I have some decent quality furniture I will be giving away within the week. I have a child’s or teen’s bedroom set and a Louis XV style armoire. All solid wood and in good condition but no takers on Craiglist. Does anyone have any recent experience with pickups or drop offs with either SA or GW in Chicago? I don’t mind getting a van myself if that’s the only option but I sure as hell don’t want to deliver only to be turned away. It is in good shape for used furniture but I’m afraid I’ll be turned away because no one will want to unload it or pick it up. Thanks in advance for advice.
What about taking a digital photo of the stuff and asking the places directly, “Would you want to take this? I can deliver it, but only if you’re sure you’ll take it.”
Thanks. I should have been more clear. I have donated to Salvation Army many times in the past. Several times I have had issues with donations because of weight or because of lack of space. Anyway, that’s how it was explained to me. Many times, with similar items, there has been no issue.
Just wondering if anyone is familiar with current policies.
Another option to consider, not to muddy the waters, but when I had bedroom furniture to donate, I gave it to a local women’s shelter. They had volunteers come and get it and they were most grateful. Just a thought…
Salvation army with their anti gay issues has turned me off personally, and Goodwill has never been a problem for me dropping stuff off. But I like the idea of a shelter.
The Vietnam Veterans of America will pick your furniture up. You can go to their website and schedule a day for them to come by your place.
I have various organizations call looking for donations and sometimes they will pick up good furniture (Washngton DC area.) AMVets and Purple Heart spring to mind but there are others. Salvation Army has the easiest facilities around here for dropping off stuff but I don’t like their religious angle, so I usually take things to Goodwill.
I like to give away stuff to the local charities, as opposed to the big operations like SA or GW. I feel like there’s a better chance it will go to help local people, and not just get gobbled up in the business side of a large organization.
There’s a section for free stuff on CL too.
Good ideas! Thanks. I will check out local shelters and charities first.
Another fan of local. I donate furniture and appliances to Crisis Assistance Ministries, because they don’t re-sell it, they actually give it to people who had their house burn down or other catastrophes.
I guess that wouldn’t be an option if I were militantly atheist, but as I’m only agnostic, I’m okay with it. 
Thanks! I like that too. I have someone from craigslist coming to look at it tomorrow morning. I didn’t post it for free but I posted it for $150. If he wants it he can have it. I don’t like the idea of posting there for free unless it’s something I can just leave in the yard for the day. Tired of scammers. I would really like for someone who needs it or likes it to have it. I hate how antique dealers and resale shop owners buy out all the decent stock from the thrift stores and sell it at ridiculous prices in their antique and resale shops. It seems so predatory to me. I like what SA and GW do. But I didn’t know about SA’s anti gay policies. I’ll look into that. I have no problem otherwise with religious affiliations of an organization. This is exactly the kind of benefit that religion should provide for communities. I’ll do some research and update. Thanks everyone.
Goodwill has been under fire recently for paying their disabled workers pennies per hour, so I won’t go to either anymore. We have a Savers here, so I go there.
Stopped using SA a long time ago, due to their anti-gay stance.
If you want to donate it to an agency such as a women’s shelter, aid to people who lost their home and stuff in a fire, etc, but don’t really have a name or know how to contact such groups, try calling 211. This is a nearly universal number in the US for community aid and resources.
Just wanted to quickly address this. I used to work at Goodwill. Disabled employees who qualify under the Special Minimum Wage Certificate can, in many instances, risk losing their public assistance by taking a full wage. Oddly, this fact never quite makes the reports that get spread around. Additionally, because of the large subsidy that the government pays these workers, it’s not a wage they come to Goodwill for (that’s already provided to them) - it’s a purpose, it’s a community, it’s working along side their peers that they want.
It’s been a while since I donated personally but Brown Elephant in Chicago definitely takes furniture and I believe they do pickup. We bought a sectional sofa from them just a few months ago, they run a nice store.
In these case, I usually default to St. Vincent dePaul, but that’s just me…
Brown Elephant and st Vincent are no longer taking big furniture pieces. We gave away the dresser and the rest we will take to Salvation Army this weekend. my research shows that the anti gay thing is bunk.
Sugar and spice
Just wanted to let you know that it’s been years since that brown elephant was there. I miss it too.
Munch, I’m sorry, I don’t really get the point you are trying to make.