Used articles donations in Greater Montreal

Why throw an object away when it can have a second life? Many organizations in Greater Montréal collect a great variety of used items: furniture, appliances, clothing, computers...Whether they are sold to finance community services, given away or even upcycled or recycled, your donation will definitely be useful to others! Provided, of course, you choose the right organization..

How are the donations used?

Many organizations that accept such donations use them differently:

• Some sell the items in order to provide services with the money collected (ex: food aid),
• Some give furniture and other items to people in need,
• And some recycle, reuse and upcycle used items.

You can visit the organizations’ websites or reach a 211 counselor who will guide you towards the service able to meet your needs.

Where can we donate used items?

At-home pick-ups

For the many people who do not have access to a truck or who are unable to move heavy objects or appliances, at-home collection or pick-up services can be very useful.

Many community organizations are able to collect the items from your home. Please note, however, that these services are in high demand, especially during moving season. Always contact the organization to check their availability: waiting lists can be long.

Each organization serves a very specific territory. When you are looking up an organization’s file on our website, be sure to always check the «territory» fields under the «general information» tab. When in doubt, give us a call!

Please note: due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some organizations do not provide at-home pick-ups anymore. You can find this information in the «details in the service offer» section of the search results on our site:

Drop-off and pick-up points

The majority of organizations that accept donations have one or more warehouses or drop-off points in which to receive them.

However, many of them have limited storage capacity, which is why you should always contact the organization by telephone or email, beforehand, to make sure they can accept your donation.

Also check the opening hours of the drop-off points. Never leave your donations in front of their door, outside working hours, unless otherwise specified. Doing so can lead to a waste of time and resources.

Donation bins

For certain types of donations, mainly clothes and small household items, some organizations have placed donation bins throughout the city.

Please note: over the past few years, «fake» donation bins have been popping up under false organization names. Make sure the organization is legitimate before using its bin. Here are some reliable links to find a donation bin near you.

Le Support - Fondation de la déficience intellectuelle - Find a donation bin Big Brothers Big Sisters Foundation - Montréal - Donation bins Entraide diabétique du Québec - Donation bins Salvation Army - Donation bins Renaissance - Donation bins Société Saint-Vincent de Paul - Find a donation bin

Which donations are accepted and which are refused?

As a general rule, any type of items donated must be in good condition. Something that is damaged, dirty or defective can be refused. Some organizations might even require a picture of the objects before collecting them.

Furniture, household items and appliances

The majority of furniture and household items are accepted. However, furniture that is cumbersome or too heavy and not a necessity is usually refused.

Appliances are accepted by certain organizations. However, dishwashers are usually refused since priority is given to essential goods in order to serve underprivileged people, many of whom do not have the space required to install a dishwasher.

Please note: due to the bed-bug problem pervading Greater Montréal, beds and mattresses are usually refused.

Clothing donations

Clothes that are in good condition are accepted by many organizations in Greater Montréal. Undergarments and socks are obviously refused. There are, however, certain organizations that can recycle used fabrics and cloths.

Toy donations

Many community organizations accept toy donations. However, if you wish for your donation to be directly used rather than sold, many «maisons de la famille» and «joujouthèques» (toy libraries) collect toys to be used on-site or to be borrowed through the toy libraries.

Book donations

Many organizations, book-stores or libraries, as well as, the Renaissance thrift stores are able to reuse books.

Bicycle donations

If you wish to donate your old bicycle, here are your options:

• The Cyclo Nord-Sud organization collects bikes and sends them to one of its local partners in Central America or West Africa. Cyclo Nord-Sud asks for a 20$ fee with every bicycle donation to help pay the containers’ shipping fees. Donated bikes can be dropped-off at these locations or during Cyclo Nord-Sud's bike drives.
• SOS Vélo is a social insertion organization that upcycles old bicycles. They accept donations at their warehouse and also provide pick-ups.

Computer donations

If you want to get rid of your old computer, it is important to do so with a specialized organization that ensures the data on your hard drive will be safely deleted. Specialized NPO’s also have expertise in disposing of your electronics and, if needed, recycling them in compliance with environmental standards.

We suggest you give your computer or computer equipment to one of these organizations:

• Insertech - social insertion NPO that reuses, upcycles and recycles.
• Micro-Recyc-Coopération - collects and reconditions computer equipment to create computers for impoverished countries.
• OPEQ (Ordinateurs pour les écoles du Québec) - accepts computer donations and upcycles them to be used in schools here.