Donations of Gently Used Goods

All seven of our Dane County locations and donation centers are open at regular hours. For complete information about pandemic safety measures, click on this link: COVID-19 pandemic. For monetary donations to our food pantry, free pharmacy and housing programs DONATE HERE.

STORE shopping hours (all locations): 
Check your favorite store page!

DONATION hours:
Check your favorite store page for hours! There are also drop boxes that can handle a limited amount of donations at a handful of parishes around the Madison area. Check out drop box locations here

It will be a no-contact drop off and we will be asking donors to remain in their vehicles and we will unload it for them from their trunk or backseat. We will also be asking that everything be contained for ease of unloading and storage. PLEASE do not drop off prior to the opening of the drive-throughs.

Thrift stores see donation influx, includes trash (Watch 2 min video here)

Please check what you are donating before you drop off. Beat-up items or “trash” are difficult to resell and costs money to dispose of, which hurts our organization and makes it difficult to support our programs (food pantry, free pharmacy and housing). Thanks for your consideration and check out the NBC 15 video above that featured our Processing Manager, John Cobb.

FREE Scheduled/no-contact home pickups!

Call (608)-278-2920 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, to request a scheduled, no-contact home pickup.

Pickup notes
1. At this time we are accepting furniture, clothing, shoes and small household items. Please make sure small items are properly packed and fully enclosed in boxes or bags.
2. This is a no–contact pickup service, and items (including furniture) must be left outside under cover; drivers will be unable to enter any buildings, including apartments and retirement homes, so please leave items outside in an easily accessible area (on covered front porch, in driveway, in or near garage, or if need be alongside curb and clearly marked “for donation.”)
3.  Weather permitting, donations should be placed outside by 7:30 a.m. on your day of pickup.

(Items must protected from weather damage. If it is raining on the day of your pickup, please plan to wait to receive notice from your driver about our truck’s approximate ETA, prior to putting items outside if they would be exposed, and then please protect them with a tarp or some other covering to keep them dry).

Pickup area schedule
1. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday (All Madison 537xx, 53562 zip codes)
Madison, Monona, Fitchburg, and Middleton
2. Fridays (Out-of-town and associated zip codes)
Barneveld, Black Earth, Blue Mounds, Brooklyn, Cottage Grove, Cross Plains, DeForest, Edgerton, Evansville, Mazomanie, McFarland, Mount Horeb, Oregon, Stoughton, Sun Prairie, Verona, Waunakee, Windsor

What You Can Donate:

• Clothing, furniture and household items that are in clean, working condition and are suitable for resale in our stores
• Nonperishable food for our food pantry

Sorry, but no:

• ​Non-working or broken items​
• Items that are too large or heavy to safely handle
• Items that our trained staff determine have low or no resale value, high disposal costs or that could potentially harm our staff, customers or the environment
• Mattresses & box springs
• ​Computers & computer equipment​ (SVdP discontinued its ecycle program in April 2017)
• Televisions
• Sofa sleepers​ &​ reclining sofas
• ​Entertainment centers
• ​F​utons
• Baby furniture items such as​ car seats, cribs & ​strollers/​walkers
• Large appliances
• ​E​xercise equipment
• Hazardous materials
• Construction materials

Get ready to donate:

Click for our handy packing guide!

• • Please make sure that all small, loose items are packed either in boxes with the flaps closed or in bags that are tied shut (for soft goods only).
  • In most cases, furniture should remain fully assembled. If you think an item would need to be taken apart to be moved, please ask the receptionist when you schedule your pick-up.

Need a receipt?

Click here to print a goods donation receipt to complete for your records or taxes.

Is my donation tax-deductible?

In 2018, the tax laws changed, but the good feeling of helping someone else and having a cleaned out, organized closet, garage or kitchen never changes!

Visit the IRS website to help you understand goods donations and deductibility.

** We know that while safer at home, many of our supporters have been reducing what they no longer need around the house and are anxious to promote reuse & recycling through our stores. We look forward to “upcycling” donations of gently used goods now into sales later that will support our mission of helping our Dane County neighbors in need.