In just a week, the Big Move will be upon us. That’s when seemingly half of Lawrence packs their belongings and moves to a new house or apartment. With the Big Move comes the uncovering of a slew of unwanted items. Unwanted to the owner, that is. Half a dozen social service agencies in Lawrence are more than willing to accept some of the items that you might leave on the curb or throw in the Dumpster. Here’s a list of who they are, what they will take and how they use your donations to better the community.
Social Service League
They take: Just about anything, according to store manager Jean Ann Pike, including clothes, food, books, magazines and small furniture.
They don’t take: Large appliances or furniture.
Where: 905 R.I. To drop off donations, park in alley behind the store.
When: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday.
Donations are used to: Support eye exams for Douglas County adults and children, and buy new shoes for children.
Penn House
They take: Any household items, including men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, food, diapers, formula, toys, pots and pans and office supplies.
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They don’t take: Furniture, heavy appliances or infant car seats.
Where: 1035 Pa. To drop off donations, use the left lane of the driveway.
When: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
How donations are used: Items at Penn House are free, not sold. Women’s work clothes are used specifically for My Sister’s Closet, which gives women in transition professional attire while looking for a job.
Goodwill Industries
They take: Clothing, linens, accessories, housewares, dishes, utensils, picture frames, knickknacks, pots and pans, books, CDs, records, tapes, small appliances, lamps, furniture, toys and sewing material.
They don’t take: Large appliances, anything requiring wiring, mattresses or box springs, bed frames, blinds and curtain rods, car seats, exercise equipment, reading material, building materials, anything with an internal combustion such as a lawn mower.
Where: 2200 W. 31st St.
When: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.
Donations are used to: Help people who have disabilities, lack education or job experience or face employment challenges to train for jobs and find employment.
Salvation Army Thrift Store
They take: Clothes, furniture, appliances and household goods.
They don’t take: Baby beds, strollers, exercise equipment, food.
Where: 1601 W. 23rd St.
When: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Donations are used to: Support the Salvation Army’s homeless shelters and drug and alcohol treatment programs.
Lawrence Habitat for Humanity ReStore
They take: New and used building supplies. But it will also accept some unwanted household items, such as desks, shelves and chairs; large appliances that are 10 years old or newer, filing cabinets, lamps, microwaves, mini fridges, picture frames, lawn mowers and hardware such as nails and screws.
They don’t take: Clothes; soft furniture such as couches; small appliances, except microwaves.
Where: 708 Conn. Use the loading dock in the alley. Use the doorbell to alert staff.
When: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday; and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. Donations are accepted up to an hour before the store closes.
Donations are used to: Support Lawrence Habitat for Humanity, which helps build affordable housing.
Leo Center
They take: Baby clothes up to size 5T; baby bouncers, baby beds and cribs, formula, diapers, maternity clothes, playpens and baby bathtubs.
They don’t take: Car seats, breast pumps and cribs that have enough space between the railings that a soda can will fit through.
Where: 1 Riverfront Plaza, Suite 100.
When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m.-noon Friday.
How donations are used: Given at no charge to the public. To obtain a crib, expecting parents have to watch 12 parenting videos and fill out a worksheet. To receive other baby items, parents have to read a one-page Bible study.
Comments
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themiddlechild (mary smith) says…
Do any of the agencies come out and pick up donations from the public and how much do they charge?
pizzapete (anonymous) replies…
Habitat for Humanity will pick up stuff free of charge.
laughingtokeepfromcrying (anonymous) says…
Penn House used to pick up, but I tried dropping off a couple boxes of donations last week and they had a big sign saying they were full and couldn't take any more. ...
While I'm here, I'll mention that I've pulled a few things out of the dumpster behind the Social Service League that I thought were too nice for the landfill. I'm wondering why SSL doesn't recycle glass (no money in it?) or metal (that they pay for on 12th and Haskell?) or send those baby clothes and stuffed animals to another agency?
hungryhustler (anonymous) says…
So the goodwill accepts "books" but does not accept "reading material"? HMMMMM...
oneeye_wilbur (anonymous) says…
Penn House even throws clothes away in the dumpster. I wonder why Loring Henderson does not get the clothes and have his clients cut them up into strips and make rag rugs. They could even make quilt blocks and sew some quilts.
But as an acquaintance told me "would you really want to give scissors to Henderson's clients". well, he is going to have a new management plan.
A family member suggested to me, just put the clothes into Planet Aid boxes and they will get turned into rag pulp for paper and/or rags. It's a done deal that way.