where do I donate or recycle

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

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ART SUPPLIES
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.

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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: 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 see: www.lapl.org/

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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.

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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!”

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CARS
Mary Magdalene Project: www.mmp.org/
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.

Polly Klass 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.

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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.

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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.

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CHILDREN’S TOYS AND BOOKS
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

Topanga Women’s Circle: www.topangawomenscircle.org
TWC is an organization of volunteer women who help the neediest of families by furnishing their new housing with the little necessities we take for granted. By providing new and like-new items, we help create an environment of comfort, warmth and dignity.

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.

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CLOTHING/SHOES, BOOKS, FURNITURE/KITCHEN STUFF
Catalyst Foundation: 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 suh as a small granite slab, various tiles, crown molding, etc. Phone:800.370.9444

Goodwill Industries: tinyurl.com/c97z9a
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.

Topanga Women’s Circle: www.topangawomenscircle.org
TWC is an organization of volunteer women who help the neediest of families by furnishing their new housing with the little necessities we take for granted. By providing new and like-new items, we help create an environment of comfort, warmth and dignity.

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.

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, Mrs. 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. 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. Aside from donations of good-condition used furniture, they also take walkers, canes, and wheelchairs.

Topanga Women’s Circle: www.topangawomenscircle.org
TWC is an organization of volunteer women who help the neediest of families by furnishing their new housing with the little necessities we take for granted. By providing new and like-new items, we help create an environment of comfort, warmth and dignity.

St. Joseph Center in Venice, CA: www.stjosephctr.org/index.html
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.

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.

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CORKS
ReCork: http://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.

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E-WASTE/SOLVENTS/HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
Bureau of Sanitation: tinyurl.com/yv9h6z
UCLA Safe Center: tinyurl.com/pl56fm
Recyclecology: recyclecology.com

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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.

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FOOD PANTRIES
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.

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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.

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JUNK MAIL
Do It Yourself to Stop Junk Mail, E-Mail, and Phone Calls:
www.obviously.com/junkmail/


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MEDICINE/PERSONAL CARE/TOILETRIES
WE CHANGE LA: www.wechangela.net/WeChangeLA
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.

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.

Cal Recycle: www.calrecycle.ca.gov/HomeHazWaste/HealthCare/Collection/
You can clean the medications out of your medicine cabinet and avoid potential misuse, environmental impacts, or clutter.

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.

Smart Disposal: www.smarxtdisposal.net
SMARXT DISPOSAL is a unique public-private partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the American Pharmacists Association, and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. This support and involvement is what separates SMARXT DISPOSAL from other initiatives and it will ultimately make this campaign successful.

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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.

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PAPERLESS
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.”

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PAPER SHREDDING
Goodwill Industrial Shredding: www.goodwillsocal.org/shredding/index.php
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.

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.

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PARTY/EVENT LEFTOVERS
Event Leftovers: www.eventleftovers.com/
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.

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PHONES
The Wireless Foundation: www.donateaphone.com/CallToProtect/donate.cfm
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.

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PROFESSIONAL WOMEN: ATTIRE/HANDBAGS/PURSES
DonateMyDress.ORG: www.donatemydress.org
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!
Dress for Success: http://www.dressforsuccess.org/whatwedo.aspx
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: pursesandpockets.org/Home_Page.html
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.”

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RECYCLING UNUSUAL ITEMS
Packing Peanuts (and other packing supplies): www.loosefillpackaging.com
Old Sneakers/Tennis Shoes: www.nikereuseashoe.com/
Wine Corks: www.yemmhart.com/

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SELL YOUR STUFF:
Ebay: www.ebay.com
Craigs’ List: www.craigslist.com
Shop it LA! (local to LA eBay store): www.shopitla.com

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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/index.html
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.blogspot.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.

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