RECYCLE AND DONATE

Donation Places and Recycling Spaces: a Bunch of Ways to Pay It Forward

ANIMAL SUPPLIES 
A Wish for Animals: www.awishforanimals.org
A not-for-profit animal rescue organization in need of everything to care for our furry friends.

Operation Blankets of Love: www.operationblanketsoflove.com

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

APPLIANCES
Appliances and Recycling at Best Buy: bestbuys.com

ART SUPPLIES 
Crazy Crayons: crazycrayons.com
The CRAYON RECYCLE PROGRAM takes unwanted, rejected, broken crayons to a better place, where they’ll be recycled into fresh, new crayons. The program has drop-off bins nationally.

The Long Beach Depot for Creative Reuse: thelongbeachdepot.org
Creative Reuse is the process of taking used or recycled materials and turning them into artwork, eco-friendly gifts, and other fun and creative projects. The Depot is a Non-Profit public benefit organization and relies entirely on contributions from supporters and benefactors to accomplish their objectives of acquiring and disseminating information and materials to enhance a more “Green America” and to promote reuse of throwaway items by inspiring public participation in the reduction of items destined for our landfills.

Scrounger’s Center for Reusable Art Parts (SCRAP):
www.scrap-sf.org
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.

reDiscover: rediscovercenter.org

Since 2004, the reDiscover Center has promoted creativity in education while encouraging environmental responsibility. Our recycled discards donated by business are revived and reused in school programs, community projects, teacher workshops, parties, camps and more!

BOOKS
Access Books: www.accessbooks.net/
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.

Friends of the Library: www.lapl.org

Most LA area libraries have book sales to raise money for local library projects. To see if your local library will take your good-condition books visit www.lapl.org

BRAS
Uplift Project: www.upliftbras.org

For women in disadvantaged communities a bra is often unobtainable or unaffordable. This project collects new and second-hand bras and sends them wherever we have requests.

BUILDING MATERIALS
Habitat’s ReStore: www.habitat.org/env/restores.aspx

Habitat’s ReStore resale outlets sell reusable and surplus building materials to the public. While every ReStore is a little different, most focus on home improvement goods like furniture, home accessories, building materials and appliances. ReStores accept donated goods which are sold to the general public at a fraction of the retail price. The proceeds help local Habitat affiliates fund the construction of Habitat homes within their communities.

CARDBOARD BOXES
Used Cardboard Boxes www.usedcardboardboxes.com

UsedCardboardBoxes.com takes an innovative approach to providing low-cost, earth-friendly moving boxes. We “rescue” truckloads of quality used boxes from large companies that might otherwise recycle them or simply throw them away. We bring the boxes back to one of our regional distribution centers where they are inspected and sorted by size and shape. Boxes that meet our strict requirements for quality, shape and strength are pre-packed (along with convenient accessories) into our low-cost, earth-friendly “stacks” and “kits”. We then “resell” those boxes to customers all across the USA, via our website. We offer free shipping on any residential order and guarantee delivery in 1-2 business days. As we like to say, “you don’t have cut down a tree to make a used cardboard box!”

CARS
Habitat for Humanity: www.habitat.org/carsforhomes
By donating a car to Habitat’s Cars for Homes vehicle donation program, you help your local Habitat for Humanity affiliate build and rehabilitate houses in partnership with families in need of a hand up, not a hand out.

Polly Klaas Foundation: www.pollyklaas.org
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: www.gazelle.com

Gazelle wants to change the world – one cell phone, one laptop, one iPod at a time. It is our purpose – and our promise – to provide a practical, rewarding way for people to finally rid themselves of all those old cell phones, digital cameras, and gaming systems that they no longer use, but can’t seem to find a way to let go of. Too often when people think of recycling, they rush straight to smashing things into bits for parts. We believe that reuse should always come first. If your GPS unit still works, why not keep it in circulation AND get paid for it? If reusing isn’t in the cards, then let us recycle that vintage camcorder. We think of it as ReCommerce.

CASSETTES, VIDEOS, DISKETTES
Green Disk: www.greendisk.com

Now there is one place to responsibly and securely dispose of all your computer-related waste, spent supplies and obsolete accessories. GreenDisk handles all your technotrash disposal needs from a CD to a PC and just about everything in between. You can stop worrying about what to do with all of that old technotrash piling up in your office, store room, attic, or garage. Let GreenDisk safely and securely destroy your old data, recover reusable components, and recycle all of the rest of your accumulated technotrash – all at your convenience, at home or at work.

CELL PHONES
Gizmogul: gizmogul.com

A cell phone recycling site. They accept all sorts of recyclable electronics through their parent company, CJ Environmental, and offer free pickup service throughout the U.S. and Canada

CHILDREN’S MOVIES/DVDS
Kid Flicks: www.kidflicks.org

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.

CHILDREN’S TOYS AND BOOKS
Children’s Book Project: http://sites.google.com/site/childrensbookprojecttest/Home
The Children’s Book Project was founded to help build literacy by providing free, new and gently used books to children who need them. Have given away over 1.5 million books and have helped thousands of children build home libraries.

Gently used toys may be donated to local thrift stores, women’s shelter’s, churches, and children’s hospitals. See, also Child’s Play Charity: www.childsplaycharity.org

Stuffed Animals: www.stuffedanimalsforemergencies.org
We collect various items such as stuffed animals, toys, books and baby blankets to benefit children during emergency situations such as fires, illness, accidents, neglect, abuse, homelessness and even weather emergencies such as tornadoes, floods and hurricanes. We also donate the items we receive to other childrens’ organizations, military organizations, libraries and even nursing homes. We accept new and gently used items for donation. This is a great way to reuse and recycle stuffed animals, toys, books and baby blankets.

CHILDREN’S CLOTHING
Baby2Baby: www.baby2baby.org
Baby2Baby supplies Los Angeles families in need with essential baby gear and clothing for their children 0-4 years old. We distribute new and gently used items through a network of community-based organizations.

CLOTHING/SHOES, BOOKS, FURNITURE/KITCHEN STUFF
Catalyst Foundation: http://www.thecatalyst-foundation.org
This organization collects donated goods for their thrift store and uses the proceeds for promoting AIDS Awareness. They are really GOOD about picking up those “less desirable” items such as a small granite slab, various tiles, crown molding, etc. Phone: 800.370.9444

Goodwill Industries: www.goodwill.org
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: www.outofthecloset.org
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.

Project Ropa: www.projectropa.org
It’s mobile nonprofit in Los Angeles that helps restore dignity to people experiencing homelessness by providing clean clothing and access to other hygiene services. We also have a recycling program that distributes clothing and shoes free of charge to a network of nonprofit partners. As well, we employ people transitioning out of homelessness and formerly incarcerated individuals to work with both our mobile street service and recycling program.

Safe Passage Lives: www.safepassagelives.org
The vision of Safe Passage, a division of Women Crowned In Glory began ten years ago from the giving spirit of Trish Steele. A woman of integrity and compassion, Ms. Steele allied her friends and supporters together to create a Non-Profit 501(C)3 Corporation to shelter, educate, equip and direct women and their children to safety and survival of domestic violence.

The National Council of Jewish Women: www.ncjw.org
The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is a grassroots organization of volunteers and advocates who turn progressive ideals into action. NCJW strives for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children, and families and by safeguarding individual rights and freedoms. Aside from donations of good-condition used furniture, they also take walkers, canes, and wheelchairs.

Vietnam Veterans of America: www.vva.org

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.

CORKS
ReCork: recork.org

We are partners in recycling. ReCORK by Amorim (previously ReCORK America) is a natural wine cork recycling program. The ReCORK program is sponsored by Amorim of Portugal, the world’s largest producer of natural cork wine closures, SOLE, a leading manufacturer of footwear products, and Amorim’s U.S. sales affiliates – Amorim Cork America and Portocork America. The goal is to recycle corks and to educate and inform our audiences about
 the crucial role cork forests play in curbing climate change.

CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
PlaneTreuse: planetreuse.com

PlanetReuse expertly matches materials with designers, builders and owners to save projects money, serve LEED efforts and sustain the planet.

ELECTRONICS
Electronics and Appliances Recycling at Best Buy: bestbuys.com

UCLA’s Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research . . .
is accepting tax deductible donations of MP3 players. Can listening to music soothe an agitated patient with Alzheimer’s disease, or even unlock happy memories from better days? Although much of the evidence is anecdotal, there is plenty to suggest that songs can, at minimum, bring a smile to the face of a dementia patient. To make a tax-deductible donation of iPods and MP3 players, as well as related items, to the Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research at UCLA’s Tunes for Alzheimer’s Patients program, go to www.eastonad.ucla.edu

Dispose of Kids Gadgets: pcliquidations.com
As you monitor your children’s internet and cellphone habits, you also have to consider the devices that become obsolete, broken, beyond repair, or simply unwanted. Do you just throw these things out?

E-WASTE/SOLVENTS/HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
Bureau of Sanitation: lacitysan.org
UCLA Safe Center: uclahealth.org
Recyclecology: recyclecology.com
Green Disk: greendisk.com

EYEGLASSES
Lions Clubs International: lionsclubs.org/EN/index.php
One Sight Organization: www.onesight.org
Both organizations will repair used/unwanted eyeglasses and distribute to people who cannot afford new glasses.

FOOD
Food for Hunger: FoodforHunger.org
Food for Hunger is As you may be aware, many people throw out a good deal of “stuff” when they move.  Unfortunately, a lot of this “stuff” is food that could be delivered to a family in need rather than thrown away.  That’s where we come in … By teaming up with relocation companies across the country, Move For Hunger is creating one of the nation’s largest year-round service programs.  Our movers offer to pick up the unwanted, non-perishable food items from those who are moving and deliver it to their local food banks.

FOOD PANTRIES
Ample Harvest: ampleharvest.org
Ample Harvest diminishes hunger in America by educating and enabling gardeners to donate their excess harvest to the needy in their community instead of allowing it to rot in the garden.

SOVA: www.jfsla.org/sova

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.

FREE
Free Cycle: www.freecycle.org
The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,864 groups with 7,603,875 members around the world. It’s a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It’s all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them’s good people). Membership is free. To sign up, find your community by entering it into the search box above or by clicking on ‘Browse Groups’ above the search box.

Big Sunday: www.bigsunday.org

A non-profit that specializes in finding homes for large or weird items people want to give away (e.g., motorized chair lift for stairs inside the home). Big Sunday also helps people who have time to volunteer to do good in the local community, match them with building or other projects where extra hands are needed.

StufStr: iPhone App
Stuffstr is a Public Benefit Corporation dedicated to increasing sustainability around the things we buy, use, and discard. Stuffstr’s vision is “No Unused Stuff,” and we’re committed to helping consumers join the global movement toward a circular economy.

HEARING AIDS
Hearing Charities of America in Kansas City MO: Hearing Charities of America in Kansas City MO: HearingCharities.org

JUNK MAIL
National Yellow Pages Consumer Choice & Opt-Out Site: www.yellowpagesoptout.com
The mission of the Yellow Pages Association is to lead, serve, grow and advocate for the Yellow Pages Industry. They have committed to taking a leadership position in guiding their members to integrate responsible, innovative, and sustainable business practices that benefit a triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit.

Catalog Choice: www.catalogchoice.org
Sign up and search our growing list of catalogs, coupons, credit offers, phone books and other unsolicited mailings. Find catalogs and junk mail you want to manage. We’ll work on your behalf to opt you out of the mailings you’ve identified.

DMA Choice: www.dmachoice.org

DMA choice is an online tool developed by the Direct Marketing Association to help you manage your mail. For the purposes of this site, direct mail is divided into four categories: Credit Offers, Catalogs, Magazine Offers and Other Mail Offers. You can request to start or stop receiving mail from individual companies within each category—or from an entire category at once.

MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
Project C.U.R.E.: projectcure.org
Delivers medical supplies severely resource-limited communities make diagnosis and treatment possible, protect health workers and ensure better outcomes for surgery and emergency care. Donations from U.S. hospitals, medical manufacturers, wholesale distributors and individual donors

MEDICINE/PERSONAL CARE/TOILETRIES
The Saban Free Clinic: www.thesabanfreeclinic.org
The Saban Free Clinic, in collaboration with strategic partners, serves as a medical home for the underserved and those who are most vulnerable by providing comprehensive, dependable and affordable quality health care in a caring environment.

Think Green From Home: www.thinkgreenfromhome.com/syringesandlancets.cfm
The MedWaste Tracker Safe Solutions for Sharps System, is designed to safely and securely dispose of used syringes and lancets. Each system contains and provides for containment, collection and destruction of used sharps.

Safe needle disposal: www.safeneedledisposal.org 
Established in August 2002, the Coalition for Safe Community Needle Disposal is a collaboration of businesses, community groups, non-profit organizations and government that promotes public awareness and solutions for safe disposal of needles, syringes, and other sharps in the community.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency: www.epa.gov/epawaste/index.htm
Each year, Americans generate millions of tons of waste in our homes and communities. EPA is challenging all citizens to conserve our natural resources by committing to reduce, reuse, and recycle at home, in your community, and at the office. Learn what you can do to make a difference.

MP3s/iPods
UCLA’s Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research:
Tunes for Alzheimer’s Patients (TAP) is a charitable program at the UCLA Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research that collects new and used iPods, MP3 players, iTunes gift cards, headphones, and iPod/MP3 accessories, as well as monetary donations, to bring individualized music treatment to Alzheimer’s patients in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other institutions. For more information or to make a tax-deductible donation, visit www.eastonad.ucla.edu

MUSIC
Music in Schools Today: mustcreate.org

A San Francisco Bay Area non-profit organization with national impact, Music in Schools Today (MUST) advocates for, supports and develops integrated, accessible, sustainable and measurable music-in-education programs that improve student achievement. MUST combats this trend with a comprehensive set of programs that are resistant to budget slashing. MUST serves over 21,000 children and youth annually in schools and community centers, conducts research and development and advocates to restore music as an essential principle of pre-K through 12 education.

OFFICE SUPPLIES
L.A. Shares: www.lashares.org
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.

I Love Schools: givv.org

I LOVE SCHOOLS is a nonprofit online donation center that connects new, used and in-kind resources with our nation’s schools all year long. Our mission is to help students meet their potential by providing their teachers and other educators with the resources they need to support their students’ education – without regard to geographic, demographic or financial circumstances.

PAPERLESS
Catalog Choice: www.catalogchoice.org
A free service to opt out of catalogs, coupons, credit card offers, phone books, circulars and more.

Unsolicited Mail, Telemarketing and Email: Where to Go to “Just Say No” www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts

Tired of having your mailbox crammed with unsolicited mail, including pre-approved credit card applications? Fed up with getting telemarketing calls just as you’re sitting down to dinner? Fuming that your email inbox is chock-full of unsolicited advertising? The good news is that you can cut down on the number of unsolicited mailings, calls, and emails you receive by learning where to go to “just say no.”

PAPER SHREDDING
Safe Shred: www.safeshred.com/about1.nxg 
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.

Shred It: shredit.com

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.

PLASTICS, BOTTLES, CARDBOARD AND MORE
What and How to Recycle: Plastics, Bottles, Cardboard and More! bottlestore.com/whatandhowtorecycle
This covers the full gamut of recycling – what a gem!!

PROFESSIONAL WOMEN: ATTIRE/HANDBAGS/PURSES
Dress for Success: www.dressforsuccess.org
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.

Purses and Pockets with a Purpose:
www.facebook.com/pages/Purses-And-Pockets-With-A-Purpose-Inc

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
Printer Ink: Quill: www.quill.com
Old Sneakers/Tennis Shoes: www.nikereuseashoe.com
Wine Corks: www.yemmhart.com
Three Big Mistakes We Make When Recycling: science.howstuffworks.com

SELF STORAGE

SELL YOUR STUFF 
Ebay: www.ebay.com

Craigs’ List: www.craigslist.com

Pay Pal Giving Fund (formerly Mission Fish): www.paypalgivingfund.org
It allows sellers to give proceeds from their sales to a favorite nonprofit, and helps nonprofits raise funds by selling on eBay too. Nonprofits can also receive donations from eBay users through the Donate Now feature, which lets anyone with a PayPal account, donate to nonprofits right away –without buying or selling anything.

SHOES (Sneakers/Tennis)
Nike Reuse-a-Shoe: www.nikereuseashoe.com
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.

Soles 4 Souls: www.soles4souls.org
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: oneworldrunning.com

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.

SOCCER
Peace Passers: peacepassers.org

Soccer balls, shoes, socks and uniforms are needed. This can be done through direct contribution of supplies and/or through monetary donations for shipping fees. We challenge you to share that joy, to join us in spreading the peaceful vibe through donating soccer supplies to countries and areas less fortunate than our own.

TROPHIES
Lamb Awards: www.lambawards.com/recycle

We’ve recently begun a program to help find a new home for your very old trophies so that they avoid the landfill. We will either donate matching sets to charities in need or break the trophies down for parts. These parts will go on to other trophy winners. The Special Olympics referred us to this company.

WEDDING DRESSES
Brides Against Breast Cancer: bridesagainstbreastcancer.org

Proves an opportunity for metastatic breast cancer patients’ dream or wish to be fulfilled by providing a special time of ‘Making Memories’ together with their families, a chance that might not have become a reality without the assistance of the Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation.

YARD WASTE
Yard Waste Removal: Recycling, Donating and Reusing
angieslist.com/articles/yard-waste-removal-recycling-donating-and-reusing.htm
We especially loved the composting information on here!

If you have a great resource you’d like to share please send it to us. 
Call us to find out how we can help you. 818-400-9592