Mid-South Lions

What Mid-South Lions does

Mid-South Lions is a federally registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN 62-0632682) founded in 1942 and headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. The organization provides free sight and hearing care services to individuals who cannot afford them, operating across a four-state Mid-South region spanning Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Its core services include cataract and retinal surgeries, hearing aid assistance, and eyeglasses referrals, all delivered at no cost to qualifying patients.

Surgical services are centralized at the Hamilton Eye Institute at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center under a long-standing partnership, with the 2026 installation of the first-ever Alcon Unity Surgical System enabling combined cataract and retinal procedures and projected to support approximately 175 additional surgeries over two years. Hearing aid patients are referred to the University of Memphis Speech and Hearing Center or Methodist Hearing Clinic, with sponsoring Lions Clubs covering the $250-per-aid cost. Local Lions Clubs handle eyeglass provision through volunteer networks.

The organization's revenue model is diversified across individual donations, recurring Champions monthly giving ($10/month minimum), merchandise sales through an online store, event fundraising (golf tournament, Mid-South Duck Race), Amazon Smile referrals, and institutional grants including a $200,000 Lions Clubs International Foundation grant. The 11-50 employee organization sustains operations through community-led grassroots fundraising rather than government funding, with recent capacity expansion evidenced by the June 2026 Cataract-A-Thon that served 23 patients in a single day.

Name

Mid-South Lions

Legal name

Mid-South Lions

Website

https://www.midsouthlions.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1942

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mid-South Lions is a Memphis-based 501(c)(3) non-profit providing free cataract and retinal surgeries, hearing aids, and eyeglass referrals to underserved individuals across Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee, delivered through Hamilton Eye Institute and a regional Lions Club network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Healthcare Services

NAICS

Outpatient Care Centers (6214), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Social Services (8300), Ophthalmic Goods (3851)

akta.pro primary industry

Low Vision Rehabilitation (HLAKAKAJ)

Keywords

• Charitable healthcare services
• Sight and hearing care
• Non-profit patient services
• Cataract surgery assistance
• Hearing aid assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Memphis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, corporations, and organizations supporting sight and hearing services. EIN# 62-0632682.
2. Monthly Champions Program: Recurring monthly donations through Champions program with minimum $10/month commitment, paid via bank draft or credit card.
3. Merchandise Sales: Online store selling challenge coins, t-shirts, art prints, golf tournament caps, and specialty bundles including the America's 250th Birthday Celebration Bundle ($250).
4. Event Fundraising: Annual golf tournament, Mid-South Duck Race (virtual race with sponsors), and Visiting Lions Weekend generate fundraising revenue.
5. Amazon Smile Program: Percentage of Amazon purchases donated through smile.amazon.com when customers select Mid-South Lions as their charity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Mid-South Lions is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides free cataract and retinal surgeries through the Hamilton Eye Institute at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, along with hearing aid assistance (sponsored at $250 per device by local Lions Clubs) and eyeglass referrals to Memphis-area residents who cannot afford these services. Services are delivered across a four-state region (Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee) and funded entirely through charitable donations, grants, event fundraising, and an online merchandise store.

Product overview

Mid-South Lions is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing sight and hearing services to those in need across the Mid-South region. The organization operates as a single unified service offering focused on charitable healthcare, combining free surgical care (cataract and retinal surgeries), hearing aid assistance, and eyeglasses referrals. Services are delivered through partnerships with Hamilton Eye Institute at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, the University of Memphis Speech and Hearing Center, and Methodist Hearing Clinic. The organization also maintains a merchandise store selling challenge coins, apparel, and art prints to raise funds for patient care. An LCIF grant provided $200,000 for patient care, and recent equipment investments include the Alcon Unity System for advanced surgical capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hamilton Eye Institute Lions Club: Lions Club affiliated with Hamilton Eye Institute at University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Products and services

• Sight Services (Free Cataract and Retinal Surgery) Free cataract and retinal surgeries for individuals who cannot afford the procedures, performed at the Hamilton Eye Institute Surgery Center at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. Patients must have a referral letter from an eye-care professional and the sight service application is valid for a 90-day (3-month) service period from the first appointment date, covering surgery and follow-up.
• Hearing Aid Assistance Program
• Memphis Eyeglasses Assistance
• Mid-South Lions Online Store
• Challenge Coins
• America's 250th Birthday Celebration Bundle

Quantifiable outcome

• 23 patients received free cataract surgeries in single outreach event (June 2026)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hamilton Eye Institute - University of Tennessee Health Science CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership providing surgical facilities and medical professionals for Mid-South Lions patients. Hamilton Eye Institute Lions Club co-organizes outreach events. The institute houses the first-ever Alcon Unity System for combined cataract and retinal surgeries. World-renowned ophthalmologists lead facility tours during Visiting Lions Weekend.
• AlconcoreTechnology or IntegrationMedical equipment manufacturer providing Alcon Unity System to Hamilton Eye Institute. This first-of-its-kind equipment can perform both cataract and retinal surgeries, enabling approximately 175 additional surgeries over two years for Mid-South Lions patients.
• Charles Retina InstituteminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSponsor of Mid-South Duck Race and golf tournament. Healthcare provider serving the Memphis area.
• Rayner Eye ClinicminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSponsor of Mid-South Duck Race and golf tournament. Eye care provider serving the region.
• Bartlett TN Lions ClubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal Lions Club sponsor of Mid-South Duck Race and golf tournament. Part of the four-state Lions Club network supporting Mid-South Lions services.
• World Cataract FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization supporting cataract treatment and awareness. Partner organization in sight care ecosystem.
• HEI Surgery CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHamilton Eye Institute Surgery Center providing facility for Mid-South Lions surgical services. Co-sponsored cataract-a-thon events.
• Marriott Hotels (Memphis)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHotel partner for Visiting Lions Weekend and golf tournament events. Includes Moxy Memphis Downtown, Courtyard Memphis Downtown, and SpringHill Suites Memphis Downtown. Holiday Inn Express at 1180 Union Ave reserved for VLW at $109/night plus tax.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lions Eye Institute for Transplant and Research: Lions-affiliated non-profit eye bank and vision research organization. Comparable as a Lions-family entity delivering charitable ophthalmology services and tissue recovery with a similar donor- and grant-funded model.
• SightLife: Non-profit organization focused on eliminating corneal blindness globally through donor tissue recovery, surgeon training, and charitable surgical programs. Directly comparable as a mission-driven vision-restoration nonprofit operating through a network of clinical partners.
• Orbis International: Non-profit that fights blindness through a Flying Eye Hospital and local partner training programs. Directly comparable as a charitable eye-care organization leveraging donated clinician time and surgical partnerships to deliver sight-restoring procedures.
• Surgical Eye Expeditions (SEE) International: Non-profit providing free eye surgeries in the U.S. and abroad. Comparable mission and model: volunteer ophthalmologist network, donated surgical time, and a focus on restoring sight for low-income patients.
• Operation Sight (ASCRS Foundation): American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery Foundation program providing charitable cataract surgery to uninsured U.S. patients. Closely mirrors Mid-South Lions' domestic cataract-surgery mission and volunteer-clinician model.
• World Cataract Foundation: Existing Mid-South Lions partner organization supporting cataract treatment and awareness. Most directly comparable as a small, mission-aligned charitable ophthalmology organization with overlapping beneficiary populations.
• Mission Cataract USA: U.S. non-profit coordinating free cataract surgery for uninsured Americans. Highly comparable as a domestic charitable cataract-surgery provider, relying on volunteer ophthalmologists and donated facility time.
• Sightsavers International: International non-profit working to eliminate avoidable blindness and support people with visual impairments. Comparable as a charitable organization delivering ophthalmology services to underserved populations through a partnership model.

Broad incumbents

• Prevent Blindness: Long-standing U.S. non-profit focused on preventing blindness and preserving sight through advocacy, screening, and education. Broader in scope than Mid-South Lions but operates in the same charitable vision-care space with national reach.
• Hamilton Eye Institute (UTHSC): Mid-South Lions' core clinical partner and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center's ophthalmology department. Directly comparable as the academic ophthalmology provider hosting Mid-South's surgical program and the Alcon Unity System installation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/midsouthlions1942
• Xx.com/midsouthlions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mid-south-hearing

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mid-South Lions