# Recommend a charity to take my weight machine **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 14, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-charity-to-take-my-weight-machine/650327 "2013-02-14T21:28:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.Pu-du-he-pa-as)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-charity-to-take-my-weight-machine/650327/1 "2013-02-14T21:28:51Z")
**oft wears hats** has a weight machine we never use, and we’d like to give it away to a good cause. Can you recommend a charity that will come pick it up from our place? Moving it may be tricky, since it’s still assembled and is probably very heavy. We’re in the northern Virginia area. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-charity-to-take-my-weight-machine/650327/2 "2013-02-14T21:48:12Z")
can it fit through doors assembled? can it be lifted assembled without causing injury to 2 people or damage to the machine or house when it drops? you may need to dissemble it. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-charity-to-take-my-weight-machine/650327/3 "2013-02-14T21:53:34Z")
Well, I was going to say Goodwill, but apparently they don’t take exercise equipment. The first thing that comes up on a Google search for “donate exercise equipment” is [this](http://fitnessforcharity.org/). I don’t know anything about them, though, and it looks like the first might or might not take your stuff. Also showing up a few results down is a city that’s looking to take donations of used equipment, I think for a exercise room for its employees and the police. Might be worth checking with your locality to see if they’ve got anything like that. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-charity-to-take-my-weight-machine/650327/4 "2013-02-14T23:33:16Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > Well, I was going to say Goodwill, but apparently they don’t take exercise equipment. Ours certainly do. ---
**Author:** ![steviep24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f9b8f/32.png) [@steviep24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steviep24)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-charity-to-take-my-weight-machine/650327/5 "2013-02-15T00:01:55Z")
If it’s professional or gym quality find out if there’s any high schools that may want it. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-charity-to-take-my-weight-machine/650327/6 "2013-02-15T00:22:57Z")
It is actual free weights, or a resistance system? Several of the senior living apartments in our city just starting bringing in some simple exercise equipment. It doesn’t look like new stuff. I’m guessing (but don’t know for sure) that it was donated and placed via some grant or another. If what you have is easy to use and safe for older folks without a trainer on the premises, you might call places that call themselves “Senior Living” or “Independent Living”. I don’t think free weights would be a real great choice for elders, though. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-charity-to-take-my-weight-machine/650327/7 "2013-02-15T00:31:35Z")
The Goodwill in our area does not do pickup although the Salvation Army does. You may find it diffcult to get any charity to pick it up due to the work involved. You would probably be a lot better off selling it on Craigs List and giving the money to charity. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-charity-to-take-my-weight-machine/650327/8 "2013-02-15T02:57:00Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > Also showing up a few results down is a city that’s looking to take donations of used equipment, I think for a exercise room for its employees and the police. Might be worth checking with your locality to see if they’ve got anything like that. That’s what I was going to suggest. I work for a department store, and a few years back we donated the display models of some exercise equipment that was being phased out to one of the local fire departments.