
  • Ophthalmology Research at the Lions Research Building. The University of Minnesota Lions Research Building, which opened its doors in 1993, includes a state-of-the-art laboratory where investigators from the departments of ophthalmology, otolaryngology, and neurology collaborate with other University departments on research projects.
  • Minnesota Lions Macular Degeneration Research and Rehabilitation Center (The MAC), established in 1998 to research the causes of—and cures for—a disease that affects the central vision and is the leading cause of blindness in the United States. The MAC brings together the expertise of physicians, the research of various departments around the University, and the knowledge of those in the medical technology industry. It is a powerful collaboration of resources dedicated to finding a cure for macular degeneration

Distributing Glasses Globally

Worldwide, one out of every four children needs eyeglasses to see well enough to read and learn. Ninety percent of adults aged 40 and older have difficulty reading print without eyeglasses.

Unfortunately, a pair of glasses is out of the reach of countless individuals. Many emerging countries lack resources to manufacture quality lenses, and the cost of importing eyeglasses is far beyond the means of the average citizen. Even an eye exam can cost as much as one month’s wages, and a single doctor may serve a community of hundreds of thousands of people. Millions will fail to reach their economic and social potential because they cannot see.

The Lions have reached out to those in need. Individual Lions clubs and districts collect old, unwanted eyeglasses for redistribution to the poor in developing countries. Because the program is volunteer-driven, it costs only eight cents to fit an individual with a pair of glasses. Many Lions members deliver the glasses, donating travel expenses, time, and talent to carefully and professionally dispense recycled eyeglasses free of charge. Some people in poorer countries walk 50 miles because they might receive free eyeglasses from the Lions.

To Donate Your Glasses

In Minnesota, Lions have collected more than 5 million pairs of eyeglasses. You can help by taking your used eyeglasses to your local Lions club or to a participating optometrist or retailer. Glasses may be taken to any Vision World or LensCrafters store. Call 1-866-887-4448 to find Minnesota eyeglass drop sites.

Contact the Lions

If you want to contact the Lions, LionNet Minnesota can help you find a Minnesota Lions club on the Web. To see a complete listing of Lions Clubs, visit Lions Clubs International.