For-profit thrift stores sometimes arrange to use a charity’s name to collect donations in exchange for a flat fee or a percentage of sales. This is not often publicized, and that charity often makes less than 5 cents for every dollar spent.

And, you should always verify what organization operates a donation drop off box before you place your items in the box. Unfortunately, it is not unusual for a for-profit business to own drop off boxes that illegally use a charity name on the front of the box.

What items do you accept for donation?

See our Donation Guidelines for a list of acceptable and unacceptable donation items. We accept items that are in good condition and can be sold “as is.” We make the best use of items that are clean, complete and in sellable condition. We cannot accept items that are in need of repair, incomplete or in poor condition (although e-waste — anything with a battery or a plug — is accepted in any condition). We only accept items that comply with environmental hazard and public safety rulings. When hazardous chemicals or other dangerous materials are donated to Goodwill, they put staff members and the community at risk for exposure and potentially serious danger. Please think before you donate.

Do you pick up donations?

Due to the size of our territory, we are not able to pick up donated items. We realize that it is not always possible, but if you are able to donate in person you can find your nearest Goodwill SoCal donation center on our website locator. 

Do you accept financial donations?

We sure do! Though Goodwill Southern California is approximately 92 percent self-reliant, we depend on community support for the remainder of our operating budget, program expansions, and capital expenses, such as training tools and construction projects. In addition to cash gifts, we welcome investments in the form of bequests or memorials, life insurance, trust agreements, real estate, stocks or other securities. For details, please contact James Cheydleur, Director, Leadership Giving by phone at 323-539-2021 or by e-mail at jcheydleur@goodwillsocal.org. Goodwill Southern California is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by federal and state law.

How do my donations help the environment?

The average American discards about 68 pounds of used clothing per year, which doesn’t include household items, accessories, furniture, e-waste or shoes that are also tossed into landfills on an annual basis. And clothing materials can take up to 50 years to decompose, while plastics and metals can take hundreds of years. With 15 percent of all garbage being made up of reusable items, it’s important for everyone to take stock before tossing the trash. Goodwill Industries International has been a pioneer in “reduce, reuse, and repurpose” since 1916, and has diverted almost 3 billion pounds of usable goods from landfills thanks to your generous donations.

What should I do with my cell phone before I donate or recycle it?

Prior to donating or recycling your cell phone, there are three things you need to do:

• Terminate your service.
• Clear the phone’s memory of contacts and other stored information.
• Manually delete all information, and follow instructions from your wireless carrier or the product manual on how to conduct a factory hard reset; Use data erasing tools that are available on the web.
• Remove your SIM card and shred or cut it in half. If you are not sure if your phone uses a SIM card or if you need assistance removing your SIM card, contact your service provider or manufacturer.