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Spring cleaning benefits many in Clark County

Goodwill tops long list of organizations that accept donated items

By Patty Hastings, Columbian Social Services, Demographics, Faith
Published: May 31, 2017, 10:13pm
6 Photos
Froilan Valencia of Goodwill, left, assists Vancouver resident Barbara Duncan as she drops off donations at the Fisher’s Landing Goodwill on Wednesday afternoon. This is the busiest Goodwill in Clark County.
Froilan Valencia of Goodwill, left, assists Vancouver resident Barbara Duncan as she drops off donations at the Fisher’s Landing Goodwill on Wednesday afternoon. This is the busiest Goodwill in Clark County. (Amanda Cowan/The Columbian) Photo Gallery

Spring is the time many people deep clean and declutter. Maybe you’re getting rid of old stuff to make room for Memorial Day weekend sale purchases. Or, maybe you were inspired by minimalism and want to pare down your belongings.

There are many options for where to take unwanted stuff and contribute to local causes. In-kind donations can be a significant part of nonprofits’ budgets, said Jeanne Kojis, executive director of the Nonprofit Network for Southwest Washington. According to the Nonprofit Revenue Review that her organization published two years ago, homeless service provider Share had $653,000 in non-cash income, which represents the value of donated goods.

Kojis suggests that people give to an organization that has some flexibility for how in-kind donations can be used.

“If they can sell your items and realize some cash to help offset program costs, that is equally as valuable to an organization as if they’re going to put that to immediate use for a client,” Kojis said.

Goodwill donation sites and hours in Clark County

 3307 S.E. Evergreen Way, Washougal. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily

• 3400 S.E. 196th Ave., Camas. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily

• 1900 N.E. 162nd Ave., Vancouver. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily

• 1200 S.E. 162nd Place, Vancouver. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

• 221 N.E. 104th Ave., Vancouver. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily

• 411 Chkalov Drive, Vancouver. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily

• 101 N.W. 20th Ave., Battle Ground. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday; • 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

• 9025 N.E. 117th Ave., Vancouver. 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

• 12512 N.E. Fourth Plain Road, Vancouver. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily

• 1804 N.W. 119th St., Vancouver. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily

• 1600 N.E. 78th St., Vancouver. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

• 14300 N.E. 20th Ave., Vancouver. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

• 6713 N.E. 63rd St., 101 B, Vancouver. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily

• 6425 N.E. Fourth Plain Blvd., Vancouver. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

• Northeast 99th Avenue and Northeast Hazel Dell Avenue, Vancouver. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily

• 3801 Main St., Vancouver. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily

• 16615 S.E. 18th Ave. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

The faith-based nonprofit Open House Ministries accepts donations for its retail stores that support its ministries and also accepts donations that go directly to clients staying at its transitional homeless shelter.

For many, Goodwill is the automatic go-to place to drop off used items that are no longer wanted. There are 11 donation sites, five retail stores and an outlet in Clark County, making Goodwill a convenient drop-off spot and the most prolific local thrift store.

“The No. 1 reason people tell us they give to us is convenience,” said Dale Emanuel, spokeswoman for Goodwill Industries of the Columbia Willamette.

Being good to the planet and the good that comes from donating are also reasons people give. Locally, Goodwill helps people find jobs, build skills and refine their résumés, and holds English as a Second Language and citizenship classes every week.

People in Clark County donated 27.4 million pounds of goods last year — 13.7 percent more than the year prior. Memorial Day weekend is one of the biggest donation weekends of the year.

“As the days get longer, donations come more briskly,” Emanuel said.

People donate more when it’s sunny out and shop more when it’s rainy, she said. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are when the most donations come in.

Goodwill accepts clothing, shoes, housewares and electronics, even electronics that are broken. Those that don’t sell in the store are sold to salvagers and recyclers, so everything but 14 percent is recycled, Emanuel said.

But, Goodwill doesn’t accept everything. Goodwill can’t accept refrigerators, freezers, building materials or carpeting, but those are the kind of things that can be donated to the Clark County Habitat for Humanity Store, a discount home-improvement outlet. Sales from the store help fund the nonprofit’s home-building projects, and the store has a recycling center that prevents metals, plastics and wood from ending up in a landfill.

Kojis said people should consider the condition of belongings before donating them. Things that are tattered, broken or worn may be better off recycled. Clark County Public Health has a directory of where different household items can be recycled online at www.clark.wa.gov/public-health/recycling-z. Often, nonprofits that don’t have an associated thrift store don’t solicit donations because they don’t have the space to store things or the resources to deal with items that aren’t usable.

“It’s a message that’s sometimes challenging for nonprofits to get across,” Kojis said.

Other places in Clark County where you can donate items (see map below)

If you want to clean out your house and benefit causes in Clark County, there are many places to donate your unwanted goods:

A Caring Closet provides gently-used medical equipment to those in need at no cost. Items accepted include hospital beds, wheelchairs, walkers, bath benches and microwaves. Drop-off hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at Crown Medical, 14313 N.E. 20th Ave., Vancouver. Questions? Contact 360-258-0039 or info@acaringcloset.org.

Did You Know?

• Last year, sales from stores provided $153,906,894 in funding to the Goodwill Industries of the Columbia Willamette, which includes 51 stores between Battle Ground, the Oregon Coast and Bend, Ore. The regional system turns 90 in July.

 Altrusa International of Clark County collects books to give to children and short stories to give to adults. To arrange a donation, email altrusaclarkcounty@gmail.com.

• The Arc of Southwest Washington sells donations to support programs for people with developmental disabilities. The main drop-off site is 6511 N.E. 18th St., but there are collection bins around Clark County. For locations and a list of acceptable donations, visit www.arcswwa.org/involvedwithus/donations/. Call 360-547-3158 to get pre-approval on furniture.

• Battle Ground Adventist Community Center takes gently used clothing and bedding for its clients. Donations can be put in a collection bin at the back of the building, located at 1117 N.E. 187th St., Battle Ground. Questions? Call the community center at 360-687-3459.

• Boomerang is a shop that sells donated and consigned items, returning the profits to local charities and causes. The store takes like-new and gently used home decor, collectibles, antiques, accessories, shabby chic and repurposed wood items, dining room and bedroom furniture sets, toys, books, couches, chairs, stools, tables, iPhones, tablets and laptop computers. Donations can be brought to the store 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays or 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays at 808 Main Street, Vancouver. Questions? Call 360-952-8127.

• Bridge the Gap helps provide normal childhood experiences for children in foster care. The nonprofit accepts children’s clothing and gifts. Contact Peggy Hays at 360-993-7816 or hape300@dshs.wa.gov to arrange a donation. 

• Items sold at Xchange Thrift Store and Donation Center support the nonprofit’s mission of supporting people through recovery and housing. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 7904 N.E. Highway 99. Call 360-573-4671 with donation questions. 

• Clark County Habitat for Humanity Store supports Evergreen Habitat for Humanity’s work building affordable homes for low-income families. The discount home-improvement outlet accepts appliances, building materials, cabinets, hardware, flooring, furniture, home goods and tools. See a complete list at www.pdxrestore.org/donate. Donations can be dropped off 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Mondays to Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays at 10811 S.E. Second St., Vancouver. Questions? Call 360-213-1313.

• Divine Consign consigns gently used furniture and accessories. Furnishings have to be clean with no signs of wear, stains, chips, cracks, missing or broken parts. When the item sells, the money goes to Southwest Washington charities. bDivine clothing in the store’s basement takes women’s clothing, purses, shoes and accessories that are in excellent condition and current in style. Donations can be brought to the store 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays at 904 Main St., Vancouver. Questions? Call 360-695-6443.

• The Giving Closet is a free community store for people in need, and the nonprofit also partners with other agencies to make sure people have basic necessities. The most-needed donation is clothing, but the store also accepts household goods, books and toys. Donations are accepted 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays at 2804 N.E. 65th Ave., units A and B, in Vancouver. Contact jen@givingcloset.org with any questions. 

• Fort Vancouver Regional Library Foundation accepts books, DVDs, CDs and art. These are sold to generate program and operations funding. The items have to been in good condition — not musty, dusty or dirty books, and no textbooks, encyclopedias or magazines. They can be dropped off at FVRL District Headquarters at 1007 E. Mill Plain Blvd. in Vancouver between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays to Fridays. Questions? Contact Judy Musa at 360-906-4703 or jmusa@fvrl.org.

• Friends of the Carpenter operates a thrift store that benefits its mission and a day center for people experiencing homelessness. The nonprofit takes used clothing, kitchen items, furnishings, bedding linens, blankets, sleeping bags, tools and equipment. The day center is at 1600 W. 20th St. The thrift store, 2nd Chance Thrift Store, is at 3414 N.E. 52nd St. and open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Questions? Call 360-750-4752 or email contact@friendsofthecarpenter.org. 

• Furniture, appliances and building materials can be donated to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore at 10811 S.E. Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver. Donations are accepted between 9 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, and between 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays. The store’s phone number is 360-213-1313. 

• Janus Youth Programs, which runs local youth shelters, accepts a variety of items used in its programs, such as acoustic guitars, twin-sized bed linens, rain jackets and coats, and backpacks. Visit www.janusyouth.org/how-to-help/in-kind-donations for a complete list of acceptable in-kind donations. Contact Alaire de Salvo at 360-735-0047 to coordinate drop-offs.

• NWCAVE, the National Women’s Coalition Against Violence and Exploitation, takes new and gently used bras and clothing for women and girls, including business attire. To arrange a clothing donation, contact info@nwcave.org. For bras, visit www.giftoflift.org/collection-sites.

• The Portland-based REACH Community Development is trying to strengthen donations it gets in Vancouver. Arts and crafts supplies, school supplies and holiday gift items for youth can be dropped of at 2155 W. Firestone Lane, unit 101. Questions? Contact Kayla Drake at 360-771-0328 or kdrake@reachcdc.org.

• ReTails benefits the Humane Society for Southwest Washington. Besides pet care items, the thrift store takes clothing, collectibles, furniture, housewares, tools and sporting goods. A complete list of suggested donations is online at www.southwesthumane.org/retails/retails-thrift-store/donate. Donation hours are 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily at 5000 E. Fourth Plain Blvd. Questions? Call 360-984-6060.

• The Salvation Army Family Store takes clothing, shoes, household and decorative items, electronics and appliances. Store hours at 11808 N.E. Fourth Plain Blvd. are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays. Questions? Call 360-597-0092.

• Second Hand Solutions and The Clothing Annex are thrift stores run by Open House Ministries. Shelter residents get job training and sales go back to the ministry. Every $19 spent at one of the stores is equivalent to one person staying the night at the shelter. Second Hand Solutions carries a little bit of everything: furniture, kitchenware, antiques, craft supplies, household items and books. Hours at 915 W. 13th St. are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. To donate directly to Open House Ministries’ clients, visit www.sheltered.org/donate-items to see a list of accepted items. Donations are accepted daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Questions? Call 360-737-0300. 

• Second Step Housing accepts new and gently used yard tools, such as shovels, watering cans, hoses and lawnmowers, that are given to newly housed clients. Visit www.secondstephousing.org/wish-list/ for more information. Donations are accepted Mondays to Fridays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 2500 Main St., suite 120. Or, call 360-993-5301 to make other arrangements. 

• Share, a Vancouver-based nonprofit providing homeless services, accepts gently used clothing, shoes, housewares and linens that are used by clients. All items have to be in good working condition and free of tears or stains. For more information about what Share does or does not accept visit www.sharevancouver.org/donations/donate-resources/. Donations can be dropped off between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Share Fromhold Service Center at 2306 N.E. Andresen Road, Vancouver. Questions? Contact 360-952-8228 or volunteers@sharevancouver.org.

• This-N-That is owned and operated by Clark County Christian Center, a nonprofit organization aimed at helping disadvantages people in the community. As the name suggests, the store takes a bit of everything. It’s open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 7 p.m. on Sundays at 7601 N.E. Vancouver Plaza Drive. Call 360-690-8428 with any questions. 

• The Trauma Intervention Program of Portland/Vancouver that provides emotional support and resources to trauma victims takes donations of new blankets, gloves, socks and small stuffed animals that are given to bereaved people. To arrange a donation, contact tipstaff@tipnw.org or 503-823-3937.

• Items sold at Xchange Thrift Store and Donation Center support the nonprofit’s mission of supporting people through recovery and housing. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 7904 N.E. Highway 99. Call 360-573-4671 with donation questions. 

— Compiled by Patty Hastings

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Columbian Social Services, Demographics, Faith