Donate Furniture - 30 Charity Ideas for Your Old Furniture

When you need to donate furniture there are many charitable organizations out there that need your support. As a writer for Furniture Fashion, we always talk about new products and create excitement about updating the look of your home. When you decide to get new furniture, what do you do with the old stuff? One of the primary answers is to find a place that accepts furniture donations.

I set out in this article to provide a list of potential charities for you to choose from. You may be able to find one that meets a passion area such as pets, kids, conservation, the homeless, etc. Depending on your city each charity may not operate in that town. It may take a bit of searching on your part, but I am sure that there is a need out there for your old furniture.

I sat on the board of a local charity for five years that helped adolescent teenagers with mental health problems, chemical dependency issues, and behavioral problems. One of the primary fund raisers was a garage sale that was held once a year. The organization collected goods for the sale, and then used the proceeds to fund its expenses. Furniture provided for "big ticket" items where a fair amount of money could be obtained from the sale of a single item. Each donor received a donation receipt that could be used as a tax write-off. In these cases, both the donor and the charity benefited from the transaction. Some of the charities in this list may have a "garage sale" or "yard sale" as a fund raiser. It may require a phone call on your part to find out what events are held during the year to fundraise. These charities are not listed in any particular order. I have made the charity name into a link to their respective website where possible. Hopefully, by contacting one of these charities you can find a new home for your old goods.

1. Susan Komen - women's breast cancer research
2. American Heart Association - heart disease research
3. American Lung Association - lung disease research
4. World Wildlife Fund - conservation of wildlife and habitat
5. Girl Scouts - scout activities for girls
6. Boy Scouts - scout activities for boys
7. American Diabetes Association - search for the cure of diabetes
8. Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund - search for the cure of diabetes in children
9. M.D. Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital - treatment of and research of children with cancer
10. Special Olympics - group sport activities for persons with mental retardation and autism
11. Alzheimer's Association - search for the cure of Alzheimer's disease
12. Local Church, Mosque, or Temple - local churches and places of worship are always in need of donations. Also, they may have outreach groups that they support locally which may be in need.
13. Local Homeless Shelter - provide shelter for those that are without home
14. Local Food Bank - provides food to the underprivileged and charities in need of food for feeding
15. Women's Shelter - local shelter that provides safety for women in abusive relationships
16. UNAIDS - Joint United Nations program on HIV/AIDS education, prevention, and cure
17. Alex's Lemonade Stand (Child Cancer) - provides support for children with cancer and a search for the cure
18. Will Rogers Institute - research institute for pulmonary diseases
19. St. Jude's Research Institute - pediatric hospital seeking cures for ailments in children
20. Disabled Veterans - helping build better lives for disabled veterans
21. Salvation Army - provides funding and support for many other smaller charities
22. Habitat for Humanity - builds homes for those that cannot afford them using volunteers
23. Red Cross - early respondents to crises such as hurricanes, floods, storms, earthquakes, and other natural catastrophes
24. United Way - large international charity that provides funding and support to many smaller charities
25. Local School District - a local school may have fundraisers for various events
26. Big Brothers, Big Sisters - provides adult mentors and role models for children that are without one of their parents and need positive adult interaction
27. PETA - focus on the ethical treatment of animals
28. SPAY - provides free spaying and neutering of cats and dogs to help owners control the "homeless population" of cats and dogs created by over-reproduction
29. SPCA - focuses on the proper treatment of animals and enforcement of animal rights
30. American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) - represents the elderly many of whom live in poverty and have many needs

Hopefully, this list of charities can provide an idea of where to donate furniture to help people and organizations in their time of need. Remember that most donations are tax deductible so you can help the charity while at the same time help yourself when preparing your own taxes.