You might be wondering what to do with all the stuff that is lying around your house. If you are, then Habitat for Humanity ReStores are the perfect place for you to donate your gently used appliances, furniture, home decor or other items. There are several Habitat for Humanity ReStores in the GTA, including locations in Mississauga, Burlington, Toronto and Durham.
What is the ReStore?
Habitat for Humanity ReStores are home improvement outlets. They’re social enterprises which sell new and gently items donated by corporations and individuals like yourself. Donated items are sold to the public at a reduced cost, typically at 30% to 70% less than their original retail value. ReStores are a great place to find a unique piece of furniture to keep or add a DIY touch to for your home.
Your donation to a Habitat for Humanity ReStore helps Habitat continue working towards a vision where everyone in the world has a safe and decent place to call home. To see how a donation as simple as a doorknob can help make a difference in your community, check out this informative video from Habitat for Humanity:
What items can you donate to Habitat for Humanity ReStores?
Habitat ReStores accept a variety of items, including some which you might not even think of donating in the first place! At Habitat for Humanity Halton-Mississauga, we accept donations of kitchens and cabinetry, new-condition sinks, toilets and vanities, hardware, tools, unused flooring and tile, new and like-new windows, interior and exterior doors, new or like-new furniture and office supplies and seasonal tools and supplies.
We also accept scrap metal, appliances in working condition, home decor, new building supplies and lighting and electrical accessories. All ReStore locations accept electronic waste, printers and VCRs. Corporations may want to donate overstock, imperfections or returned items.
You can find a full list of items you can donate to Habitat on our ReStore website. On our website, you can also find a list of items we have to say “no thank-you” to. We reserve the right to say no thank you to any item our staff feel that we would currently be unable to resell. Before you donate, check to make sure your donation is accepted at the ReStore. If you’re still not sure, feel free to call your closest ReStore location.
How can you donate stuff to a Habitat ReStore?
We make it easy for you to donate new or gently used items to a ReStore. One way to donate is to drop off your items in person at one of our ReStore locations. You can find your closest ReStore location in Canada by searching Habitat’s ReStore Directory. If you’re donating items to Habitat for Humanity Halton-Mississauga, you can drop off your donations between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. from Monday to Saturday. Make sure you leave your name, mailing address and email so that you are able to receive a charitable tax receipt for any donation valued over $100.
Habitat also offers a free donation pickup service. Our team can pick up your donation from your home or business garage, driveway or moving room and remove the items you wish to donate. To schedule your free donation pickup today, use our convenient online donation pickup scheduling form. If you have further questions, contact our scheduling team by emailing pickup@habitathm.ca or calling (905) 828-0987 ext. 427.
We also have two new ways to donate to Habitat. You can donate clothing to our Habitat Clothing Donation Bins, which are located throughout the GTA. To learn more about how our clothing donation program helps us build more homes in your community, follow this link. You can also host a donation drive with our new mobile neighbourhood drop-off centres. This exciting program will involve Habitat staff setting up a donation bin on your property, managing donations and removing the bin within 48 hours. Email Chris Brava at cbrava@habitathm.ca to learn more about our donation drive program!
What are the benefits of donating stuff to Habitat ReStores?
The obvious benefit of donating your unwanted stuff to a Habitat for Humanity ReStore is that, well, you have the chance to declutter and get rid of things you no longer need! But beyond cleaning up your home or work space, there are a number of other reasons why Habitat ReStores are the right place for you to donate your furniture, appliances or other items.
When you donate to a Habitat ReStore, you are giving your donated items a second life. You might not want that old desk in your study, but to someone shopping in the ReStore, it might just be exactly what they were looking for.
Many of the customer returns, end-of-stock and gently used items we receive as donations would otherwise end up as waste in a landfill. Your donation of items that might otherwise end up as trash also means that you are helping the environment. Donating to Habitat ReStores is a way to “go green” by diverting waste from landfills.
As well as positively impacting the environment, when you donate your stuff to a Habitat for Humanity ReStore, you are also making a socially conscious decision. Funds generated from the purchase of donated items in the ReStore are used to make a difference in your community. Like any other organization, charities incur administrative fees. At Habitat for Humanity, profits from our ReStores help to cover those costs.
This means that the money raised through conventional means, like individual and corporate donations, goes directly towards building affordable homes for local families. Donating to the ReStore is a win-win situation for your home, the environment and your local community. You can feel good about donating to a worthy cause — plus, you’ll receive a charitable tax receipt for donations valued at $100 or more.
How else can I get involved with Habitat ReStores?
If you like what Habitat ReStores are all about but don’t have items to donate right now, there are still several ways you can get involved. One way is to shop at our ReStores. Whether you’re looking to redecorate a room in your house, furnish a new living space or simply find some items to add a DIY touch to, Habitat ReStores are full of hidden gems. Channel your inner interior designer, or head over to Pinterest to figure out what you can do with the unique items you find at the ReStore!
You can also sign up to volunteer at a Habitat ReStore and donate your time and effort. We have several ReStore volunteer opportunities, including working as a cashier, merchandising, pricing items or working in the warehouse. Our ReStore staff and volunteer team is incredibly friendly, so you’ll feel like you’re joining a community. Plus, you’ll get experience working in a new environment, and you’ll also gain skills in communication, teamwork, customer service and more. You can sign up for your first shift in 30 minutes or less by visiting Habitat’s volunteer website.
However you choose to get involved with Habitat for Humanity ReStores, you can be sure that your contribution is going to make a positive difference in your community. To learn more about Habitat ReStores and how you can donate today, check out our ReStore website!