Services

A division of SightLife, the Northwest Lions Foundation restores Sight, Hope and Hearing to individuals throughout the Pacific Northwest who cannot afford the expensive medical care or special equipment they need. The Foundation also operates the Lions Health Screening Unit that protects sight and hearing health for school children and adults throughout Washington State and Northern Idaho. Our roots trace back to 1969, when we were founded as the Northwest Lions Eye Bank.

Locally, we partner with Lions Clubs in Washington and Northern Idaho to help them accomplish sight and hearing missions in their own communities – one neighbor at a time.

Restoring Sight

Since Helen Keller’s address in 1925, Lions Clubs have been committed to serving as “Knights of the Blind.” Lions in Washington and Northern Idaho expanded that mission in 1969 by starting the Northwest Lions Eye Bank (now SightLife), establishing a center of excellence for cornea donation in the Pacific Northwest.

In addition to SightLife’s world class eye bank, the Northwest Lions Foundation continues to support Lions Clubs as they serve their communities, offering prevention and detection services such as the Lions Health Screening Unit and financial support for sight care through Patient Care Grants and Project Support Grants.

If you would like to donate or recycle eyeglasses, please contact our friends at the Northwest Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center (LERC).

Hearing Programs

Hearing loss is a growing problem in the United States. Many of those who need hearing care either go undiagnosed for too long or have difficulty affording the care they need.

Our Hearing Aid Program partners with local Lions Clubs in the Pacific Northwest to provide hearing aids to those with no ability to pay.

Health Screenings

The 62-foot-long, medically-equipped Lions Health Screening Unit (LHSU) travels throughout Washington and Northern Idaho to give free health screenings at schools, fairs, and other public events. Checking for glaucoma, diabetes, high blood pressure, and sight and hearing loss is key to interventions in potentially life-threatening health problems.

This year, the Lions Health Screening Unit will provide free screening for an estimated 30,000 patients, the vast majority of whom will be children. The Foundation’s annual cost to operate the Lions Health Screening Unit is more than $170,000. As more and more children and adults come to depend on these screenings, we would greatly appreciate your financial support.

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