DONATION PLACES AND RECYCLING SPACES:
A BUNCH OF WAYS TO PAY IT FORWARD

ANIMAL SUPPLIES

A not-for-profit animal rescue organization in need of everything to care for our furry friends.

A not-for-profit organization for donations of blankets and towels for our furry friends. Drop-off locations throughout Los Angeles.

ART SUPPLIES

SCRAP is a creative reuse center, store and workshop space founded in 1976 in San Francisco, California. Donations of high quality, low cost, re-usable materials such as textiles, paper, jewelry findings, wood, buttons and plastics are collected from businesses, institutions and individuals then sorted, displayed and distributed by SCRAP for artists, educational and community groups. Free materials and art activities are provided through our community outreach service.

BOOKS

The goal of ACCESS BOOKS is to provide high interest, enjoyable reading materials to provide to school and community libraries. Research has validated the close correlation that exists between successful reading and the number of books in school libraries. In fact, the size of the school library collection is the best predictor of academic achievement. Among school and community predictors of academic achievement, the size of the school library collection and staff is second only to the absence of poverty. The more books children have access to in their school libraries, the more they will read.

CARS

The Mary Magdalene Project gives women who have been victimized by street prostitution the opportunity to turn their lives around. Through an intensive and comprehensive program, the women face, cope with and then overcome the many obstacles that life has dealt them. New relationships are formed, skills and strengths are discovered. The Mary Magdalene Project is a successful program that begins the transformation.

The Polly Klaas® Foundation is a national nonprofit that helps find missing children, prevents children from going missing, and promotes laws like Amber Alert that help keep children safe.We have helped more than 6,900 families of missing children, counseling them on ways to find their children and work with law enforcement. We make and distribute posters of missing children for these families, and have a national eVolunteer force that distributes posters of missing children in their communities. Our hotline has been answered 24/7 since 1993. We publish and distribute child safety information to people around the world. Our free Child Safety Kit and Internet Safety Kit can be ordered or downloaded online. We also promote child safety legislation like Amber Alerts.


Cash for your Gadgets: Gazelle

CHILDREN’S MOVIES/DVDS

Kid Flicks was founded by the Barta sisters in the Spring of 2002. We were doing some “Spring cleaning” and realized we had a number of DVDs we had either outgrown or no longer watched. Since a friend of ours had been treated for Leukemia and we knew that she watched movies to help her pass the time and distract her while she was in the hospital, we took our movies to the Pediatric Oncology Department of the Los Angeles hospital where she had been treated. When we dropped off our donations, the Child Life Specialist told us that “movies are the first things kids ask for when they are in the hospital.” That afternoon we decided to collect as many DVDs as possible to donate to as many hospitals as possible. We wrote solicitation letters to family and friends, and within the first week, we had over 100 movies. Donations continued to pour in. We decided that each hospital would receive a “movie library” of 100 assorted films that appeal to boys and girls, toddlers through teenagers. Whenever we had another 100 movies, we found another hospital to donate them to. With your DVD donations, we create video libraries for Children’s Hospitals and Pediatric Wards.

CLOTHING/SHOES, BOOKS, FURNITURE/KITCHEN STUFF

Last year, more than 64 million people donated to Goodwill. Goodwill accepts your new or gently used items — like clothing, appliances and furniture — and sells them in our well-known Goodwill retail stores. There are more than 2,300 Goodwill donation locations in North America. The sales of your donations help fund job training and other career services that help people become successful at work.

Out of the Closet, the world's most fabulous thrift store, is a chain of thrift stores in Northern and Southern California owned and operated by AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest specialized provider of cutting-edge medicine and advocacy regardless of ability to pay.

 The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is a grassroots organization of volunteers and advocates who turn progressive ideals into action. Inspired by Jewish values, NCJW strives for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children, and families and by safeguarding individual rights and freedoms.

St. Joseph Center has achieved significant recognition as an outstanding charitable partner in helping solve problems of needy families and individuals on the Westside of Los Angeles. The California Community Foundation’s Donor Connect newsletter referred to St. Joseph Center as “one of the preeminent social service organizations serving low-income members of the Westside community.

Founded in 1978, Vietnam Veterans of America is the only national Vietnam veterans organization congressionally chartered and exclusively dedicated to Vietnam-era veterans and their families. VVA is organized as a not-for-profit corporation and is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(19) of the Internal Revenue Service Code. VVA's goals are to promote and support the full range of issues important to Vietnam veterans, to create a new identity for this generation of veterans, and to change public perception of Vietnam veterans.

E-WASTE/SOLVENTS/HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

 EYEGLASSES

Both organizations will repair used/unwanted eyeglasses and distribute to people who cannot afford new glasses.

FOOD PANTRIES

SOVA is a Hebrew word that means "eat and be satisfied." At SOVA’s three comprehensive service centers in the Los Angeles area, we offer:  Sustenance – free nutritious food that nourishes families, helps children perform better in school, and strengthens the elderly; Opportunity— free on-site services at our three food pantries, including legal advocacy, job counseling, nutrition counseling by a Registered Dietitian, information and referral and food stamp enrollment; Volunteerism— hundreds of people of all ages working together each week to provide a helping hand for others ; Advocacy— educating the community and legislators on hunger issues.

JUNK MAIL

MEDICINE/PERSONAL CARE/TOILETRIES

Here is the full List of Household Healthcare Items they would like to be gathering:
Soap, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, Qtips, Antiseptic Wipes, Sunscreen, Bandaids, Tweezers, Shampoo, Lotion, Shaving Cream, Lip Balm, Antibiotic Ointment, Baby Powder, Diapers, Diaper Rash Cream, Adult Diapers, Feminine Hygiene Supplies, Combs, Floss, Razors, Hydrogen Peroxide, Cotton Balls, Kleenex Packets.

OFFICE SUPPLIES

L.A. SHARES accepts donations of office furniture, office equipment, office supplies, computer systems, paper products, miscellaneous personal care products and, of course, money to help us support our efforts. Thanks to the financial and in-kind support of many local companies, area foundations and certain federal, state and local partners, L.A. SHARES is able to provide its services FREE-OF-CHARGE to both donors and recipients.

PAPER SHREDDING

Goodwill Industries on San Fernando Road in Los Angeles also can do high volume shredding.  You can fill two 64 gallon trash receptacles for $30.

Since 1996 SAFESHRED has provided peace of mind to businesses, residents and government by offering the most secure shredding services available. Every shredding and destruction business practice of ours revolves around helping protect the integrity of your company, your brand, your employees, your customers, and your family, while helping you comply with state and federal regulations regarding the proper disposal and destruction of confidential information or products. Whether you need Paper Shredding, Product Destruction,  Media Destruction, or E-waste Recycling, SAFESHRED guarantees you the highest level of security and service available in the paper shredding and product destruction industry. Minimum charge to come to the house is $125, for up to 25 bankers boxes of paper.  Destroyed off site. They also destroy computer hard drives and any other media or “stuff.” Owner said, “We’ll destroy anything with information people don’t want others to see.” Couple of days to a week lead time.

Minimum charge $115 for up to 20 bankers boxes of paper, $5 each additional box for offsite destruction (they pick up). They will shred onsite, but said it costs more ($115 for up to 16 boxes) and is noisy.  Fuel surcharge $4. Three or four days lead time. Most of their business is servicing businesses by placing locked bins in offices, collecting the contents on a regular schedule, then shredding it in their machines


PARTY/EVENT LEFTOVERS

Event Leftovers, the online marketplace to buy and sell new and gently used party supplies. Whether you are an event professional or someone who throws parties for family and friends, this site is for you. Recycle your event leftovers and help the environment, make extra money, and find some great deals -- all with just a few clicks. Listing is completely free and transactions are handled on a secure platform. Simply click on the buy or sell box to begin.

PHONES

The national CALL TO PROTECT program enables people to retire their wireless phones in a manner that will help the environment and raise funds for national organizations working to end partner violence. Funds generated through CALL TO PROTECT collections have provided grants totaling over $3.5 million to agencies leading the campaign against domestic violence.

PROFESSIONAL WOMEN: ATTIRE/HANDBAGS/PURSES

Donate My Dress.org encourages girls to donate their prom and special occasion dresses to others who need them. The first national network to bring together local dress drive organizations across the U.S., we help you find one in your area so that once you've had your dream night, you can give another girl hers!

The mission of Dress for Success is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. Founded in New York City in 1997, Dress for Success is an international not-for-profit organization offering services designed to help our clients find jobs and remain employed. Each Dress for Success client receives one suit when she has a job interview and can return for a second suit or separates when she finds work.

Founded in February 2009, PURSES AND POCKETS WITH A PURPOSE, INC. (PPWAP) was established to package hope in a purse or pocket wallet for women and men experiencing the challenges of life.  Her vision included creating a ‘living life on P.U.R.P.O.S.E. Road Map bundled with personal care items and a donated purse so those in need could see a new path toward living a life filled with purpose and peace. At PPWAP, our sole goal is to alleviate the socio economic, health and well being challenges that kill desire, block opportunity, thwart achievement---thus, hinder self empowerment by providing a roadmap towards a "purposeful life."  

RECYCLING UNUSUAL ITEMS

SELL YOUR STUFF:

SHOES (Sneakers/Tennis)

See how the Reuse-A-Shoe program takes your worn-out kicks and turns them into Nike Grind, a material used in sports surfaces, playgrounds and even new Nike products.

Soles4Souls facilitates the donations of shoes, which are used to aid the hurting worldwide. Shoe companies, retailers, and individuals can donate footwear (both new and used). Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS, and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages.

One World Running is an international program promoting an awareness of health, fitness and nutrition by providing running shoes to those in need in the United States and around the world. We also put on 5K walk/runs to foster an environment of exercise and to increase understanding and goodwill between people