Quick Info
Operating Hours
Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday - Sunday: Closed
The Salvation Army's hours may vary depending on location.
Contact Information
centralusa.salvationarmy.org/usc
1-800-SAL-ARMY
What They Accept
Appliances, Automobiles, Children's clothing, Furniture, Household items, Men's clothing, Miscellaneous, Women's clothing, Money donations
Do They Give a Tax Receipt?
Yes, the Salvation Army does provide donors with tax receipts. However, it is up to the donor to determine the valuation of their donated items for tax purposes.
How To Schedule A Pickup
To schedule a pickup, visit the Salvation Army's website to search for availability in your ZIP code. Then, contact your local Salvation Army to schedule a donation pickup.
Salvation Army History and Background
The Salvation Army is an international charitable organization with headquarters in London, England, that has over 1.7 million members globally. The charity has a long history of helping the local community. Initially called the East London Christian Mission, the organization began in 1865 by William and Catherine Booth. Booth was an itinerant pastor in London who saw the needs of the poor and wanted to help. At the time, he did not have buildings to operate out of. Instead, he and his volunteers took to the streets to help those less fortunate.
Booth and his team referred to the East London Christian Mission as a volunteer army due to the organization's unique operations. For instance, Booth adopted military-style rankings as the local organization grew. These rankings indicated the organization's hierarchical leadership, giving leaders uniforms similar to the military's.
In the words of Booth, the organization provided "soup, soap, and salvation" to those in need. Organization members strived to help the poor while serving in Jesus' name. As such, they eventually changed the name to the Salvation Army.
Although it has come a long way since then, the Salvation Army still follows the same mission. However, it now works on a global scale, helping people worldwide as a part of the international movement.
Conditions of Items
One of the most important things to consider before donating unwanted items is their condition. Your donations go to people in need, so they should be in relatively new or good condition.
When donating furniture, avoid giving broken or unusable items. Furniture with cushions should also be free of dangerous chemicals, bed bugs, and significant tears.
The Salvation Army accepts nearly any gently used furniture donation, including:
- Bedroom dresser sets
- China cabinets
- End tables
- Office chairs
- Coffee tables
- Dining room sets
- Playpens
- Wardrobes
If you want to donate clothes, ensure that they are in gently used or good condition and don't have any significant tears, stains, or dangerous chemicals.
If you want to make a clothing donation, the organization accepts the following items:
- Men's clothing
- Women's clothing
- Children's clothing
- Baby clothes
- Shoes
- Bags
- Undershirts
- Jackets
- Tuxedos
The organization accepts appliances so long as they are functional and free of dangerous substances. These can include:
- Mixers
- Blenders
- Coffeemakers
- Griddles
- Lamps
Household items should be in good, usable condition. Avoid donating items with severe pet stains, broken glass, or anything else that makes them unusable.
Commonly donated items include:
- Bakeware
- Curtains
- Blankets
- Sofa covers
- Glasses and cups
- Plates and bowls
- Silverware
- Pots and pans
- Sheets
- Pillows
To see a full list of the accepted furniture donation items, visit the Salvation Army donation guide.
A Note on Free Donation Pickup Services and Acceptable Donated Items
Have you run out of space in your house? Do you no longer have the room to store all of those boxes of clothing you have from all the way back in elementary school? Are you looking to make a positive impact on your community without needing to take too much time out of your day to do so? Utilizing a free donation pick up service may be just what you need.
Free donation pick up services will come directly to your house, load your donations into their vehicle, and take care of the rest of the donation process from there. Provided your donations match the requirements of your chosen organization, this may be one of the easiest and most effective ways to make a difference in your community!
One organization many donors choose to donate to is the Salvation Army. Read on below to learn more about the Salvation Army’s donation pick up service and how to properly utilize it.
The Salvation Army is an international charitable organization that stands independently as a denomination of the Protestant Christian church with a theology related to Methodism. It refers to its ministers as officers with military ranks. According to its mission statement, it is a ministry motivated by the love of God and dedicated to helping people around the world.
The Salvation Army offers numerous programs and services to address issues like poverty, hunger, disaster relief, lack of housing, youth empowerment, rehabilitation, and more.
Salvation Army Drop-Off Locations
The Salvation Army has over 8,000 drop-off locations in the United States. If you live in Orange County, CA, you can drop off clothing and furniture donations at one of these locations:
Red Shield Corps Community Center:
1515 W. North Street, Anaheim, California 92801
Corps Community Center:
1710 W. Edinger Avenue, Santa Ana, California 92704
Adult Rehabilitation Center
1300 S. Lewis St., Anaheim, California 92805
Who Benefits From Your Donation?
Since the Salvation Army offers several services and programs, your donation benefits multiple types of people For example, many Salvation Army locations help local schools by donating school items. If you donate your old folders, pencil cases, and book covers to your local Salvation Army, they take them to needy students.
However, the Salvation Army mainly uses donations by selling them at its thrift stores. Proceeds from Salvation Army thrift stores help the organization fund its various programs and services.
As a result, your donations help people who:
- Are living in homeless shelters
- Rely on food pantries
- Struggling to feed their families
- Living in poverty
- Struggling with substance abuse
The Salvation Army Donation Process
Donating your unwanted items to the Salvation Army is both worthwhile and easy. If you have small items, like clothing donations or kitchen items, you can visit the Salvation Army's website, enter your ZIP code, and search for available drop-off locations.
If you do not have time to drop off your items or have larger furniture donations, you can schedule a free donation pick-up.
You can schedule a pickup on the organization's website or by calling the local office. After they pick up your donations, the organization provides donation receipts for tax purposes.
Is Salvation Army Accessible in My Area?
The Salvation Army has thousands of locations across the country. However, donation pickups are not available in all ZIP codes. To see if the organization is available in your area, visit the website and enter your ZIP code.
Common Guidelines When Giving Donations
Before scheduling pickup services or going to a local drop-off center, it is essential to donate goods that are not too worn or unusable. Follow these steps as a guideline for donating to the Salvation Army.
Wash and Fold Clothing Donations
Before the pickup date arrives, you should wash your clothing items. For example, if a sweater has a large stain on it, do your best to remove it.
If any of your clothing items have large tears or anything else that makes them unwearable, throw them away. Remember, your unwanted clothes are going to a Salvation Army Thrift Store. It needs to sell items to fund its mission.
Categorize Your Donation Items
If you are donating multiple items, categorize them by donation type. For example, you can have one bag for baby clothes and another for men's clothes. Similarly, try separating electronic appliances from kitchen items like silverware.
Why Donate to the Salvation Army?
Donating to local charities is an excellent way to give back to the community. The Salvation Army helps underprivileged people worldwide, allowing donors to make a huge impact.
We could list a thousand reasons to donate to the Salvation Army. However, we'll list these three:
- Donating is environmentally friendly. Donating your items instead of throwing them away gives them new life and reduces the landfill.
- You are helping those less fortunate. Every Salvation Army donation helps those less fortunate, whether they are fighting poverty, homelessness, or in need of disaster relief.
- It helps declutter your home. Philanthropic endeavors are not the only reason to donate. If you have too many unwanted items around your home, donating is a great way to free up space without wasting items.
Can You Get a Tax Deduction When Donating to the Salvation Army?
Your Salvation Army donation is tax deductible. After team members pick up your donations, the Salvation Army gives you a receipt to list your donation items and estimated value.
Keep this list in a safe place so you can use it for the upcoming tax season.
What Items Should Not be Donated?
The organization does not accept donations that are dangerous, contain hazardous materials, or are completely unusable.
In addition, the Salvation Army does not accept the following items:
- Building materials (carpet, air conditioning units, blinds, countertops, etc.)
- Entertainment centers
- Satellite dishes
- Guns, ammunition, or firearms
- Propane tanks
- Refrigerators
- Office cubicles
- Waterbeds
- Insecticides
- Paints
- Cribs, playpens, strollers, and other large baby items
To see a full list of accepted and unaccepted items, visit the Salvation Army website or call your local office.
Schedule a Free Donation Pickup Near You
At Easy Donation Pickup, we make it easy to get your donation pickup scheduled. Our organization uses your donation items to help veterans and their families. We offer hassle-free donation pick-up services for free, so you can easily contribute to the cause.
Easy Donation Pickup services work just like Salvation Army donation pick-up services. Use our locator tool to schedule a pick-up for your tax-deductible donations.
Contact our team to learn more about pick-up services and accepted items.