How unwanted household items can change lives

Nonprofit Chicago groups want what you don't

You’ve just finished cleaning out the basement. An old couch, some kitchen chairs, miscellaneous camping gear, a mattress and a half dozen boxes of odds and ends—it’s all in the driveway. Now what?

You could put it at the curb or pay for a dumpster or have the city haul it away to a landfill. Or, with a quick call, you could arrange to have your unwanted items donated to one of many Chicago organizations where they can make a difference to someone in need.

Whether the goal is to donate, refurbish, repurpose or dispose in an eco-friendly manner, when you work with one of the following service groups, you can rest assured your unwanted household items will be put to good use. And by diverting useful goods from a landfill, in many cases, you can help build stronger neighborhoods and bring safe, affordable housing to Chicagoans.

Chicago Furniture Bank

The Chicago Furniture Bank (CFB) is a nonprofit that bills itself as an intermediary between Chicagoans who have extra furniture and those who need it. The group will pick up your high quality and essential furniture pieces and use them to help others turn an empty house into a home. You can schedule a pickup or drop off items during business hours. The CFB has furnished 8,309 homes for more than 18,906 people and given away over 5,000 tons of furniture as of April 2022. In coordination with their sister nonprofit, below, they work to ensure donations go to recipients for free, with the help of over 400 nonprofit partners.

Honest Junk Company

Sometimes after a home remodel or clean-up, you have a bunch of lightly used items, otherwise in decent shape, to dispose of. And sometimes, you have, well, just a bunch of junk. The Honest Junk Company is the Chicago sister nonprofit of the Chicago Furniture Bank above and the only 501(c)(3) junk removal company in Chicagoland. Usable items removed by Honest Junk are donated to its charity partners. The group also provides “residential cleanouts” and corporate liquidations. In other words, they will remove almost anything from residential and corporate projects and distribute all usable items to various charity partners.

Habitat for Humanity Chicago

The well-known service group, Habitat for Humanity, runs a “Restore” program in Chicago through which they accept “gently-used furniture, appliances and building materials.” The group is focused on bringing people together in the interest of healthy neighborhoods. They work across Chicago’s diverse communities to bring “strength, stability and self-reliance to entire areas of the city.” They accept both drop-offs and pick-ups. Ask about business donations.

Cradles to Crayons

While some groups concentrate their efforts on community level and socioeconomic change, Cradles to Crayons is laser focused on helping children living in poverty. They are always on the lookout for high-quality new and like-new items for children newborn to age 12. They even provide resources to help you set up a collection drive at your home, school or workplace. New and nearly new children’s items are collected through grassroots community drives and corporate donations. Donations are processed by volunteers and distributed to local disadvantaged children through a network of service partners.

Sharing Connections

Sharing Connections (SC) is another nonprofit that works to serve economically disadvantaged groups in Chicago, including those who have been previously homeless, the unemployed and working poor, veterans, victims of domestic violence, immigrants, individuals with mental or physical disabilities, victims of fire, flood and natural disasters. SC staff work with referring partner organizations such as domestic violence shelters, housing organizations, food pantries, schools, veteran, and teen parent groups. They accept drop-offs or pick-ups and will work with you to set up a one-time or recurring donation. They’ll even help you donate your old car.

Great Nonprofits of Chicago

If you want to ensure your donation goes to a particular charitable organization, and aren’t specifically looking for a home pick-up, GreatNonprofits of Chicago hosts a comprehensive index of Chicago area nonprofits searchable by rating, cause, distance to your home or business and more.

All the organizations and services featured have certain restrictions on which items they will accept. Be sure to check their websites before donating.

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