named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Community Betterment Grants
Annual grants of up to $10,000 awarded to local nonprofit organizations in Buffalo to complete sustainable community improvement projects.
Sight and Hearing Assistance
Provides direct support to individuals in need of vision and hearing services, including access to eyeglasses, hearing aids, and medical referrals.
Used Eyeglass and Hearing Aid Collection
Collects and distributes used eyeglasses and hearing aids locally and to developing countries through drop-box locations at partner sites.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Comprehensive Eye Care Access 3 activities
- Distribute donated eyeglasses and hearing aids to underserved populationsOperates a network of drop-box locations to collect used eyeglasses and hearing aids for redistribution; collects over 30 million pairs of eyeglasses annually for distribution in developing countries.
- Prevent and treat blindness through global eye care initiativesSupports eye care in 90 countries by funding cataract surgeries, building or expanding eye hospitals, providing glaucoma screenings, enabling corneal transplants, and supporting eye banks. The SightFirst program has provided over 7.1 million cataract surgeries and supported more than 80 million river blindness treatments.
- Provide vision and mobility assistance to individuals with sight impairmentsProvides free eye care, eyeglasses, Braillewriters, large print texts, white canes, and guide dogs to thousands of people annually, and delivers sports goggles and eye screenings through the Special Olympics-Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes Program.
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Fundraising for Community and Charitable Initiatives 1 activity
- Co-found and support specialized eye banks and vision-related charitiesCo-founded the Buffalo Eye Bank and Research Society, Inc. and the Lions Blind & Charity Fund, Inc., supporting eye banking and vision services through fundraising initiatives such as the sale of Lions Blind Seals.
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Capital Infrastructure Funding 1 activity
- Fund community improvement projects through local grantsAwards Community Betterment Grants of up to $10,000 annually to local nonprofits for sustainable community improvement projects, such as infrastructure upgrades at social service facilities.
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General Operating Support Grants 1 activity
- Support disability-related nonprofit organizationsProvides financial and programmatic support to disability-focused nonprofits including Niagara Frontier Radio Reading Service, Western New York Independent Living, Braille Group of Buffalo, Lions Camp Badger, and other regional and international organizations serving people with visual and physical impairments.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$26K
Contributions & grants$4K14%
Program service revenue——
Investment income$10K39%
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$26K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$203K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$203K
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +6.4%
relationships · 22
Who they work with
- Braille Group of Buffalo Partner — Recipient of financial or programmatic support from the club
- ConnectLife Blood & Organ Donor Network Government — Succeeded the Buffalo Eye Bank and Research Society, Inc. through merger with Upstate New York Transplant Services, Inc.; continues eye and tissue donation work initiated by the club.
- EquiStar Therapeutic Riding Center Partner — Recipient of financial or programmatic support from the club
- Excalibur Leisure Services Partner — Recipient of financial or programmatic support from the club
- Friends of Night People Partner — Recipient of financial or programmatic support from the club
- Helen Keller International Partner — Recipient of financial or programmatic support from the club
- Horizon Human Services Partner — Recipient of the first Community Betterment Grant from Buffalo Host Club to improve access to its substance abuse treatment facility.
- Ira G. Ross Eye Institute Partner — Platinum level charter sponsor of the institute
- Kenmore Eye Care Partner — Hosts a drop-box for used eyeglasses and hearing aids on behalf of the Lions Club of Buffalo
- Knights of Columbus-Kenmore Council No. 3076 Partner — Hosts a drop-box for used eyeglasses and hearing aids on behalf of the Lions Club of Buffalo
- Lions Camp Badger Partner — Recipient of financial or programmatic support from the club
- Lions Clubs District 20-N Network — Cooperates with other Lions clubs in Erie, Niagara, Cattaraugus, and Chautauqua Counties
- Lions Clubs International Network — Chartered member of Lions Clubs International, the global service organization.
- Lions Clubs International Foundation Network — Supports broader humanitarian efforts through affiliation and cooperation
- Lions Clubs Multiple District 20 Network — Cooperates with Lions clubs across New York State and Bermuda
- Mid-Erie Counseling and Treatment Services Partner — Recipient of financial or programmatic support from the club
- Niagara Frontier Radio Reading Service Partner — Recipient of financial or programmatic support from the club
- Olmstead Center for the Visually Impaired Partner — Recipient of financial or programmatic support from the club
- Special Olympics Partner — Collaborates through the Special Olympics-Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes Program to provide vision services to athletes.
- United Nations agencies Partner — Partners with UN agencies through Lions World Sight Day to increase awareness of blindness prevention.
- Western New York Independent Living Partner — Hosts a drop-box for used eyeglasses and hearing aids on behalf of the Lions Club of Buffalo
- Western New York Independent Living Partner — Hosts the club's monthly meetings and has received support from the club
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Circular Resource Recovery for Vision and Hearing Aid Accessmethodology: community-driven_collectionBy collecting used eyeglasses and hearing aids through public drop-boxes, the organization increases access to assistive devices because reprocessing and redistributing donated equipment reduces waste and lowers barriers to care for underserved populations.
- Integrated Local-Global Sight Conservation Modelmethodology: integrated-local-global-sight-conservationBy combining local sight conservation activities with global initiatives like SightFirst and Lions World Sight Day, the organization drives broader awareness and systemic action to prevent and eradicate blindness, because linking community-level efforts to international campaigns magnifies impact and resource mobilization.
- Responsive Grantmaking with Sustainability Requirementsmethodology: responsive_grantmakingBy funding only sustainable projects that include public recognition, the organization ensures long-term community benefit and incentivizes accountability, because tying grants to durability and visibility promotes responsible use of funds and encourages ongoing stakeholder engagement.
- Volunteer Empowerment for Disability Supportmethodology: volunteer_empowermentBy mobilizing and empowering volunteers, the organization addresses community needs and supports individuals with disabilities, particularly in vision and hearing, because engaged local volunteers amplify reach and sustain long-term service impact.