Are you cleaning out and purging items in the new year!? I have compiled a list of places to donate items from larger more comprehensive donation sites to more specific organizations. I will continue to update this post as I learn about new places. Feel free to message me or comment if I left out one of your favorites or if you are looking to donate something I haven't covered!
Crisis Assistance
Crisis Assistance Ministry is my personal favorite donation center. Your items are sorted and distributed by volunteers (a great service activity for families) and then displayed in their free store. Neighbors in need can come in and choose items from this free store. Crisis Assistance not only has an easy drop-off system, but they put your donated items directly in the hands of those who need them. Pull into the drive-thru and a volunteer will come out, take your items from your car and give you a receipt. They love to receive warm items such as coats, blankets, sleeping bags, gloves, hats etc. which are distributed to our homeless neighbors. Doing a donation drive in your neighborhood is a great way to get kids involved as well.
Drop-off Hours:
Tuesday-Friday, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Saturday, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
“Donations of clothing and household goods ensure that families in need can shop for essentials free-of-charge. We accept new and gently used clothing for men, women and children, as well as household goods such as blankets, kitchenware and personal care products at our donation drive-thru. Please be mindful of providing clothing that is clean and wearable.”
Most needed donations include:
• Men’s clothing
• School uniforms (solid color golf/polo shirts; khaki, navy, black pants/skirts)
• Shoes and socks
• New underwear
• Comforters, sheets, blankets, towels, sleeping bags, bedding and linens
• Dishes, cups, glasses, flatware, serving ware
• Luggage, duffle bags and backpacks
• Small household goods (lightbulbs, batteries, umbrellas, coffeemakers, thermos)
• Pots and pans
Do not take the following:
• Baby formula, high chairs, car seats or strollers
• Toys
• Books and magazines
• Computers or electronics
• Food and medicine
• Gardening tools
• Medical supplies
• Exercise and sports equipment
Florence Crittendon
I have recently learned about this wonderful local agency supporting local at-risk pregnant teens and women. “Florence Crittenton Services is to promote health and hope for tomorrow’s children by providing comprehensive health, educational and social services for single pregnant and non-pregnant adolescents and women, mothers and their babies in the foster care system.” They accept teen and women's casual and dress clothing along with maternity wear. They are also in need of new or gently used baby items. I have also included a link for an amazon wish list.
Donation Drop Off times: Seven days a week, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. Support FCS through Amazon:: http://bit.ly/FCSAmazonWishList
Our donations are tax deductible! Just ask the front desk staff for a receipt.
Florence Crittenton Services
1300 Blythe Blvd. Charlotte, NC 28203
If you have a question about a potential donation that is not on this list or want a more comprehensive list of needs, please contact Jessika McNeil at JMcNeill@fcsnc.org
National Kidney Foundation
The National Kidney Foundation will pick up your items and they take everything including household items, electronics, appliances, furniture and even wedding dresses. There are many pick up options on their website. The proceeds from these items go to National programs funding kidney research and various programs benefitting kidney patients. The website is very vague about how they make their money and your items do not go to local families in need, but it is a very convenient option with charitable benefits.
Goodwill
Goodwill is an obvious one, but people tend to have mixed feelings about donating here. It is definitely more of a business, but they do support many community programs and create jobs. Your items don’t go immediately into the hands of people who need them, but there is good that comes from donating here and it is definitely convenient with all of their locations and easy drop off. Here are some interesting facts about Goodwill from their website.
Here are some specific items you may be looking to donate. I will add to this as I learn about other local organizations:
BOOKS
•Promising Pages
Do you have books to donate? Promising Pages takes children’s books in any condition. They especially need books for pre-k through 3rd grade. Promising Pages provides direct classroom programming and more than 150,000 free books annually, making them Charlotte’s largest and most efficient distributor of upcycled books. Here are their donation locations: Here is a link to their drop-off locations:
•Classroom Central:
Classroom Central’s Free Store is a local retail operation where teachers and other school personnel from eligible schools “shop” for free supplies throughout the academic year. Help support our teachers and schools by donating your gently used books pre-k through 12. Here is their drop off location:
2116 Wilkinson Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28208
Beds and Furniture
•Beds for Kids:
Thousands of families in our local community sleep without beds every night. This amazing organization provides local children and families in need with beds and essential furniture.
Items They Take:
• *Mattresses (Twin, Full, Queen, Toddler)
• Box Springs (Twin, Full, Queen)
• Dressers & Chests
• Kitchen Tables & Chairs
• Lamps
• Sofas, Loveseats, & Upholstered Chairs
• Bunk Beds
• Bed Frames (Twin, Full, Queen)
• Tables (Night, Coffee, End)
• Small Desks & Desk Chairs
• Small Bookshelves
• Small TV Stands
• New Bed Linens
• New Pillows
• New Mattress Protectors/Covers
• New Blankets & Quilts
• Bibles (Children & Adult)
*All mattresses must be new or gently used; without stains, rips, pet hair or wear.
Electronics:
•Goodwill
Goodwill takes electronics in any condition. If they can be refurbished or parts can be used, they will do that, otherwise, they will recycle them responsibly.
•National Kidney Foundation
•Mecklenburg County Recycling Centers
Here is a list of electronic waste recycling centers in Mecklenburg County if you are just wanting to dispose of your items:
Women’s Work Attire:
•Dressed For Success
Dressed for success is a little more work when you are donating, but they do great work empowering women in our community. Items need to be in a condition that is ready to wear to a job interview and it is only by appointment. “What would you wear to a job interview? That is exactly the type of clothing we are looking for to distribute to our clients. Your fabulous suits and other professional apparel could furnish another woman with the confidence to enter or return to the workplace, make a great first impression and land a job that could change her life. Additionally, many of our clients go directly to an interview, so please ensure that all items donated are freshly dry-cleaned/laundered and ironed, not more than 5 years old, and suitable for wearing to job interviews. Thanks!”
DONATION HOURS: By appointment, Monday through Friday 9:30am to 3:30 pm. Call 704-525-7706 to schedule an appointment.
Bikes:
•Trips for Kids Charlotte
Trips for Kids Charlotte (TFKC) provides transformative cycling experiences for underserved youth. This organization will fix up your bike and put it to good use to benefit children in our community.
Furniture:
Furnish for Good
https://furnishforgood.org
I have just learned about an organization called Furnish for Good. They support organizations such as Families Forward Charlotte and others in the community. “Rather than simply handing out donated items, Furnish for Good takes the time to create room settings and partners with social workers to showcase furnishings to our clients. The process ends up giving the recipients much more than furnishings to make a home - it creates self respect and dignity.” Check out their website for more information including what they accept and don’t accept as well as contact information.