Where Can You Donate Art Supplies?

Creating art—whether by painting, knitting, crocheting, or engaging in other hobbies—provides a great way to bring something beautiful into the world. It is also a wonderful way to relax from day-to-day stress. However, over time, you may find that you’ve acquired more art supplies than you could ever use.

In this situation, you may wonder where you can donate art supplies. Many organizations accept art supplies, putting them to good use. Explore all of your donation options with our team at Easy Donation Pickup.

Contact us online if you have questions about local options for art supply donation.

Local Schools 

Many schools are on the lookout for art craft supplies for their classrooms. You may want to reach out to the front office or a teacher you know to see if they’re interested in supplies like:

• Paints
• Colored pencils
• Crayons
• Art paper
• Clay

Many teachers have to pay out of their own pockets for these supplies. As a result, they may struggle to provide an excellent learning environment for their students. Providing a donation can take some of this strain off hard-working teachers.

You can donate art supplies to any grade level, from pre-school through 12th grade.

Daycare Centers

Do you have a child or know a child in daycare? Their daycare provider might accept donations of craft supplies for use by the children. First, contact the daycare to learn which donations they take to ensure the supplies are age-appropriate.

Youth or Community Centers

Your local community center may accept donations of art supplies. Many community centers run numerous programs for the local area, and these programs generally require such supplies. You can help the community center expand its artistic offerings with your donation.

Boy Scout and Girl Scout Troops

Local troopers for the Boy and Girl Scouts often rely on donations to set up events and crafts for their members. You may donate art supplies to your child’s troop or reach out to the local organizations.

These organizations constantly strive to help kids learn new skills. Unfortunately, this learning frequently requires extensive supplies, which you can help provide. Contact your local branch of either organization to find out what supplies they might need.

YMCAs

Like community centers, the YMCA offers programs and classes for people in the local area. Many YMCAs also provide childcare. In addition, the organization frequently accepts donations to help provide projects and craft time for children and adults.

Women’s Shelters

Many people consider donating items like clothes and food to women’s shelters. However, the people in these shelters could also use something to help them relax and handle the stress of their situation. Arts and crafts often become a comfort.

Consider reaching out to local shelters to find out which of your supplies they could use.

Children’s Hospitals

Many hospitals that serve children regularly host art, craft, and toy drives. However, you do not have to wait until a donation drive to drop off your supplies. The hospital may even offer you a list of suggested supplies if you’re interested in helping young children.

Churches

Your church or other local churches may accept art donations for Sunday School or after-school programs for children. You may contact the minister or youth group organizer to find out which supplies they need.

Nursing Homes or Senior Centers

Kids aren’t the only ones who appreciate arts and crafts. You may consider donating to a local senior center or nursing home. These organizations often look for opportunities to provide fun and engaging activities to the people they serve.

Once you find a senior center that accepts donations, make sure you ask if they have any limitations on the supplies they want. Some organizations will even take office supplies to help with the paperwork that goes into running the facility.

Consider Donating Your Supplies to a Charity

Many charitable organizations also accept art supplies. However, not all these charities operate across the country, as some only work in one city or state. This list does not represent an exhaustive look at all your options.

You may know of other charitable organizations in your area that would happily accept your art supply. You may even want to Google local charities to find additional options. First, you can get started by considering:

The Dreaming Zebra Foundation

The Dreaming Zebra Foundation represents a great choice if you want to donate art supplies. They accept donations through the mail or in-person at their Portland, OR, location. Once you drop off your supplies, they organize them and send them to:

• Community organizations
• Art therapy programs
• Schools
• Children

The organization provides an online list of craft items in the highest demand. Note that the Dreaming Zebra Foundation also accepts musical instruments.

Upcycling Colors

Upcycling Colors accepts office supplies, craft supplies, puzzles, musical instruments, toys, and more. They have a reputation for taking in art supplies that aren’t in perfect condition. Upcycling Colors takes your donations, tests them, and ships them to:

• Refugee centers
• Orphanages
• Special education programs
• After school programs
• Hospitals
• Community centers

The above list does not cover all the organizations served by Upcycling Colors. Instead, it only provides examples of the agencies the organization assists.

The Mother Bear Project

The Mother Bear Project specifically wants donations of knitting needles and yarn. The organization uses these supplies to create handmade bears for children living in developing countries who have contracted HIV AIDS.

The Knitting Connection

Along the same lines as the Mother Bear Project, the Knitting Connection accepts:

• Instruction books on knitting
• Needles
• Yarn

The Knitting Connection creates sweaters, scarves, mittens, hats, and more for children.

Scrap It Up

Currently, Scrap It Up only operates out of Cincinnati, OH. The organization acts as a thrift store that focuses on art supplies.

You can donate your creative materials to Scrap It Up, and they resell them at reduced prices. Overall, this organization makes it easier for people to source the items they need to engage in crafting.

Look Into Organizations That Accept Fabric Donations

If you have a lot of fabric, you may consider one of the following organizations specifically looking for fabric. Unfortunately, these agencies do not generally accept other kinds of craft donations.

Quilts of Valor

Quilts of Valor accepts fabric donations to create quilts designed for wounded veterans. In addition, the company accepts donations through the mail. So, you can make a donation to this charity from anywhere in the country.

Newborns in Need

You can donate fabric or funds to Newborns in Need. The organization focuses on providing essentials to children born into impoverished circumstances. You can also create items like baby blankets if you use the patterns provided by the organization.

Mask Making Organizations

The continued challenges associated with the COVID pandemic have spurred the creation of new charities. You can now donate to numerous organizations dedicated to creating masks for those in need. In addition, you may want to look for organizations accepting cloth for mask creation in your local area.

Check Your Art Supplies before Making a Donation

Once you find an organization that accepts donations, we recommend that you look over all your supplies. Make sure that the art supplies you want to donate still work and are not in disrepair. Volunteers at these organizations have to look through all the donations they receive and pay to dispose of damaged or broken items.

Providing craft supplies can make a big difference in the lives of others. By donating, you can give the supplies otherwise stuck in your closet or taking up space on your shelves a new lease on life.

Consider Making a Donation to Easy Donation Pickup

You may consider Easy Donation Pickup if you’re interested in donating to an organization that supports the National Veterans Foundation. Our organization makes donation very easy for people around the country.

You can sign up for a donation window online. Our drivers then come to your property to pick up the donations you’ve packed into a box or bag. We leave behind a receipt for the donation and do not require you to stay home for the pickup, keeping in mind your busy schedule.

Our organization accepts many different items for donation, including:

• Clothing
• Accessories
• Household goods
• Books
• Tools
• Sporting equipment
• Backpacks and luggage

When you contact us, you can donate for free. You also won’t pay shipping costs for mailing donations to other parts of the country. We move quickly and work with your schedule.

Find Out More about How to Donate Art Supplies

Are you looking for a way to clear some extra space in your arts and crafts room? Consider donating your old or unused supplies to a local charity, school, or community center. You can also contribute to many charitable organizations that could use your items.

Contact Easy Donation Pickup to learn how to donate art supplies.