05/13/2026
We know most people mean well when they give. But moments like this are a good reminder that not all donations are actually helpful to organizations like ours - and we want to explain why we do not accept used items.
First, we simply do not have the storage space or staff capacity to sort through large volumes of used donations. Every bag takes time, labor, and resources to process and dispose of when items cannot be used.
Second, we intentionally fundraise to provide NEW items and gift cards to survivors and their children. We strongly believe that being able to choose your own clothing, toiletries, or household items, or receiving something brand new, is an important part of restoring dignity, autonomy, and comfort after trauma. Many of our clients will flee their home with a single bag, and their children will have had to decide which of their favorite toys to take and which to leave behind. Those are decisions and memories that no individual or parent should have to make. Unfortunately, we can't take them away, but we can try to make what comes next that little bit easier.
Finally, when we open the door to accepting some used items, we unfortunately also receive situations like this morning’s drop-off, where items are damaged, stained, unusable, or simply things someone no longer wants to deal with. Managing and disposing of these donations takes valuable time and money away from the work survivors truly need us to focus on.
There are many wonderful nonprofits in our community that DO have the systems, staff, and storage capacity to accept secondhand items, and we encourage supporters to research organizations that are the best fit for those donations.
If you would like to support our mission, we keep an updated list of our highest-need items on our website, and there are countless ways to help beyond monetary donations.
We are deeply grateful for every person who supports our work. We would not be in the fortunate position we are in, able to provide new items or financial support to victims without you! And we hope sharing the “why” behind this policy helps our community better understand how to make the biggest impact for survivors and their families.
