Where to Donate Baby Items: 20 Ways to Donate Baby Clothes, Food, Formula...

Knowing where to donate baby items is smart — whether you’re looking to donate items you no longer need or you’d like to purchase new items to donate to a good cause. The following places — Goodwill, Salvation Army, Savers, Baby Earth, and others — are the best places to donate baby clothes, formula, food, and more.

General Tips for Donating Baby Items

Most organizations and thrift stores accept almost anything, but there are a few things to keep in mind before donating baby items:

Many organizations will only accept baby furniture and items that have not been recalled and meet the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s guidelines.
Most places will not accept items with holes, stains, and obvious wear.
New, never used, or like-new goods are preferred.
If you have time, clean items before donating them.
Call ahead to make sure the organization will accept the items you’d like to donate.

National Organizations Where You Can Donate Baby Items

Here is the list of national organizations where you can donate baby items:

Baby Earth

Accepted Items: Strollers, car seats, swings, jumpers, high chairs, and diaper bags
Drop-off Locations and Hours: Only in Austin, Texas. Store hours: Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Item Pickup Available: No
Can You Send Items: Yes. Baby Earth accepts donations from anywhere, as long as you pay the shipping fees. After Baby Earth receives your donation, it will email you a $5 coupon that you can use on the Baby Earth website. Review Baby Earth’s donation guidelines and find Baby Earth’s shipping address online.
Tax Deductible: No. (This information is not listed on the Baby Earth website, but we called to confirm.)
Monetary Donations Accepted: No. (This information is not listed on the Baby Earth website, but we called to confirm.)
Website: Visit the Baby Earth website for more information.

Care Wear (Handmade Baby Items Only)

Accepted Items: Handmade baby items that are knitted, crocheted, or sewn. Some items that Care Wear accepts are hats, blankets, socks, booties, and quilts. For specific information, check the Care Wear index page.
Drop-off Locations and Hours: Check to see if you live near one of the hospitals or contact your local hospital to see if it accepts handmade baby items.
Item Pickup Available: No
Can You Send Items: Yes. You can send your items directly to the hospitals on Care Wear’s list.
Tax Deductible: Yes.
Monetary Donations Accepted: Yes.
Website: Visit the Care Wear website for more information.

Furniture Bank Association of North America (Furniture Only)

Accepted Items: Accepted items vary by location, so call your local furniture bank for more information. Furniture banks generally accept any furniture that a family in need might require; this includes beds, cribs, chairs, tables, etc. Check Furniture Bank’s donation guidelines for specific information.
Drop-off Locations and Hours: Find a Furniture Bank location near you.
Item Pickup Available: Call your local furniture bank for more information.
Can You Send Items: No.
Tax Deductible: Yes.
Monetary Donations Accepted: Yes, by check only. For more information, see Furniture Bank’s FAQs.
Website: Visit the Furniture Bank Association of North America website for more information.

Good+ Foundation

Accepted Items: The Good+ Foundation accepts gently used and new products and clothing for infants and children up to age 14. The foundation does not take certain used items, such as stuffed animals, feeding supplies, cribs, and car seats. For specific information, review the Good+ Foundation donation guidelines.
Drop-off Locations and Hours: The Good+ Foundation takes donations in Los Angeles, New York, and more than a dozen other cities nationwide.
Item Pickup Available: No.
Can You Send Items: No.
Tax Deductible: Depends on the organizations that have partnered with the Good+ Foundation in your city.
Monetary Donations Accepted: Yes.
Website: Visit the Good+ Foundation website for more information.

Goodwill

Accepted Items: Goodwill accepts almost any baby item, as long as it meets the current safety standards of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Goodwill does not accept cribs, car seats, walkers, or other baby items that have been recalled. Check Goodwill’s donor guidelines for further information.
Drop-off Locations and Hours: Hours vary by location. Find your nearest Goodwill location.
Item Pickup Available: Yes, in some locations. Call your local Goodwill to see if item pickup is available.
Can You Send Items: Goodwill has the Give Back Box program, which allows donors to mail items for free. Check the Give Back Box website for more information.
Tax Deductible: Yes. See Goodwill’s Donation Valuation Guide.
Monetary Donations Accepted: Yes. Contact your local Goodwill for more information.
Website: Visit the Goodwill website for more information.

If you frequently shop at Goodwill, you may be interested in our article on Goodwill sale days.

Habitat for Humanity ReStore (Furniture Only)

Accepted Items: ReStore accepts almost any kind of furniture, as long as it is in good condition, has not been recalled, and meets the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s standards. Contact your local Habitat for Humanity ReStore for more information.
Drop-off Locations and Hours: Hours vary by location. Find your nearest Habitat for Humanity ReStore.
Item Pickup Available: Check Habitat for Humanity ReStore’s pickup page for details.
Can You Send Items: No.
Tax Deductible: Yes.
Monetary Donations Accepted: Yes, see Habitat for Humanity ReStore’s support page.
Website: Visit the Habitat for Humanity ReStore website for more information.

Once Upon A Child (Consignment Shop)

Accepted Items: Once Upon A Child accepts gently used clothing, footwear, toys, strollers, high chairs, cribs, and other baby items.
Drop-off Locations and Hours: Once Upon A Child buys items every day. Hours vary by location. Find your nearest Once Upon A Child.
Item Pickup Available: No.
Can You Send Items: No.
Tax Deductible: Not applicable; you will receive money from the sale of your items.
Monetary Donations Accepted: Not applicable; this is a consignment shop
Website: Visit the Once Upon A Child website for more information.

Operation Give

Accepted Items: Operation Give accepts almost any toy that doesn’t require batteries and is nonviolent.
Drop-off Locations and Hours: Not applicable
Item Pickup Available: Not applicable
Can You Send Items: Yes, this is the only way to donate your items.
Tax Deductible: Yes. (This information is not available on the Operation Give website, but we contacted the organization through Facebook to confirm.)
Monetary Donations Accepted: Yes.
Website: Visit the Operation Give website for more information.

Project Night Night

Accepted Items: Project Night Night accepts new baby blankets, books, and stuffed animals.
Drop-off Locations and Hours: There are only a few drop-off locations in Michigan, Ohio, and California. Find a drop-off location near you.
Item Pickup Available: No.
Can You Send Items: Yes. Project Night Night accepts mailed items from anywhere in the U.S.
Tax Deductible: Yes. Check its tax-deductible status.
Monetary Donations Accepted: Yes.
Website: Visit the Project Night Night website for more information.

SAFE (Stuffed Animals For Emergencies)

Accepted Items: SAFE accepts new and gently used stuffed animals, baby blankets, books, toys, baby items, and clothing. Not all chapters accept the same items, so check the website for details or contact your local chapter.
Drop-off Locations and Hours: Contact a SAFE chapter member for drop-off information.
Item Pickup Available: SAFE chapter members are volunteers and some may offer to pick up items if you live nearby.
Can You Send Items: Yes. Check the SAFE donation page for shipping information.
Tax Deductible: Yes.
Monetary Donations Accepted: Yes.
Website: Visit the SAFE website for more information.

Salvation Army

Accepted Items: The Salvation Army accepts almost any baby item, including clothing, high chairs, cribs with or without mattresses, and playpens.
Drop-off Locations and Hours: Hours vary by location. Find your nearest Salvation Army.
Item Pickup Available: Yes, in some locations. Use the Salvation Army location finder to schedule a pickup.
Can You Send Items: No.
Tax Deductible: Yes. See the Salvation Army Donation Valuation Guide.
Monetary Donations Accepted: Yes.
Website: Visit the Salvation Army website for more information.

Savers

Accepted Items: Savers accepts accessories, clothes, shoes, toys, games, puzzles, stuffed animals, and certain types of small furniture. Car seats and cribs are not accepted at any Savers location. Some locations may not accept any type of furniture. Review their guidelines for a comprehensive list of everything Savers does and does not accept.
Drop-off Locations and Hours: Hours vary by location. Find your nearest Savers location.
Item Pickup Available: No
Can You Send Items: No
Tax Deductible: Yes.
Monetary Donations Accepted: No, but customers can donate directly to one of Savers’ nonprofit partners. (This information is not listed on the Savers website, but we called to confirm.)
Website: Visit the Savers website for more information.

Vietnam Veterans Of America

Accepted Items: Vietnam Veterans Of America accepts almost any item. Baby items, clothing, toys, strollers, and furniture are welcome.
Drop-off Locations and Hours: Find your nearest Vietnam Veterans of America location.
Item Pickup Available: Yes.
Can You Send Items: No
Tax Deductible: Yes, see their tax deductible page for more information.
Monetary Donations Accepted: Yes.
Website: Visit the Vietnam Veterans Of America website for more information.

How to Find Local Organizations That Accept Baby Supplies

Although it might seem easy to donate your gently used baby items, many places have restrictions on what they will take. Remember not to get frustrated if a place turns down your stuff, and that ultimately it’s better to keep searching for a place to donate your baby items than to throw it in the trash. Here are a few places in your area that have a high probability of accepting baby items:

Start with the local chapter of national organizations like Goodwill and the Salvation Army. We’ve provided details for these organizations below.
Look for your local women and children’s shelters.
Look for food banks in your area that take baby food, formula, diapers, and other non-perishable baby items. (Want to buy some formula to donate? See our article for information on buying baby formula at dollar stores.)
Check to see if your local children’s hospital accepts books, toys, or other baby and children’s items.

Here are a few national directories you can use to find places to donate your baby items:

The Thrift Shopper — A directory of thrift stores across the country.
Donation Town — A directory of organizations that offer donation pickups
Freecycle — A way to give and get stuff for free in your local area, including baby items
Recycle Your Car Seat — A site that provides information specifically for recycling car seats
National Diaper Bank Network — A site helping American families give and get diapers

In Summary

Whether you’re doing it to reduce clutter in your home, reduce waste in landfills or you simply want to buy new things and give them to babies in need, we hope this article has served you well. There are a number of places that take donations of baby supplies, from Baby Earth to Vietnam Veterans of America. And if none of those are accessible to you, check for a local charity that will take your donations.