Donate Household Items & Shelter Supplies

Support Families Leaving Abuse by Donating Household Items

Starting over is tough for families escaping domestic violence. Many flee at the last moment when danger becomes life-threatening. Often, they arrive with nothing, having lost everything by leaving. Our main goal is to ensure their safety. Once they are safe, we focus on securing permanent housing away from their abuser. To help them transition into their new homes, we are in need of household items and furniture donations. Garage sale leftovers are encouraged!

Donating Re-usable Items Help Charitable Causes Close to Your Heart

Your contribution will help those who have gathered the strength to leave abuse. By donating household items, you provide much-needed resources to families escaping violence. Whether it's hygiene items, small furnishings, kitchenware, small appliances, your contribution can make a significant impact. Furthermore, donating helps us save on purchasing costs, allowing us to allocate more funds to our Domestic Violence wrap-around services like mental health Services, education, and emergency safe shelter. Donated household goods such as kitchenware, furniture, and bedding help furnish homes and create comfortable living environments for those at risk.

Environmental Benefits of Donating

  • Supporting YWCA Monterey county through donation items has environmental benefits, such as reducing waste and promoting recycling. This conscious approach helps sustain resources and supports our mission while maximizing the positive effects your household items can have.

  • Donating reusable items helps preserve the planet by keeping items in circulation longer, reducing waste.

  • Accepting reusable item donations diverts reusable household items from area landfills.

  • Donations of household items, support our initiatives by providing free options for victims of Domestic Violence.

Potential Tax Deductions

  • Donating household items can qualify as a tax-deductible contribution per IRS rules potentially reducing your taxable income.

  • The IRS provides guidelines and educational tips regarding tax deductions for charitable donations on its website, IRS.gov.

  • Charitable contributions from donating household items can be tax-deductible, offering an additional incentive to support environmental sustainability.

  • It is important to keep detailed records of all your donations, including the donation date, items donated, for accurate tax reporting. We will provide you with a donation reciept that includes our Tax ID number.

  • You can feel good about donating items to people who genuinely need help, but you can also feel good writing off your donation

Types of Household Items Accepted

High Priority Needs:

  • Furniture and home goods

    • Sofas

    • Chairs

    • Mattresses

      • Air mattresses are welcome

    • Dressers

    • Dining tables

  • Kitchenware and small appliances

    • Pots

    • Pans

    • Dishes

    • Utensils

    • Microwave

    • Toaster oven or hotplate

  • Bedding

    • Blankets

    • Sheets

    • Pillows

    • Comforters.

  • Personal Care Items

    • Toiletries

    • Hygiene products

  • Baby Supplies

    • Bottles

    • Diapers

    • Baby blankets

  • Cleaning Supplies

    • Mops

    • Sponges

    • Sweeper and dust pan

    • Surface disinfectant

    • Toilet scrubber and cleaner

Secondary Reusable Items

  • Books and Educational Materials

  • Toys and Childrens Items like coloring books

Household Items we cannot accept

  • Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, we cannot accept used clothing.

    • Goodwill organizations are best to donate clothing to reduce the clothing footprint.

  • Decorative items

    • While they are wonderful to create a homey environment, we simply must prioritize due to space constraints.

  • Yard Tools

    • Save those for Habitat as most of our clients do not end up in a home with a yard.

  • Art Work

    • Again, we must prioritize items that our clients need most.

  • Computer items

    • In general, these items are not necessary for our clients success but we can see how this could be helpful so simply reach out to us to discuss.

  • Exercise equipment

  • Building Materials

  • Vehicle donation: Veterans services are equipped to accept vehicle donations.

Donation Process for Gently Used Household Items

Determine Item Eligibility and Condition

  • Please ensure that all items are clean and in good working condition.

  • We kindly ask for pictures of the items before dropping them off at our main office. This helps us assess their suitability for our clients. You can email photos to info@ywcamc.org

Drop off location

  • YWCA MC accepts donations at our Salinas Office location 635 S. Sanborn Pl. Ste 8 in Salinas CA 93901 Monday-Friday from 9:00am-5:00pm.

  • Buy new and have it shipped directly.

  • Obtain a Donation Receipt for Tax Purposes

    • The U.S. Internal Revenue Service requires donors to value their donations to take advantage of tax deductions.

    • A tax deduction receipt from your donation can be used at the end of the year to claim a tax deduction for items in good condition if you itemize deductions.

    • If a receipt was not received, simply reach out to our office line and we'll make sure you get the credit for being a kind hearted community member that you deserve.

    • For more information or to arrange a drop-off, please contact us on our office line 831-422-8602.

Let’s Strengthen our Community and Inspire Others

Donating household items locally is more than just a charitable act; it's a powerful way to invest in your community and transform lives. When you donate, you're directly contributing to initiatives that provide support and resources for victims of domestic violence. Donations also significantly reduce waste by redirecting items from landfills to those who can genuinely benefit from them.

Your generous actions can inspire others to contribute as well, creating a ripple effect of kindness. When community members see the positive impact of donations, they may be encouraged to participate, leading to collective community betterment.

Beyond the tangible benefits, donating can offer a sense of fulfillment and purpose. Knowing that your gently used items are helping those in need. Your support not only provides essential items but also helps create a warm and welcoming environment for those starting fresh. Through collective effort, we possess the incredible ability to uplift and empower individuals striving to rebuild, transform and stop the cycle of violence.

Are you ready to declutter you home? Email or call our offices to organize a drop off!

Call our Offices:

Send us an Email: