Somerset County Board of Freeholders
The Somerset County Office for the Disabled will be holding a “spring-cleaning” collection of used prescription eyeglasses through April.
The public is invited to donate used eyewear that will be given to people home and abroad who do not have access to eye care.
Eyeglasses may be placed in a drop box in the lobby of the Somerset County Human Services Building at 27 Warren St., in Somerville weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free parking is available in the visitors’ parking lot at the corner of Veterans Memorial Parkway and Warren Street. Metered parking also is available on Main Street.
“This is the fifth year the county is collecting eyeglasses,” said Freeholder Patricia Walsh, human services liaison. “Thanks to the public’s generosity, more than 3,000 eyeglasses have been donated in past collections.”
Collected eyeglasses will be distributed by New Eyes for the Needy of Short Hills to medical missions and international charitable organizations around the globe. Residents of the United States will be given vouchers, which they then can use to purchase new prescription eyeglasses.
New Eyes for the Needy is a non-profit organization that has been distributing used eyeglasses since 1932 to people who are in desperate need of them.
In addition to prescription eyewear, the Office for the Disabled will be collecting nonprescription sunglasses and precious metal scraps, such as old watches, jewelry, silverware and hearing aides. These items are sold for their metal content to buy prescription lenses.
Contact Mark Malone of the Somerset County Office for the Disabled at
908-704-6334 for more information.

