We've featured some great articles recently on the value of downsizing our belongings. Yet even with the best intentions to pare down, it can be hard to part with certain things. If you have items you're waffling over donating (the microwave you barely use, the business suit you wore once) here's a list of 25 organizations that will happily take your stuff and put it to great use.
I think we can all agree that we probably have too much of something or items that serve no real purpose in our homes, whether it's clothes, DVDs we never watch, unused kitchen gear, the list goes on. National charity organizations like Goodwill and the Salvation Army are always great places to donate, but while looking for more specific ways to donate some children's toys I came across multiple websites for children's hospitals that are collecting gently used books and toys for their waiting rooms and activity centers.
This got me thinking that there are likely lots of ways to donate items to fill a direct need. I find it incredibly motivating to think of de-cluttering in this way; if someone else can put my stuff to better use, that's exciting.
Feel free to include any organizations you know of that are seeking specific items in the comments section.
Books
1. Operation Paperback sends new and gently used books to troops overseas. They also distribute children's books to the families of troops in the U.S.
2. Books for Africa sends books to students in Africa. They accept many types of books, but are especially interested in current textbooks.
3. Local children's hospitals (or children's wings) are often looking for new and gently used books. Contact your local hospital for more information.
Clothes
4. Soles 4 Souls and Clothes 4 Souls work to provide functional footwear and clothing to those who need them. They accept new and gently used shoes (all styles) and clothing.
5. Dress for Success provides stylish, professional clothing to women who are seeking employment. They accept all forms of business coordinates as well as handbags and coats.
6. Career Gear provides suits and dress clothes to men seeking employment. They accept all forms of business attire as well as briefcases, portfolios, watches and cufflinks, and coats.
7. One Warm Coat holds coat drives nationwide during the fall and winter to help local charitable agencies distribute warm winter coats to those in need, free of charge.
Cell Phones
8. Hopeline from Verizon provides cell phones to survivors of domestic violence, helping them stay connected to their support system as well as providing a necessary tool for achieving a fresh start. They accept used but functional cell phones.
9. Lifecell Project recycles used cell phones in bulk, collects the funds from bulk recycling, and uses the funds to purchase Lifestraws (an award winning water filtration system) for those without access to clean water.
DVDs
10. DVDs 4 Vets provides DVDs to veterans who are unable to obtain access to films or who are in rehabilitation.
11. Kids Flicks helps create movie libraries in children's hospitals and children's wings throughout the U.S. They accept children's and young adult-oriented movies and shows.
Computers
12. World Computer Exchange strives to expand access to technology in the developing world. They accept a wide variety of used (but must be in fine working condition) computers and electronics.
13. Gift my PC works with local educations organizations as well as the Wounded Warrior Project to provide students and veterans with working computers and electronics.
Furniture & Home Goods
14. Furniture Bank Association of North America collects gently used home furnishings and donates them to families in need. FBA has national drop-off centers and accepts any items that will help a family start over, such as beds, tables, chairs, and lamps.
15. Habitat for Humanity's ReStore has locations nationwide and provides everything from home furnishings, appliances, and decor to building materials and paint. They accept new unused and gently used items and materials.
16. Freecycle is a well-known organization that offers an online forum for people to give away their goods to those in their community. It's a nice way to offer up furniture and home goods to those in your community who may not be able to afford them.
Fitness & Sports Equipment
17. Bikes for the World collects bikes and usable bicycle parts to provide transportation to those in the developing world.
18. Fitness for Charity provides gently used fitness and sports equipment to individuals and organizations, such as foster homes, schools, and rehabilitation centers. They accept a wide variety of equipment as long as it is in working condition.
19. One World Running collects running shoes and running gear to distribute them to those in need in the U.S. and around the world. They have nationwide drop-off locations.
Baby & Children's Gear
20. Loving Hugs provides stuffed animals to children in hospitals, refugee camps, natural disaster areas. They accept new and gently used soft stuffed animals.
21. Local women's and family shelters are often in need of gently used toys and games.
22. KIDS distributes new baby and children's clothing to children whose families are experiencing economic distress. I know I had quite a few duplicates and outfits my children never wore as babies, and this is a great opportunity to re-gift those items.
Art & Craft Supplies
23. Carewear knits hats, blankets, and outfits for premature babies in neonatal units. They accept donations of yarn, knitting supplies, as well as handmade items.
24. The Knitting Connection makes handmade items for children in need. They are looking for donations of yarn, knitting needles, books, as well as finished knitted or crocheted items.
25. Dreaming Zebra provides music and art access to underserved children. They accept donations of art supplies as well as gently used instruments.
(Images: Shutterstock, Shutterstock)
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Sorry, I couldn't resist letting you know about a project I'm involved with. If you have a digital camera you're not longer using, we make good use of them at The ONE-SHOT Project. http://www.theoneshotproject.com/
We teach photography to kids on the margins in northern Iraq. Fantastic kids who learn to see themselves and the world differently when taught how to look at life through a lens.
You can give blankets to animal shelters, they are always in need of them. And you can get rid of pretty much anything on Freecycle, if it's not suitable for charity.
If you're in Chicago, you should donate your books to Open Books http://www.open-books.org/. They're a nonprofit that supports adult literacy workshops and reading programs within schools. Proceeds from their AWESOME used bookstore funds these programs.
http://www.betterworldbooks.com/
Send them your used books,they pay postage,and they sell them online.The money goes to literacy organizations and other nonprofits.Any books they can't use get recycled.Of course you can also buy used books there,too.I sent them some books a few weeks ago.
In DC:
Books for America - a Bookstore with a Purpose
1417 22nd Street, NW (22nd & P)
Washington, DC 20037
202.835.2665
(2)
Books to Prisons their operation is based in the Foundry Church on 16th street, one or two days a week. They have a web site.
This is a great topic AT, thank you. A good follow up post might be how to donate. My place of employment accepts donations. Most of the items are great and we deeply appreciate them but some are not. Always make sure you are donating what the organization needs and that it is in good condition. Donating things just to get rid of them or to get the tax deduction or simply not listening in order to make sure your items are really helpful becomes a burden to the organization. For instance, I always make sure the clothes I give to Goodwill are clean. You want to help, not hinder!
My local library accepts eyeglasses (prescription ones). I think they get shipped to Africa or other third-world countries.
Great post.
I just came across an option for those old clothes that aren't in good enough condition (torn, stained, etc) to donate. In New York City there is a program with drop offoints throughout the city at green markets that will recycle the fabric http://www.grownyc.org/clothing/.
Really easy drop off and better than putting in the trash where it ends up in landfill.
Old eyeglasses is a good thing to donate too. Don't know where you can in the US, but I am sure there's somewhere.
In Philadelphia, Northern Home for Children in Manayunk/East Falls collects all kinds of school supplies for the children (all ages, grade school thru high school) that live there and also poor families in the area. An excellent place. They have a Facebook page.
If you have a local Lions Club, they may have collection boxes for eyeglasses, or you can give them to a member. You can also mail to the club's HQ.
A lot of women's shelters or homeless shelters like to receive those trial-sized soaps and shampoos (but it's always good to make sure before you donate).
All the animal shelters I know of ask for donations of old towels and blankets, and they prefer ones that are so torn up a thrift store wouldn't want them.
A new website, webthriftstore.com, lets you offer your stuff for a price, and when an item sells, the price goes to the charity of your choice. I've done it. It's like ebay for a good cause.
In Minnesota ARC Value Village. All the proceeds go to fund programs for people with developmental disabilities.
Living with a wanna be Hoarder I find telling him his "good stuff", will go to a help others works miracles...a lot less fighting over getting rid of things.
Materials for the Arts is a NYC agency that brokers material donations for schools and non-profits. They provide a tax receipt, too. http://www.mfta.org/
what about a place to donate food you might have leftover? during the holidays, groceries have those bins for canned goods, but what about the rest of the year?
My eye doctor will take your old glasses and give to charity.
You can also send books over seas to the military.
Sorry, but I could not locate the site but I'm sure you can google.
If you care about LGBT rights, Salvation Army is NOT a good place to donate.
To answer the question about eyeglass donations in the US: Sunglass Hut accepts donations of eyeglasses and sunglasses. http://www.sunglasshut.com/AboutUs?storeId=10152&catalogId=10101&page=one_sight
Thank you @Brian Mac, I was going to say that, too -- the Salvation Army supports very hostile anti-gay organizations, so only bigots should donate to them. If that sounds harsh, read up on what they do.
@CLAIREZ - For canned goods (and sometimes fresher items like milk or bread), contact a church in your area - even if they don't have a pantry themselves, they'll know of another congregation that does, or be able to point you to the local pantry, often called Christmas Services Year Round or a Committee on Church Cooperation, something to that effect. They will be SO glad for your contribution!
And thanks for the DVD ideas - I've been purging and set a goal to reduce all my stuff by half by the end of the year. Books go to the library, clothes to the women's shelter, but I had no idea where to send my unplayed video games and long ignored DVDs.
thank you for this post although i am very sorry to hear about the salvation army being so closed minded because I have happily donated to them in the past. at least now I know where to donate my used goods!
Very informative blog. Thank you
Thanks so much for this post! Anyone have any ideas where to donate old videotapes (yep, you read correctly)?
I've helped with food drives all though out the year.
Check out Volunteers of America. I think they're always accepting food, since we partner with them frequently.
Also see if you have a local food bank. I'm sure they'd be happy to take anything useful.
I forgot about shelters and blankets! I know what I'm going to get to when I get to my fall/winter purge.
Ooooh, so many great places to donate to. Wonderful to learn about them.
Thank you for posting information like this. One thing our family has found after years of donating, is that there is a lot out there to be donated, but it is often impossible to get the donated items to those in need, There truly needs to be a better set of resources to reference (local, national, and international) when you have items to donate. There are way too many people that just want to throw items in the trash, never thinking that there is a child or family somewhere that would use or treasure that item.
At the present time we have children's VCR tapes and a VCR player, children's books, backpacks, and craft items that we didn't know what to do with. We will be contacting some of those agencies on your list.
We have heard that agencies accept backpack and small suitcase donations for foster children--that way, the few items that they own are not transported in trash bags. If anyone knows more about this, please post. We have also heard of agencies that take donations of used sports equipment. We are also looking for this information.
Believe in the adage, "one man's trash is another man's treasure." What our children have outgrown can be what another child only can dream of. We don't want to sell the items at a yard sale, we want these items to go to those that will enjoy them many times over.
As many others have already said (but I wanted to "second" the motion): Fantastic post!
Recently, I've found myself donating frequently throughout the year. (I finally got tired of keeping--and tripping over--so much clutter. I'm a recovering hoarder, for sure.)
At least one person mentioned that there should be a better way to find out "who needs 'what'". I try to never throw out things that I can't use. But, I definitely try to donate things that I believe will be useful to someone else...not just "trash". (I have been known to throw out clothing--such as old pantyhose with runs or stains or even socks with holes in them. However, I may have to re-think that. From the posts, it seems there are uses for items that I've believed to be "useless".)
Your post has brought things to light that many of us (even those who donate often) may not have thought about. Now, if there were just a better way to find and/or disseminate the information!
One thing that stumped me recently: At the end of a conference at work, we had left over (fresh) food. We had mostly pre-made sandwiches, but it was good quality food from a reputable restaurant. We ended up trying to give the food away at work, which was a little time consuming. (Most of us eat fairly well...as evidenced by our bulging waistlines!) Quite a few of us commented that we'd love to be able to donate fresh food to people who truly NEEDED the food. (It's easy enough to donate canned, bottled, and boxed food. It's another issue to find organizations who will want the fresher food, since I'm sure there could be health questions involved...which I do understand.)
Thank you for trying to bridge gaps in our knowledge!
In my area the homeless shelter takes hotel sized toiletries, plastic bags for their food pantry program as well as adult size seasonal clothing. Local children's non profits (in Missoula, Mt: The Parenting Place) may take used toys.
Goodwill takes clothing in any condition but it should be clean. If it is unsaleable it is sold to be recycled into such things as rag rugs.
The libraries near me all take used books, CDs, cassettes, records, DVDs, VHS tapes, and magazines for their annual used book sales.
Sometimes you're better off just handing your stuff to someone who needs it. We live near a poor inner city and we wonder about all the loud charities. We give our laptops and other good stuff to neighbors who may have lost their jobs or are down on their luck. In the past some of these folks have raked our leaves or visited our stray cat shelter - so we tell them it's an even exchange.
People who live in areas where the incomes are more diverse (not mono-income areas) tend to be more generous. NPR did a piece on this today. People in poor areas tend to be very generous too. They said that people 'isolated' in wealthy-only areas are not as generous because they do not see people in need. I do not know if it's true, but just passing it along, in light of Emmi's comment.
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/features/npr.php?id=158947667
To donate renovation leftovers, hardware, tools, lawn & garden supplies, or building materials - or even to donate an entire house instead of bulldozing it - check the directory at www.BuildingReuse.org for a home improvement thrift store near you.
I LOVE the directory at earth911.org - you type in your zip and what you're trying to dispose of, and they tell you if any charities or recycling centers in your area will accept your item. Plus they have lots of interesting articles and tips about how all manner of things can be reused.