Give Clothing Donations to BBBSLI

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island is a private, non-sectarian, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. And one way we do that is through clothing donations from supporters like you!

 

SCAN QR CODE TO SCHEDULE PICK-UP

Woman packing a box with clothing donations
Packing box

How do I know when you will be picking up in my area?

We send out emails in advance of a town-wide pickup and make phone calls to residents with listed phone numbers. Upcoming pickup locations are also posted on Facebook @BBBSLIDonationCenter. You can schedule a personal pickup at your convenience by completing our Online Scheduling Form or by calling (631) 234-0000.

PLEASE NOTE: We are currently not accepting furniture at this time.  We apologize for the inconvenience. 

You can drop off a donation at any of the bin locations across Long Island. Find a Dropoff Location

Complete our Online Scheduling Form and receive a scheduled pickup date within 48 hours.  Please note: We are not accepting furniture at this time. 

What is the Donation Center?

The Donation Center was established in 1997 to enable Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island to continue serving and increase service to the children and families across Long Island.

We send our fleet of trucks across Long Island six days a week and pick up gently used items at your doorstep—including clothing donations, coats, shoes and small household items. The Donation Center works in partnership with SAVERS stores and turns these donations into much needed funds, of which 100% support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island.

The Donation Center has been picking up clothes since 1997, but Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island has been serving Long Island for over 40 years.

All net proceeds directly support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island.

Clothes in box labeled "Donation"

What Items Does Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island Accept?

Please see lists below for items that Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island will accept as a donation and those items that we cannot accept.

WE CAN ACCEPT:

  • Clothing
  • Shoes
  • Coats
  • Linens
  • Vacuums
  • Jewelry (real and costume)
  • Sporting equipment
  • Dishes & Glassware
  • Ceramic items
  • Knickknacks
  • Pots & Pans
  • Silverware (Flatware)
  • TVs (Flat Screen Only)
  • Stereos and Radios
  • VCRs/DVDs/VHS
  • Lamps
  • Picture Frames
  • Blenders, Food Processors, Microwaves
  • Computers
  • Portable Sewing Machines
  • Clocks (wall and alarm)
  • Stuffed animals
  • Small Toys
  • Books (MAX donation of 1 box)
  • Toasters, Toaster Ovens, Can Openers
  • Coffeemakers
  • Bikes, Scooters
  • Luggage

WE CAN NOT ACCEPT:

Please note: We are not accepting furniture at this time.

  • Cribs, car seats, playpens, walkers, swings, etc.
  • Oversized toys or Big Wheels
  • Pole Lamps
  • Mattresses or box springs
  • Medical items (such as wheelchairs, hospital beds)
  • Hazardous waste
  • Large appliances
  • TVs that are not flat screen
  • Construction material
  • Food
  • Flammable products
  • Automobile parts
  • Household items over 18”x18”x18”
  • Power Tools
Clothing donation boxes

What happens to my clothing donations? Do you give the clothing away to needy families?

When you give clothing donations to the Donation Center, you are not only helping us to create more mentoring relationships for children across Long Island, but also being green!

According to recent statistics, every man, woman and child throws away 68 pounds of clothing every year. This translates to over 500 million pounds of clothing per year on Long Island alone! Presently, only 10 percent of clothing is recycled. The rest becomes a part of our waste stream and goes to our landfills.

Each week, BBBSLI diverts 212,000 pounds of toxic textiles from our landfills and eliminates it from our waste stream. From there, 40 percent of the clothing collected stays right here on Long Island and is re-sold at SAVERS Thrift Stores. The remainder is shipped to other SAVERS Thrift Stores across the country and then globally. Any clothing that is not suitable for re-sale is used as rag weight, becoming filler for items such as couches and chairs.
We also donate clothing and household items to families in our program who have extenuating circumstances on a case by case basis.

Here on Long Island, there are four SAVERS store locations in Commack, Holbrook, Medford and West Hempstead. Every item in these stores comes from donations to BBBSLI and all proceeds benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island programs.