Places to Donate Household Goods in Metrowest Boston!

Project Just Because

Years ago when I was a Scout Leader, I was looking for a charity for my troop to help and came across Project Just Because. It was started 24 years ago in Hopkinton by Cheryl Ann Lambert Walsh who was determined to help those in need. It has grown to include a variety of programs providing food, clothing, birthday and holiday gifts.

Click here for information about donations to drop off.

If you know someone in need, reach out - no questions asked. You can pick up for them too!

Meet Cheryl Ann Lambert Walsh!

Cape Cod Foster Closet

Cape Cod Foster Closet is a program of Nurturing Foster Families, Inc., a registered 501(c)(3) organization, supporting foster and relative caregiver families by providing material goods for children in care.

The Cape Cod Foster Closet assists foster, pre-adoptive, and kinship families by providing necessary items such as clothing, shoes, toys, books, baby equipment (including formula and car seats) and furniture for all ages.

All items are donated by the community and are provided free of charge to families who care for other people’s children on Cape Cod and the Islands. Please check out Donation FAQs here!

Veterans Inc.

This month, many non-profits will be looking for your help - please consider this one too! A few years ago, I was at a Corridor 9/495 Chamber Event and spoke with two women who were very passionate about their work at Veterans Inc. The organization has two locations nearby - in Worcester and Shrewsbury

Veterans Inc. is the largest provider of support services to veterans and their families in New England. Part of its mission is to prevent homelessness. In fact - Veterans Inc. is a national leader in ending homelessness among veterans, with one of the highest rates in the nation – 85% – for transitioning veterans out of homelessness.

Find out ways to give here!

Bay State Textiles

What do you do with stained shirts, worn out shoes, broken belts or other misc. clothing that you can’t pass along to others? Instead of throwing those into the trash, stop by any school in Northborough or Southborough and look for a Bay State Textile Collection Bin in the parking lot.

I typically stack the items in my laundry room until I have enough to fill a bag to drop off. The unwanted clothing, linens, shoes and accessories are kept from going into the landfills, are recycled and generate money for the schools.

According to the Southborough Organization for Schools (SOS), in 2020 Finn collected $400 while the other schools (Woodward, Neary and Trottier) collected around $200 each. In 2021 from January through May, Finn has already collected around $250. Woodward and Neary around $150 and Trottier around $100.

Keep filling those Bay State boxes and help out the schools!

For more information - BayStateTexiles.com

Big Sister Big Brother Foundation

I can't remember how it started, but since I moved to Southborough, I have always tried to give outgrown clothing and miscellaneous housewares to the Big Brother Big Sister Foundation. I can schedule a free home pick up and leave the bags out - so easy! They even send reminder texts.

BBBS will also take CD's/DVD's, record albums, video games/equipment and musical instruments. They distribute instruments to aspiring young musicians who may not otherwise have the chance to own one. Donations help to support more than 30,000 children in the Greater Boston area, Southern New Hampshire & Maine by providing them with one-to-one friendships with adult mentors.

For more information - Big Brother Big Sister Foundation

More Than Words

A client recently shared information about a great organization to donate books.

More than Words, empowers young adults who are in the foster care system, court-involved, homeless, or out of school to take charge of their lives by running a bookstore.

The youth work at a job, are trained in life skills and receive career advice while part of the program. Your donations can be dropped off at either site – Waltham or Boston or in one of the bins in the local area. Find out more information here!

Fresh Start Furniture Bank

One of my favorite charities is Fresh Start Furniture Bank in Hudson.

Fresh Start is a non-profit that collects donations of furniture and home goods from the public and distributes them, for free, to people in need who are referred by social service agencies. Click here for a list of donations accepted.

During the past year, they have not been able to send trucks out to pick up donations from homes and have limited hours to accepted donations so be sure to sign up in advance if you plan to drop off goods. The process is very well organized, the volunteers are friendly and appreciative and families benefit right away. If you have furniture, kitchen items, linens, wall art, lamps, rugs or small appliances to donate – this organization should be on the top of your list!

Cradles to Crayons, Boston

" Cradles to Crayons, Boston, collects new and nearly new children's items through community and corporate drives and donations. These items are sorted and packaged by volunteers and then distributed through a network of service partners, schools, and nonprofit organizations.

While meeting children's immediate need for essentials like clothing, books, diapers, and more, Cradles to Crayons also provides an inspiring and tangible volunteer opportunity for 50,000+ adults and children - ages five and up - annually."

Please refer to donation guidelines for information regarding the items they can currently accept at their Giving Factory in Newton. Please note: they are NOT accepting toys or baby gear until further notice.

Habitat ReStores

Habitat ReStores are stores operated by local Habitat for Humanity organizations which help to fund local families with building, rehabilitating and repairing safe and affordable homes in the community. ReStores accept donations and sell a variety of household items, furniture, appliances and building materials.

Today, there are more than 1,000 ReStore locations across six countries, all contributing to Habitat's vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Each store is unique to its location and donors. Nearest stores are Ashland and Worcester.

Lions Club International

Each month I try to highlight a different charitable organization. A few weeks ago I was looking for a place to drop off some old eyeglasses so I want to share information about the Lions Club.

The Lions Club International is a community service organization. Among other projects, for years, the Lions have maintained a recycling program for eyeglasses. Local Lions Clubs place eyeglass collection boxes throughout the state in stores, libraries, and community centers to give new life to glasses that would otherwise be discarded, and to give sight to those who would otherwise have impaired vision Learn more about recycling eyeglasses to give useable glasses a new life!

The following two links are articles that really show the impact that this program has locally and abroad:

Local collection boxes can be found in the following areas:

Westborough
Westborough Library, Roche Bros. Supermarket (box wasn’t there 2 weeks ago), the Westborough Senior Center, Westborough Eye Care, and the Westborough Spectacle Shoppe
Marlborough
Vision Associates
Southborough
Reliant Medical