Best Place in Detroit to Donate Clothes To.

[annalouise]

You want your donations to be most useful so they don't get thrown away or, like so many places, get shoved into an already overflowing donation closet. You really don't want to be the asshole that dumps a bunch of useless crap on an organization that has to smile and be grateful then plan how to get rid of it. [[This happens so often and sometimes hilariously.)

I'm finding that it helps to match the type of clothes I have to the organization.

For example: most soup kitchens don't use women's clothes. St Als and the Detroit Rescue Mission specifically don't take them. They want warm men's clothing.

If you've got young hip looking women's clothes or babies clothes then Covenant House, Boys Hope Girls Hope or Alternatives for Girls would be a good choice

If you've got women's businees clothes then the Rescue Mission's genesis homes [[I think that's what they are called) or a woman-only treatment center or three-quarter house is a good place.

plus sized women's clothes are alwasy more needed than straight sizes.

I call the place that I want to donate to. I tell them what I have, ask what they need and tell them I don't want to burden them with something they can't use. Most places get back to me right away and I take out the stuff they could use.

[[I personally donate clothes to Home of New Vision in Ann Arbor because I have a personal connection to them and I deeply respect their mission but this advice works regardless)

[Single Malt]

You want your donations to be most useful so they don't get thrown away or, like so many places, get shoved into an already overflowing donation closet. You really don't want to be the asshole that dumps a bunch of useless crap on an organization that has to smile and be grateful then plan how to get rid of it. [[This happens so often and sometimes hilariously.)

I'm finding that it helps to match the type of clothes I have to the organization.

For example: most soup kitchens don't use women's clothes. St Als and the Detroit Rescue Mission specifically don't take them. They want warm men's clothing.

If you've got young hip looking women's clothes or babies clothes then Covenant House, Boys Hope Girls Hope or Alternatives for Girls would be a good choice

If you've got women's businees clothes then the Rescue Mission's genesis homes [[I think that's what they are called) or a woman-only treatment center or three-quarter house is a good place.

plus sized women's clothes are alwasy more needed than straight sizes.

I call the place that I want to donate to. I tell them what I have, ask what they need and tell them I don't want to burden them with something they can't use. Most places get back to me right away and I take out the stuff they could use.

[[I personally donate clothes to Home of New Vision in Ann Arbor because I have a personal connection to them and I deeply respect their mission but this advice works regardless)

Thank you for that...which is very helpful. I had problems too trying to donate. I give my old furniture and housewares to the Vietnam Veterans of America. I hear that you should stay away from those clothing bins you see at gas stations and party stores. I'm not sure where those clothes go, but it's rumored they go overseas.

[jba]

I donated to all of them. My choice for a long time has been Capuchin Brothers, Medbury & Mt Elliot [[just off of I-94 & Mt. Elliot).
They will take anything....They do not sell the donated items [[as far as I know), they give it away to the needy.
This is the main reason I donate to them...no reselling!!!

[Maxine1958]

I donated to all of them. My choice for a long time has been Capuchin Brothers, Medbury & Mt Elliot [[just off of I-94 & Mt. Elliot).
They will take anything....They do not sell the donated items [[as far as I know), they give it away to the needy.
This is the main reason I donate to them...no reselling!!!

When can you drop stuff off? Do they have specific days and/or times? Now that I'm working downtown again this might be quite convenient for me.

Being lazy, could look it up and find out for myself.

[terryh]

South Oakland Shelter in Royal Oak. All charities SHOULD be picky. It takes time to sort through clothes. Ive seen clothing and shoes that should be discarded dropped off. Also a church on one occasion dropped off a box of no name brand food that was full of half filled boxes of stale cereal.