Eversight is the sole nonprofit eye bank serving Illinois and proudly partners with Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network, Lions Clubs, surgeons, businesses and philanthropists throughout the state to advance our mission.
Our mission began in 1947 with the establishment of the fourth eye bank in the United States, then known as the Illinois Eye-Bank. In 1985, it merged with the Michigan Eye-Bank to form the Midwest Eye Banks. From then on, other regional eye banks like the BroMenn-Watson Gailey Eye-Bank, Lions Eye Bank of New Jersey, Cleveland Eye Bank and the Connecticut Eye Bank, formed one of the largest networks of eye banks in the U.S. In 2015, that network became known as Eversight – all starting in Illinois.
In 2023, we had the honor of working with the families of 2,402 Illinois residents who gave the gift of sight for transplantation, research and education as cornea donors. 1,322 Illinoisans received sight-restoring transplants as a result of these selfless acts.
Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network
Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network’s mission is to save and enhance the lives of as many people as possible through organ and tissue donation. Gift of Hope coordinates organ and tissue donation and services to families of donors in the northern three-quarters of Illinois and northwest Indiana. They work with 180 hospitals and serve more than 12 million people in their region.
Through our partnership with Gift of Hope, we have developed the systems, staffing and processes that allow us to better serve all organ, eye and tissue donors, families and recipients in Illinois and beyond.
Night for Sight
This magical evening, taking place at the beautiful Epiphany Farms Estate, supports central Illinois patients awaiting the Gift of Sight. All ticket proceeds benefit Eversight's Dr. John E. Randolph Memorial Fund, established in 2007 to provide financial assistance to Bloomington-Normal area patients unable to afford sight-restoring transplants.
Tree of Vision
The Tree of Vision is a bronze installation standing in the Eversight office as a lasting legacy for the people who make our mission possible. Its leaves are a symbol of the interconnectedness between donors and recipients. Our mission is the roots, nurtured by the healing power of donation to restore sight and prevent blindness. Through the Tree of Vision, we celebrate the transformative impact of the gift of sight.
You can purchase a bronze, silver or gold leaf engraved with the name of your loved one. Please contact philanthropy@eversightvision.org for more information.
Illinois Auxiliary Board
Auxiliary board members are Chicago-area professionals ages 23-40 who help raise funds to benefit corneal transplantation and research through Eversight. Members organize and host an annual auxiliary fundraiser and ongoing initiatives, such as “sweatworking” and after-hours events, that do good and raise charitable support for Eversight. We currently have openings on the Auxiliary Board.
Lions Clubs
As of 2021, Eversight is a State Project of the Lions of Illinois Foundation. Eversight would love to present at your Lions Club meetings and speak more about the work. Please email us if you are interested in this opportunity.
Join us today!
Support our mission by getting involved. Join the registry, make a financial contribution, shop our store or volunteer your time with Eversight. Reach out to our Philanthropy team with any questions or to learn more about our work at philanthropy@eversightvision.org.
You can make a contribution by giving online or mailing a check to our secure lockbox at the address below. Please make checks payable to Eversight.
Eversight
P.O. Box 778801
Chicago, IL 60677-8801
