“The first time that we took part in the mass distribution of thousands of free eyeglasses for soldiers and evacuees was in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas onslaught on Israel,” Chana Simon, chief operating officer of the RE-SPECS nonprofit organization, told JNS recently.

For years, she was involved in the collection of toys and children’s furniture for the needy. The activity required a tremendous amount of storage space, leading her to rethink her charity work.

“A visiting family member from Australia mentioned that every year he was getting new glasses for free through private insurance. I asked, ‘What happens to last year’s glasses?’ and the light bulb turned on,” Simon said. 

“I realized that this could be a resource that we could collect for people in need. I found out that no one in Israel was doing this.”

In 2008, Simon started a home-based charity and called up social services to send people in need to her house so that they could choose frames off her dining table. In 2012, she founded RE-SPECS.