Donation Guides: Where and How to Donate Anything (2026)

This is the index of every practical donation guide on the site. Start with what you have (a couch, a box of DVDs, old eyeglasses) or with what you want to do: ask a company for support, donate to a specific charity, or give blood. Each guide names real drop-off options, what's accepted, and the paperwork that gets you a tax receipt.

Donating specific items

Item-by-item answers to "who actually takes this?", including the things thrift stores refuse.

Couches and sofasWho picks up, the condition rules, and why sleeper sofas are refused Chicago Furniture BankPickup scale, accepted items and the referral-only client model Bedding, sheets, and towelsGood sets to shelters, worn ones to animal rescues, and the pillow problem Glassware and kitchen itemsRefugee welcome kits want full sets; ReStore wants sets of four VHS tapes, CDs, and magazinesWho still takes obsolete media, and how to recycle the rest Bibles and Christian booksLove Packages, prison chaplains, and the paperback-only rule Puzzles, board games, and LEGOMemory care wants puzzles; LEGO Replay ships bricks free Strollers and cribsWhy a crib made before June 2011 cannot be passed on Old cell phones911 phones for survivors, and how to wipe a phone properly PrintersWhen a printer is a donation and when it is free recycling Tools and building materialsThe ReStore accept and decline list, including the cabinet rule Makeup and cosmeticsThe one program that takes gently used, and its exact rules HairLength and color rules for Locks of Love, Wigs for Kids, and Hair We Share Craft supplies, fabric, and yarnCreative reuse centers, fiber guilds, schools, and the crayon program PianosWho arranges pickup, who refuses old uprights, and how to tell which yours is Musical instrumentsHungry for Music, school band programs, and the foundation that is not a drop-off Men's suitsCareer Gear, interview clothing closets, and veterans programs Baby formulaSealed and in date to food banks and diaper banks; never after a disaster Toiletries and period productsShelters, I Support the Girls, and period supply programs Sports equipment and golf clubsLeveling the Playing Field, First Tee, and who takes treadmills RVs and boatsThe $500 rule, Form 1098-C, and what a donated RV really means ClothesSeven kinds of places compared by what each does with the bag Clothing donation binsHow to tell a charity bin from a for-profit bin, and where the clothes go Planet Aid binsHow the yellow bins work, the 990s and the ratings dispute Donate or sell used clothes?Resale payouts next to the real tax value of a donation BooksLibrary sales, drop boxes, Books For Africa, prisons, and shelters TextbooksWho takes old editions, with each program's age rule BikesPrograms that refurbish and give bikes away, and the helmet exception ToysWho takes used toys and who takes only new Stuffed animalsThe few places that accept used plush, and how to wash it first BlanketsGood ones to shelters, worn ones to animal rescues, handmade to Project Linus EyeglassesLions Club boxes, Walmart Vision Centers, and mail-in programs Furniture (free pickup)Who picks up sofas and dressers at no charge MattressesMost charities say no, these take them Baby itemsShelters, Buy Nothing groups, Ronald McDonald House Adult diapersDiaper banks and senior programs that accept opened packs Medical equipmentWheelchairs, walkers, and shower chairs, loan closets near you CPAP machinesThe few programs that take used sleep equipment Suitcases for foster careKids in foster care often move with trash bags, this fixes that Wedding dressesPrograms that resell or repurpose gowns for a cause Prom dressesDress drives that give teens a free formal option DVDs and mediaLibraries, shelters, and resellers that still want discs Computers & electronicsRefurbishers and certified recyclers, plus data-wiping basics HangersThrift stores, dry cleaners, and recycling options Used socksWhat shelters actually need and the hygiene rules Pet suppliesShelters and pet food pantries taking food, beds, and crates CarsHow vehicle donation works and what you can deduct

Asking companies for donations

WalmartSpark Good grants of $250–$5,000 plus store-level gifts Sam's ClubNo central form, how club-level requests work CostcoSelective giving for children, education, and health causes TargetGift card donations and Community Engagement Fund grants StarbucksStore managers decide, how to pitch them Trader Joe'sIn-person requests via the store Donations Coordinator PublixOne online system, Southeast footprint only KrogerDirect requests plus Community Rewards loyalty giving Chick-fil-AFranchise Operators decide, usually with food ChipotleFundraiser nights: a share of sales goes to your cause YETIOutdoor and conservation causes get drinkware and coolers DisneyWhat Disney actually says yes to (very little)

Donating to specific charities

What the big donation-center networks accept, what they refuse, and how pickups work.

Clothes for the homelessWhat shelters actually ask for, and how to reach a women's shelter Salvation Army: full donation guideWhat they take, drop-off vs pickup, tax receipts Salvation Army: free pickupHow to schedule a home pickup at satruck.org Salvation Army: accepted itemsThe 2026 list, including what they won't take Salvation Army: value guideFair market values for your tax receipt Clothing donation guidelinesThe condition standard, prep, and where worn-out textiles go Goodwill: accepted itemsThe 2026 donation list and the refusal rules St. Vincent de Paul: accepted itemsWhat SVdP thrift stores take St. Vincent de Paul: pickupScheduling a furniture or household pickup Idaho Youth Ranch: hoursWhen and where to donate across Idaho

Animal charities

Best animal charitiesTop-rated groups by CharityWatch, Charity Navigator and ACE Worst animal charitiesLow ratings and the documented reasons behind them Best Friends Animal SocietyKanab sanctuary visits, locations and ratings Operation KindnessAdoption, donation pickup and volunteering in North Texas

Blood, plasma, and health donations

Preparation, side effects, and eligibility questions, answered before your appointment.

Breast pumpsWhat the FDA says about sharing, and the Medela recycling route Unused medicine and pill bottlesSIRUM for sealed medicine, Insulin for Life, Matthew 25 for bottles Hospital bedsLoan closets, ALS equipment programs, and solving pickup Unused medical suppliesMedShare and Project C.U.R.E. take individual donations; sealed and in date only Blood donation dos & don'tsThe complete before-during-after checklist What to eat before donatingIron-rich foods and what to skip that morning Hydration for blood donationHow much water, and when, before you give Does it hurt?What donating blood actually feels like Alcohol before donatingHow drinking affects eligibility and recovery Caffeine before donatingWhether your morning coffee is a problem Hydration for plasmaPlasma runs on water, here's the target Exercise and plasmaTraining before or after a plasma appointment Is plasma donation safe?Real risks, side effects, and what the data shows Weed and plasma donationHow cannabis use affects eligibility

Money, taxes, and fundraising

Donation value calculatorAdd your items, get the FMV total, tax estimate, and a printable list Donating for maximum impactChoosing effective charities, matching gifts, DAFs Pass-through donationsHow checkout-counter and pass-through giving works 3x donation matchesHow challenge gifts and matching campaigns work Accepting Cash App donationsSetting up digital giving for your organization

Looking for a charity rather than a guide? Browse the top charities in your state, every state page lists ten verified 501(c)(3) organizations with donation and volunteer links.

Guide index maintained by the LargestCharities editorial team. Updated July 2026. Errors: [email protected]