Donation & Recycling Resources

**This is a live document and always a work in progress! Please check websites or call organizations for most current info and accepted items.

**If you have resources you’d like to add to the list, please email us at maggie@makeitneat.co

Denver local

List of local places accepting donations June 2020

https://303magazine.com/2020/06/local-clothing-donation-centers/

Search for charity that will do pickup (Vietnam Vets in Denver)

http://donationtown.org/colorado-donation-pickup/

Channel 9 resources - Jan 2019

https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/here-are-some-places-where-you-can-give-away-stuff-that-doesnt-give-you-joy/73-04fd4794-d2d1-498d-b224-e9373d5b1053

What’s Working: Where to get rid of hard-to-toss items in Colorado — and also benefit society

https://coloradosun.com/2023/07/29/recycling-mattress-couch-ewaste-benefit-society/

Where to recycle damaged clothing

https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/spring-cleaning-heres-where-you-can-recycle-old-clothing/73-0bb76a6f-d081-42f6-9f88-b90b1d9e1bf9

Unhoused, disadvantaged, under-served communities

The Action Center - provides an immediate and compassionate response to those in our community experiencing hardship. Accepting: Fresh, Non-Perishable Food Items, Hygiene Items, Clean and Washed Seasonal Clothing & Matched Shoes, Blankets/Sleeping Bags, Towels & Sheets that are Washed and Clean, Infant Items – Diapers, Wipes, Formula, Food (As of March 2024)

https://theactioncenter.org/donate/

Adult clothing, gear, hygiene items

https://www.impactlocally.org/donating

Denver Rescue Mission

https://denverrescuemission.org/who-we-are/locations/ministry-outreach-center/

Colorado Coalition for the Homeless

St. Francis Center

http://www.sfcdenver.org/donate/in-kind/

Volunteers of America - Colorado

https://www.voacolorado.org/gethelp-denvermetro-foodnutrition-themission

Catholic Charities - Samaritan House

https://ccdenver.org/ways-to-give/give-items/

Assistance League of Denver

https://www.assistanceleague.org/denver/thrift-mart/

Demi’s Animal Rescue

https://demisanimalrescue.com/thrift/

Birdseed Collective - transforming the lives of artists, youths, individuals, and communities through visionary art, civic projects, and programs.

https://www.birdseedcollective.org/

Women

Dress for Success Denver

https://denver.dressforsuccess.org/get-involved/donate/

The Gathering Place - New items and food ONLY as of 9/12/21 (Check out their Amazon wishlist)

https://tgpdenver.org/donate/donate-new-and-used-items.html

SafeHouse Denver - new items ONLY

https://safehouse-denver.org/get-involved/wish-list.html

Hope House Colorado - teen moms

https://www.hopehousecolorado.org/donate/

The Empowerment Program - Women’s clothing closet for participants?

https://www.empowermentprogram.org/

Women’s Bean Project - Not accepting food, clothing, or household items as of Feb 2021(check out their wishlist)

Formal/Prom dresses

Bella Boutique Denver

https://www.bellaboutiquedenver.org/

Prom Dress Exchange - accepting dress donations year-round at Colorado Tide Cleaners locations (as of March 2024)

https://www.promdressexchange.org/donate

Children

Clothes to Kids of Denver (sizes 4T up to age 21)

https://clothestokidsdenver.org/donate-clothing-shoes/

A Precious Child (Broomfield, CO)

https://apreciouschild.org/take-action/donate-goods/

WeeCycle - diapers, wipes, baby food and formula ONLY as of Jan 2021

https://www.weecycle.org/gear-donation-locations/

The Mother List - toys

https://themotherlist.com/donate-toys-denver/

Stuffed Animals

http://donationtown.org/news/donate-stuffed-animals.html

Domestic Violence Survivors

Rose Andom Center (specifically accepting new toiletries–and chocolate–as of March, 2023)

https://roseandomcenter.org/wish-list/

LGBTQ

Giving Back: 12 pro-LGBTQ causes to consider this holiday season (CT based but many nationwide orgs) - Nov 2020

https://ctvoice.com/2020/11/06/giving-back/

7 LGBTQ+ Organizations to Support Instead of Salvation Army

https://www.out.com/activism/2019/11/07/7-organizations-support-arent-homophobic-salvation-army

People with Disabilities

ARC

https://www.arcthrift.com/donations

The Initiative, helping people (Advocacy for persons with disabilities who have experienced abuse) - only accepting monetary donations as of March 2023

https://theinitiativecolorado.org/

Veterans

Vietnam Veterans of America - will pick up

https://scheduleapickup.com/

https://pickupplease.org/donate-in-denver/

Newcomers/Migrants

Spreadsheet of up-to-date donation resources to support Venezuelan migrants & other newcomers

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JYUyhxuYWwWL0AzDSn6O-jRnXduWTsvyJmr8l-_riLM/edit#gid=0

Para ti Mujer - supporting and advancing all women as pillars of our society, accepts donations of women’s & children’s clothing

https://paratimujerinternational.org/

Papagayo - Humanitarian Aid

https://organizacionpapagayo.org/en/

Richard T. Castro Human Services Center - call 303-514-0643 for current needed items (as of March 2024)

https://denvergov.org/Community/Assistance-Programs/Newcomer-and-Migrant-Support/Get-Involved

Appliances, furniture, etc.

Habitat for Humanity Restore

https://www.habitatmetrodenver.org/restore/donate/

ARC Thrift Stores (pickup of large furniture only)

https://www.arcthrift.com/donations

Lutheran Family Services

https://www.lfsrm.org/programs-and-services/refugees/donate-items/

Couches - The Good Used Couch (donates some proceeds to charity)

https://www.thegoodusedcouch.com/donate-your-couch/

Armchair Samaritan - free furniture donation pickup, including pianos and piano storage

https://armchairsamaritan.com/furniture-donation/

Furniture - pickup fee, gives teen moms free furniture

https://www.goneforgoodstore.com/

Mattresses

Charities like Goodwill and ARC do not accept used mattresses.

It is legal to sell used mattresses in Colorado, but they must be disinfected first.

Cut Rate Junk - drop off in Aurora for $25

https://cutratejunk.com/service-list/

Spring Back Colorado (mattress pickup in Denver Metro for fee)

https://springbackco.org/denver-metro-area/

Food

Bienvenidos Food Bank - accepts expired items within one year (as of Jan 2021)

http://www.bienvenidosfoodbank.org/donate/

Denver Rescue Mission (note - donation dropoff location is off I-70 and Holly St, NOT downtown)

https://denverrescuemission.org/ways-to-give/give-items/

Community Ministry Food Pantry

https://comministry-denver.org/

Metro Caring

https://www.metrocaring.org/donate

Craft Supplies

Recreative Denver

http://www.recreativedenver.org/donate-your-stuff

Craftsman & Apprentice

https://craftsmanandapprentice.com/

Accepting wine corks, bottle caps (plastic and metal), cardboard tubes, and tin cans (as of 1/14/22)

Stout Street Foundation (Recovery center accepting art supplies)

https://www.stoutstreet.org/donate/

Not in Denver? Find a Creative Reuse Center around the world near you!

https://swoodsonsays.com/a-creative-reuse-center-near-me-map-resource/

Shredding

How long do I need to keep documents?

https://www.legalzoom.com/articles/should-it-stay-or-should-it-go-a-guide-to-your-personal-documents

Office Depot/Office Max - $0.99/lb (as of 9/20/2022). Check website for coupons!

https://www.officedepot.com/l/print-and-copy/shredding

Local shredding events 2023

https://www.milliondeets.com/blog/free-paper-shredding-denver/

Books

Dream Books CO

https://www.dreambooksco.com/

Book Give

https://bookgivedenver.org/give-books

Little Free Libraries

https://littlefreelibrary.org/map/

Park Hill Community Bookstore - purchase a membership ($20/yr) to earn credits for donating books & 15% overall discount

https://www.parkhillbookstore.org/memberships

The Book Rack - Accepts some paperback books for store credit

https://denverbookrack.com/

2nd & Charles - buys books, audiobooks, collectibles, musical instruments, games & toys, CDs & vinyl, DVD & Blu-Ray, video games & systems, comics, ipods, ipads, e-readers

Lakewood, Littleton, Aurora, Broomfield

https://www.2ndandcharles.com/info/sell-stuff

Prison Book Program - Nationwide resource, nothing currently in Colorado

https://prisonbookprogram.org/prisonbooknetwork/

Retirement Homes & Senior Centers

Hospitals & psych hospitals

Pet Supplies

Dumb Friends League

https://www.ddfl.org/supplies/

Eyewear

Lions Clubs - glasses only

https://www.denverlions.org/page/eyeglass-donations

Goodwill

https://goodwillcolorado.org/donate/material-donations/

www.donatecontacts.com - unused, not expired contacts, sealed solution, contact cases

Mail to:

Ella Millen

2602 NW 41st St.

Boca Raton, FL 33434

Electronics

Denver Post resource (updated 2017)

https://www.denverpost.com/2016/04/17/electronics-recycling-denver/

Goodwill - free small electronics recycling

https://goodwillcolorado.org/donate/material-donations/free-computer-recycling/

Blue Star Recyclers

https://bluestarrecyclers.org/recycling.htm

PCs for People - computers & accessories free (donations encouraged) drop off at 6035 E 38th Ave, Denver, CO 80207 (NE Denver off I-70)

https://www.pcsforpeople.org/individual-donations/

Staples

https://www.staples.com/deals/it-s-recycling-day-every-day/BI3000592

https://www.staples.com/sbd/cre/marketing/sustainability-center/recycling-services/

Denver Recycles - one free coupon annually

https://www.denvergov.org/Government/Departments/Recycle-Compost-Trash/Recycle#section-5

Best Buy

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/services/recycling/pcmcat149900050025.c?id=pcmcat149900050025

Rage Rooms:

https://smashitbreakroom.com/donations/

https://www.axewhooping.com/rage-room/

Accepts most electronics, lamps and glass/ceramics, and things to smash glass with like baseball bats, golf clubs

Cannot accept furniture, old TVs or old computers with the big rear ends.

Plastic Bags

Firstly, I hope you already know that you CANNOT recycle plastic bags in your curbside bin, and you should not bag your recyclables, basically no matter where you live. If you didn’t know, please check out these links:

https://earth911.com/business-policy/video-plastic-bag-recycling/ (not just a problem in Chicago)

https://www.businessinsider.com/can-you-recycle-plastic-bags-2016-2

https://how2recycle.info/news/2018/top-18-things-you-should-not-recycle

General recycling info: https://how2recycle.info/

So, what do you do with them?

Many stores like Target, Wal-Mart, Whole Foods, Safeway, King Soopers, Sprouts and Lowe’s have plastic bag recycling bins near the entrance. Find a store near you:

https://www.plasticfilmrecycling.org/recycling-bags-and-wraps/find-drop-off-location/

**Some stores have suspended plastic bag recycling due to COVID19, so call or ask first!

Batteries

Call 2 Recycle - find locations to recycle rechargeable, single-use and e-bike batteries

https://www.call2recycle.org/

Ridwell - Subscription service that does porch pickups every 2 weeks for core items plastic film, light bulbs, threads and batteries, plus a featured category every pickup cycle.

https://www.ridwell.com/

Blue Star Recyclers

953 Decatur St, Suite C, Denver, CO 80204 303-534-1667

https://bluestarrecyclers.org/recycling.htm

Rocky Mountain Battery - I haven’t confirmed battery disposal service, but I’m a big fan of this business! I buy refurbished car batteries from them for an exceptional price, and they have excellent customer service.

7975 W. 44th Ave, Wheatridge, CO 303-423-7142

Recycling Info & Resources

Back in the 80s, my dad would drive us to the next town over on Saturday mornings to deposit our recyclables, and he’s still very passionate about it. I consider myself pretty knowledgeable about recycling, but I learned a lot from these articles about what is acceptable, what’s not, and why. Please make the time to give them a read!

Are you recycling or ‘wishcycling’?

https://www.denverpost.com/2019/10/11/recycling-denver-dos-and-donts/

Quick solutions to the most common recycling mistakes

https://www.denverpost.com/2017/03/05/most-common-recycling-mistakes/

What can be recycled (in Denver)?

https://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/trash-and-recycling/recycling/what-can-be-recycled.html

Earth 911

Largest recycling database in the nation and resource for sustainability

https://earth911.com/

Exactly What Every Plastic Recycling Symbol Actually Means

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/g804/recycling-symbols-plastics-460321/

Waste Management Resources

https://www.wm.com/us/en/recycle-right/recycling-101

Ridwell

Subscription program that does porch pickups every 2 weeks for core items plastic film, light bulbs, threads and batteries, plus a featured category every pickup cycle. They partner with as many local groups as possible who have been personally vetted and treat the materials they provide with the highest standards of waste diversion and sustainability.

https://www.ridwell.com/

Hard to Recycle Station - The Alliance Center (Temporarily closed, but lots of info & resources on where to take stuff)

https://www.thealliancecenter.org/hardtorecyclestation/

How & Where to recycle just about anything

https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades

Recycle Almost Anything (annual subscription service for hard to recycle items)

https://recyclealmosteverything.weebly.com/

Donation Pickup

College Hunks (fee-based)

https://www.collegehunkshaulingjunk.com/denver/donation-pickups/

Vietnam Veterans of America

https://scheduleapickup.com/