13 Feb Donating goods to Wheeler!
Your donations make a difference!
Cleaning out your closets? Redecorating your home? Itching to make a difference? Now could be the perfect time to meet a need at Wheeler Mission!
Thanks to the generosity of our community, we’re able to provide our guests with donated items like nutritious food, new and gently used clothing, warm blankets, toys, winter coats, hygiene items, and more! And beyond meeting the needs in our shelters, donated goods can be sold in our thrift store to provide additional revenue that funds our life-changing programs. So…whenever you donate food or things, you provide help and hope to people in desperate need!
Will Wheeler accept anything?
We accept a whole bunch of things, but unfortunately, we can’t take everything. The cost of disposing unusable or unsellable items is high, and we are better stewards when our dollars are designated to caring for our neighbors in need. For things we do accept, most don’t have to be new (except for some things—like underwear and bed pillows), but they must be clean and in good, working condition. And if you have a question about an item you’d like to donate, just call 317.791.9186 and ask! We’d love to discuss it with you.
What about big items?
There are several big items we can use! We accept donations of things like home furnishings, home appliances (in good condition), charcoal grills, vehicles (yes, really!), and even some building supplies. On occasion, we can even accept commercial appliances and office furniture. We understand that it can be a challenge to transport large items to Wheeler, so we offer a pick-up service for certain donations! To inquire if we can pick up, fill out the form here and our team will get back to you to discuss potential pick-up.
Still have questions about which donations we can accept, and which we, unfortunately, can’t? Check out these handy lists of frequently-asked-about items!
We can use these!
- Clothing – men’s, women’s, children’s, accessories
- New underwear (men, women, children)
- New/unopened hygiene items (soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, etc.)
- New/unopened ibuprofen, acetaminophen, alcohol-free cold medications
- Footwear – shoes, boots, socks
- Outerwear – coats, hats, scarves, gloves
- Books, records, CDs, DVDs
- House wares – dishes, kitchen utensils, lamps, working small appliances
- Knickknacks
- Furniture–dressers, tables, chairs, sofas
- Domestics–curtains, linen, bedspreads, blankets, etc.
- Sporting goods
- Games and toys
- Prepared food (Under certain conditions. Please call Chef Sam Brown at 317.529.5553 for details.)
- Appliances – washers, dryers, refrigerators, freezers, cook stoves, window air conditioners, etc.
- Computer and office equipment (Call 317.536.7522 for details.)
- Bicycles
- Power tools
- Lawn tools and equipment
- Flat-screen TVs and electronics
- New bed pillows
Sorry, we can’t use these!
- Used box springs, mattresses, and waterbeds
- Used pillows
- Any type of building material (windows, doors, screening, etc.)
- Paint, household chemicals, insecticides, etc.
- Used car parts
- Pianos and organs (synthesizer keyboards are accepted)
- Tube TVs, console TVs, or console stereos
- Appliances that malfunction in any way
- Used dishwashers
- Used tires
- Hospital beds
- Used carpet
- Used underwear
- Used carseats
- Stained/torn bedding and towels
- Used cribs
- Gift cards
- Any item we deem unsalable in our thrift store
For more info on donating items and food to Wheeler (and where to take your stuff!), head on over here. Thanks for sharing your goods with our neighbors in need!