“Shopping in our stores does not support any nonprofit. Value Village is a for-profit organisation,” you might have heard while browsing at your local thrift outlet. And then, urging you to donate: “Remember that thrifters need your stuff, too. Donate to Value Village today.”
Which, fair; thrifters do need access to secondhand clothing in order to merit the title — otherwise, their demand would be met with no supply — but there are other populations that could benefit more, perhaps, from your donation than could the clientele of the formerly covert, now explicitly forthright for-profit business.
If you’re in it for the philanthropic reasons, then I am obligated to inform you that donating to (as opposed to shopping at) Value Village does, in fact, support non-profit organizations, at least to some extent. But even so, there are tons of other places that can provide the same type of ethical fix — and in a way that feels less… capitalism, too. Let’s explore.
For Work Clothes: Donate to Dress For Success
What it is: An international nonprofit organisation that provides women with the clothing, confidence, and employability skills necessary to access and succeed in job interviews
What it accepts: In-season suits, dresses, blazers, skirts, trousers, cardigans, blouses, heels, flats, boots, belts, bags, and jewellery
Why you should donate here: Because that blazer you haven’t touched in two years could be doing a whole lot more to support a woman’s financial independence than it’s doing right now
Book your time slot and head to 200 Catherine Street to donate.
For Formal Clothes: Donate to Fairy Godmother Ottawa
What it is: A nonprofit organisation that provides formal dresses to high school students in an effort to make prom accessible to everyone
What it accepts: Formal dresses, shoes, purses, and jewellery
Why you should donate here: Because your prom dress wants to be reworn, and because there’s an economically disadvantaged high school senior who wants to wear it
Drop off your items at any Brown’s Cleaners location to donate. Confirm hours first by calling the location.
For Everyday Clothes: Donate to the Society of Saint Vincent De Paul
What it is: A charity that provides material and social support to vulnerable populations in Canada and around the world
What it accepts: Clothing, furniture, and household items
Why you should donate here: Because donations are distributed based on need, so recipients pay what they can afford — even if it’s only in gratitude
Hit up the donation box at 1273 Wellington Street or search for another location to donate.
For Coats: Donate to Brown’s Cleaners x the Snowsuit Fund
What it is: A dry cleaner and charity that work together to provide local children and families with clean outerwear
What it accepts: Coats, snow pants, mittens, gloves, and scarves
Why you should donate here: Because Ottawa is very cold and snowy in the winter, making clean outerwear a must, especially for those in need
Visit any Brown’s Cleaners location to donate. Confirm hours first by calling the location.
For Books: Donate to Twice Upon a Time
What it is: A local initiative that provides books to children under 12 through buy-nothing bookstores and community groups
What it accepts: French- and English-language board books, picture books, chapter books, and graphic novels that are appropriate for children and babies
Why you should donate here: Because books help children to develop literacy; imagination; concentration; and social, emotional, and cultural intelligence — things that every child should have the right to access
Drop off donations of fewer than 20 books at Twice Upon a Time’s New Edinburgh location (open 10–5 Monday–Saturday), Glebe location (open 11–5 Monday–Sunday), or Gloucester location (open 8:30–5 Monday–Friday and 9–4 on Saturday).
For Electronics: Donate to Compucorps
What it is: A registered charity that provides technology to at-risk populations in Ottawa and provides skills training to teach them how to use it
What it accepts: Smartphones, tablets, computers, monitors, printers, earphones, and modems
Why you should donate here: Because the digital divide is a thing, and because you have the power to make it less of a thing
Fill out this form to schedule a weekday or weekend drop-off at one of two locations in Nepean or to register your hardware for shipping.
For Furniture: Donate to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore
What it is: A nonprofit home improvement retail chain that sells furniture and renovation supplies at affordable prices
What it accepts: Mirrors, light fixtures, tools, building supplies, plumbing supplies, electrical supplies, furniture, and large and small appliances
Why you should donate here: Because your first-apartment furnishings could become someone else’s first- (or second-, or third-) apartment furnishings — and perhaps the only ones that they can afford
Schedule a time to drop off your items at the Trainyards or Stittsville ReStore or make a request for pickup.
For Shoes: Donate to Footwear 4 Kids
What it is: A local charitable project that provides shoes to children, youth, and families in Ottawa
What it accepts: Children’s and adults’ boots and shoes
Why you should donate here: Because this project was started by an Algonquin student who, like you, wants the best for Ottawa’s underserved communities
Deliver your items to the Caldwell Family Centre at 1100 Medford Street during open hours: Monday–Thursday 9–4, Friday 9–6, or Saturday 9–2.
Then, congratulate yourself for having done a good thing, and repeat. Value Village? I don’t know her.