Donate

FreshLens Chicago is an Illinois 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and has received federal tax-exempt status. Any donations would be deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Financial Contributions

As a non-profit organization, we are dependent on your generosity to provide educational opportunities for our students. Please use the button below to make a one-time or a recurring tax-deductible online donation, or you may mail us a check to:

FreshLens Chicago
c/o Chicago Photography Classes
4001 N. Ravenswood Ave Suite 105
Chicago, IL 60613

Legacy Giving

Empowering Chicago Youth Through a Lasting Gift

Planned gifts such as bequests, trusts, or gifts of assets, are a powerful way to support FreshLens Chicago and ensure young people continue to have access to photography education and creative opportunities for years to come.

Your legacy gift can:

  • Expand access to cameras, technology, and instruction

  • Support youth mentorship and career exploration

  • Sustain exhibitions and community storytelling projects

  • Strengthen our organization’s long-term impact

You may choose to make:

  • An unrestricted gift, allowing us to respond to the most pressing needs

  • A program-specific gift, supporting the areas you care about most

  • A designated or named fund, creating lasting support for a specific initiative

Questions Contact:

Shirley Nannini
nanninis@freshlenschicago.org
847-971-6419

In-Kind Photography Equipment Donations

We welcome donations of photography related equipment including DSLR Cameras, mirrorless, film and point and shoot cameras, lenses, computers and auxiliary equipment such as tripods, memory cards, card readers, and portable hard drives.

Please review the list below to see what kind of equipment we take.

Items that help our program:
-Working Mirrorless/DSLR cameras (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, FujiFilm, etc.)
-Point and shoot cameras
-Film cameras, vintage cameras, film and film accessories
-Darkroom equipment
-Lenses, lens caps, filters, lens hoods
-Speedlight external flashes, LED panel lights
-Camera batteries and chargers
-Profoto lights or other highly rated professional lighting kits
-Camera bags, point and shoot cases, camera backpacks
-32GB or more memory cards (SD cards, CF cards, XQD cards)
-Card readers and hard drives with a connection cord
-Working computers/laptops/tablets
-Photo paper for printing
-Pelican cases or other hard-shell cases
-Video cameras, microphones, camera stabilizers, camera rails and rigs
-Camera straps, hand straps, battery grips
-Digital and film scanners
-Tripods (w/ tripod plates AND heads, please!)
-Photo books
-Other photography related accessories

What we DO NOT accept:
-Broken/severely damaged items
-Items with battery corrosion
-Incomplete item donations (we will accept cameras without chargers or batteries)
-Less than 8GB memory cards
-Large lighting kits, light bulbs, lighting stands
-Large camera flash battery packs
-Backdrops or backdrop holders
-Large lighting tables
-Outdated/old/obsolete technology
-Blank CD’s/DVD’s

Please Note: If you are donating computers, laptops, digital watches, etc. Please make sure you reset your device to factory settings.
We cannot unlock devices with passwords and if your device has not been reset, we cannot accept your donation.

Drop Off Donations
We ask that you please schedule an appointment to drop off your donations to our offices located at:
4001 N. Ravenswood Ave, Ste 105
Chicago, IL 60613

We also accept mailed packages to our office. Donor is responsible for shipping costs. Please include a name and email for the donation if you want to receive a tax letter. Your donation will be inventoried and you will be emailed a tax letter within 2-3 weeks of your donation.

Please do not leave donations at our building without a representative present to collect them.

Any items donated that we cannot use or give to a student will be sold on our Ebay Store with all proceeds going back into our programming.

Please use the form below to contact us to find out more about what equipment we accept or to schedule an appointment.
Thank you for thinking of FreshLens!

Contact Form for Equipment Donation

Lens of Hope Award

Given each year to person/corporation who goes above and beyond in supporting our efforts to reach under-resourced communities in Chicago.


2025 - Dan Scott

2024 - David Weinberg

2023 - Jon N. Will

2021 - William Sineni

2020 - Carol & Arnie Kanter

2019 - Nick Sinnott

2018 - Michele & Mark Kellner

2017 - Jenner & Block

THANK YOU!

FreshLens Chicago would like to extend a special thank you to Chicago Photography Classes for giving FreshLens Chicago a home and for their commitment to support under-served Chicago youth.