🪑 The donation pipeline: how your used furniture helps Bay Area communities
Charity partnerships · condition standards · community & environmental benefits
When you set aside a gently used sofa, dining table, or dresser for donation, you're starting a journey that strengthens Bay Area communities.
Local charities, thrift stores, and nonprofits transform your furniture into job training, affordable housing, and direct assistance for families in need.
For items that aren't donatable, professional Hauling
ensures proper recycling. Save our My Map
for donation center locations, and use the vercel app to prepare items for pickup.
Furniture
Sofas, tables, dressers go to local thrift stores like Salvation Army or Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Unsellable items are often repaired by trainees.
No rips/stains
Home decor & lighting
Lamps, mirrors, artwork are tested and sold. Working electronics are checked; broken items are recycled for metal and wiring.
Working order
Building materials
Habitat ReStore accepts cabinets, doors, windows, lighting. They're sold to homeowners and contractors, funding affordable housing.
Reusable only
Bay Area donation partners
- Salvation Army (multiple locations): Accepts furniture, appliances, clothing. Proceeds fund adult rehabilitation centers.
- Habitat for Humanity ReStore (Oakland, San Jose): Furniture, building materials, appliances. Funds home builds in the Bay Area.
- St. Vincent de Paul (San Francisco, Alameda): Furniture, household goods. Direct assistance to local families.
- Urban Ore (Berkeley): A nonprofit salvage center accepting furniture, hardware, and building materials.
What condition is needed?
Charities rely on resaleable goods. General guidelines:
- Furniture: No rips, stains, odors. All drawers and doors functional. Wood should be free of rot.
- Appliances: Clean, working, with all parts. Refrigerators must have doors removed (safety).
- Electronics: Flat‑screen TVs, computers less than 7 years old. No CRTs.
- Mattresses: Must be stain‑free, with no tears. Many charities require them to be less than 10 years old.
3,000+ tons diverted annually
$2.5M raised for local programs
Community & environmental benefits
- Diverts waste: Bay Area charities keep over 10,000 tons out of landfills each year.
- Provides affordable goods: Low‑income families access furniture at fraction of retail cost.
- Funds social programs: Thrift store revenue supports shelters, job training, and food banks.
- Reduces carbon footprint: Reusing one sofa saves ~50 lbs of steel, 20 lbs of foam, and 15 lbs of wood from being manufactured.
Prepare your donation
Use our My Map to find the nearest donation center hours and accepted items. The vercel app includes a room‑by‑room checklist to identify what's donatable.