We're moving - where to donate/recycle food, clothing, textbooks, baby items
We are moving and I am trying to purge responsibility. I would like your suggestions on places to donate/recycle: 1) unopened non-perishable food; 2) clothing including professional -- I would prefer to donate to an organization that helps refugees; 3) undergraduate (some outdated) and graduate textbooks; 4) opened packages of diapers and close to expiration date car seats and 5) textile recycling (ripped clothing and linens). Thank you!
Aug 13, 2018
Parent Replies
Hello -
I would gratefully accept the diapers - our first child is due in less than a month!
For ripped textiles, I drop my items off at a USAgain site. There is one in El Cerrito, in the parking lot of the shopping center that has bed bath and beyond, cvs, Trader Joe’s. If I remember correctly, it’s in front of the cvs.
Erin.
Thank you for doing things responsibly! Here's what I've learned in our recent purge: 1) If the food's expiration date is at least 3 months away, you can drop it off at an Alameda County Food Bank collection point - Berkeley Bowl and other locations have permanent barrels out where you can leave donations. (Side tip: That's what I do with our earthquake kit supplies when I rotate them out.) See list of locations here: https://www.accfb.org/get-involved/fundraise/food-drive/find-a-food-dri…. If the expiration date is coming up, I've had good luck giving things away on BPN/Craigslist/Freecycle/Buy Nothing Facebook group. 2) The IRC helps re-settle refugees and can usually use professional clothes - their space is limited, though, so they don't take other clothing. More info here: https://www.rescue.org/announcement/items-needed-refugees-oakland. I'll bet someone else on this list knows a church or other organization helping local refugee families that could use clothing. 3) Outdated textbooks are pretty much just recycling - hopefully someone will have a better idea, but that's my experience sorting book donations for the library. You can also leave books at the re-use area at the El Cerrito recycling facility. 4) Opened diapers/used car seats are probably a good choice for Freecycle/etc., unless someplace like Bananas wants them. 5) You can take worn-out textiles to any H&M store for recycling: https://about.hm.com/en/sustainability/get-involved/recycle-your-clothe…. Good luck with the move!
If the food is not past its stated sell-by/use-by date, maybe just drop it in a food donation barrel.
I believe both Jewish Family Services and Catholic Charities work with resettling refugee families. Other option for professional clothing: BOSS in Berkeleuy.
Textiles: Towels (only) can go to animal shelters. All-Cotton t-shirts to Waterside Workshop in Berkeley (they use them as rags in their bike refurbishing program). Ripped textiles - North Face has a collection barrel for textiles and shoes in any condition. https://www.thenorthface.com/about-us/responsibility/product/clothes-th…
Unless the textbooks are pretty recent, I doubt you'll find a charity that will take them. You could bring them to El Cerrito Recycling Center exchange area.
Diapers - What size? I work with needy families who would be delighted to get diapers; feel free to message me. Also - Bananas
The Alameda Food Bank (in the city of Alameda) takes small donations of food. http://www.alamedafoodbank.org
I think there are organizations that help homeless and low-income women with professional clothing. Not sure about the details though. If you don't find one, Out of the Closet is a good place to donate. Also some chapters of the International Rescue Committee accept clothing donations. I don't know if the Oakland office does or not. https://www.rescue.org
Opened packages of diapers and car seats you can probably give away on Freecycle.
There is an AMAZING recycling center in El Cerrito. They take textiles, among many other things (plastic bags and bubble wrap! electronics!). Check them out: https://el-cerrito.org/533/Recycling-Environmental-Resource-Center
cheers!