Donation and Recycling Resources
Most of my clients have too much stuff. Not junk, but really good stuff that they don’t need and is too good to toss. There are tons of folks who really need your extra stuff. Donate it or Recycle it and make ROOM in your home or office. Your place will look great. You will feel lighter and you will make space for something new!
Here are some donation and recycling resources to help you lighten your load:
General Household Goods:
Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Provides mentoring and friendship for young boys and girls. Will pick up practically anything by appointment, 1.888.413.2227 www.BBBS.org
Catholic Charities, will pick up furniture, not clothing, 860.548.0059
FISH – Beyond Shelter, Torrington, CT, 860.482.7300, Helps homeless people get set up with basic essentials
Sell or swap your items online on these sites:
www.Freecycle.org www.Craigslist.org
Gifts of Love, Helps families in need get set up in a home with basic living essentials. Drop off at Old Avon Village,
63 East Main St, Avon, CT, 860.676.2323,
Needs List: Food, Paper goods, Toiletries, Cleaning Supplies, Clothing, Clean, in season, large sizes, Bedding and linens, Dishes and Glasses (without cracks or chips), Pots and Pans, Silverware, Cooking utensils, Small appliances, Baby Items (Diapers, strollers, car seats, newer cribs, high chairs), Essential pieces of furniture. Suitable for a small apartment
Does NOT Accept: Shoes or boots, Used toys or stuffed animals, Books, Knick knacks or decorative accessories, jewelry, Holiday Decorations, Artwork, Computers or printers
Goodwill, Torrington, CT, at the intersection of Rtes. 202 and 183, 860.489.8670, Drop off only, Will accept almost anything, including toys, and happily gives you a receipt. Another location has just opened up in Canton, across from Canton Village on Rt 44.
Will NOT take Christmas, highchairs, car seats, cribs, mattresses.
Marines, 203.639.8387, Will pick up household items by appointment.
My Sister’s Place, Hartford, CT, 860-895-6629, Shelter for women and children, Call to see what they need at the moment.
Salvation Army, 1-800-95-TRUCK, Salvation Army will pick up by appt. Accepts Bedding, mattresses, Will not take toys.
The Second Chance Shop in Simsbury supports the Village for Families and Children, Inc. in Hartford, CT. They accept women, children’s and men’s clothing, shoes, purses, linens and items smaller than a breadbox. (no men’s suits). They are open 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM Mon-Sat. (no pick ups available) 12 Station St. Simsbury, CT 06070. 860.658.7152
Youth Challenge Mission for Women, 32 Atwood St, Hartford, CT, Rev. Marva Downes, Director, 860.527.2000, This is an 18 month live-in educational program for women recovering from drug addictions. Graduates receive assistance returning to their homes and the workplace. http://www.youthchallenge.org/
Needs List: Computers, Patio Furniture, Brooms, Toiletries, Deodorant, toothpaste, hair conditioner, feminine products, Paper Towels, Laundry detergent and fabric softener, Vacuum cleaner, Twin size sheets and comforters,
Appliances: www.recycle-steel.org or try your local dump
Arts & Crafts Supplies:
Susan B. Anthony Project (860-489-3798) is a shelter for battered women in Torrington. Call to make arrangements to donate.
Family Services of Greater Waterbury, at 34 Murray St., Waterbury (203-756-8317), runs a center for young children and a safe house for children ages 3 to 12 and their siblings. It also provides individual, couples and family counseling.
Baby Items:
World-Wide Lighthouse Missions, 723 Main St., Manchester, 860-645-4141, http://www.wwlm.org Call before dropping things off. No used car seats.
Gifts of Love, in Old Avon Village, 63 E. Main St., Avon (860-676-2323, www.giftsoflovect.org accepts high chairs, strollers, newer cribs, baby items.
Bicycles
Catholic Charities, Migration and Refugees Services, 125 Market St., Hartford (860-548-0059, Ext 12) offers to do pickups.
The Hartford Catholic Worker, a non-government, non-church-supported agency, works with the poor in North Hartford. You can drop off working bicycles at18 Clark St., Hartford.
Books
Reading Well For Kids: dedicated to teaching children learn to read. Infant to Young Adult. To donate books, contact Pauline Mowry readingwellforkids@snet.net
Most libraries will take donated books for their fundraising sales.
John Bale Book Company, Waterbury, CT – will come to you and bid on your collection. They also have the resources to remove very large collections. jbbks@yahoo.com 203.757.2279
On the Road Bookshop, Canton, CT – a small specialty book store. They are interested in rare and unusual books. dba.book.store@snet.net 860.693.6029
Carpeting: www.carpetrecovery.org
CDs, DVDs, Video Games, Books On Tape
The Clothes Horse Thrift Store, 175 Park Road, West Hartford (860-233-1411) is run by the Junior League of Hartford ( www.jlhartford.org).
Cell Phones:
www.charityguide.org/volunteer/fifteen/cell-phone-recycling.htm
At Flipswap.com, you can recycle your old model and get credit at a store that sells cellphones, or get cash or make a donation to your favorite charity. The trade-in service is free for consumers and retailers with excess phones. Flipswap pays for shipping and handling.
YouRenew.com, a Connecticut company started by two Yale students, buys unwanted electronics, including cellphones. They resell those that work and recycle those that don’t; the company also makes a donation to CarbonFund.org or AmericanForests.org to offset the carbon footprint of mailing.
Whole Foods also has recycle bins for collecting used cell phones.
Coins
Easy to find coin dealers in the phone book. I use: Eagles Nest, Bill Guzze, Avon, CT 06001, 860.678.0790
Computer, Appliance and Electronics Recycling
New England Appliance, 220 Albany Tpke, Rt 44, Canton Village, Canton, CT, 860.693.6337, Most recycling is free. A small fee is charged for CRT mercury removal.
Accepts refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, dishwashers, stoves, cooktops and most other electric appliances. Accepts Computers, CPUs, monitors, keyboards and all computer components, computer games, clocks stereo equipment, cameras, telephones, TVs, VCRs, CD players, etc. Call for hours.
Electronics: www.mygreenelectronics.org
Eyeglasses
www.neweyesfortheneedy.org/impact/shipping.html
and
the CT Lions website, www.ctlions.org, to locate a drop site in your area. Most Optometrists, Ophthalmologists and Opticians have drop boxes.
Junk Mail and Catalog reduction
Pre screen credit offers, 1.888.567.8688, www.OptOutPreScreen.com
http://www.dmachoice.org/consumerassistance.php
www.catalogchoice.org
Packing Peanuts: www.loosefillpackaging.com
Paint: www.earth911.org
Prom Dresses: www.operationfairydust.org
Rechargeable batteries: www.rbrc.org
Shredding
Infoshred LLC, www.infoshred.com , East Windsor, CT, 888-800-1552, Very Secure, Certified facility, Very reasonable shredding rates. You can drop off or have them pick up.
Favarh can also do small shredding jobs in Canton, CT
Sneakers
Sporting Goods and Fitness Equipment
www.playitagainsports.com
www.sportsgift.org, 949.388.2359
Stamp Collections
Search for Stamp collectors online. Depending on the collection, you may need to contact a serious auction house. For small amounts, try:
Eagles Nest, Bill Guzze, Avon, CT 06001, 860.678.0790
Tires: www.epa.gov/garbage/tires/live.htm
Tools
Rebuilding Together is a national nonprofit with offices in Hartford, New Britain, Manchester, Litchfield County, Stamford/Greenwich and Springfield. For the nearest office, go to www.rebuildingtogether.org, and click on the map. Partial needs list: hand tools (hammers, saws, caulking gun, scrapers, putty knives, utility knives, pipe wrenches), yard tools (rakes, shovels, wheelbarrows, post hole diggers), step ladders, plastic drop clothes, painters’ tape, large scrub brushes, rags, building materials. Call for specific needs
Videotapes and floppy discs: www.greendisk.com
Wheelchairs and Orthotics
Suffield Emergency Aid, 818.707.5664, 800.937.2264, www.joniandfriends.org, www.cbmus.org,
Women’s Clothing
Dress for Success, Hartford, CT, 860-525-5025, Helps women return to the workplace by providing them with professional interview clothing. You can drop off professional clothing by appointment.
This is just a starting list. I will be happy to add donation and recycling resources you may find. Please let me know if any of these sites do not work for you or if you have something to add.
