Donating to Charities Guidelines

Do

• Give to charities you know and trust. Fraudulent charities often modify the names of established groups. Avoid giving to organizations that ask for your credit card number over the telephone or request payment in cash.
• Before donating an item, ask yourself if you’d give it to a relative or friend. Disposing of items we can’t sell in our stores diverts dollars from our services to the community.
• Only leave donations at sites with attendants on duty. Donations dropped off outside business hours encourage theft.

Don't

• Donate broken or soiled items. These items and others that cannot be sold in our stores cost us disposal fees taking dollars from our programs.
• Give items that have been recalled, banned, or don’t meet consumer safety standards. Visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission (www.cpsc.gov) for more information.
• Leave items unattended outside a donation center. Items left unattended can be ruined by weather or scavengers or stolen.

Goodwill accepts gently used clothing, household items, and toys – those items that are still in useable condition. Revenues from Goodwill stores support our job training programs and career services for people seeking employment.

Donors interested in claiming tax deductions should keep itemized lists of their donations. The IRS allows a deduction for each item, but the donor must determine the value of each item. Generally, an item's value should be based on fair market value – what the item would sell for in a thrift store. Goodwill provides receipts to donors at its drop-off sites and attendants can validate itemized lists when they are presented. For general guidelines, check our deduction guide or visit www.irs.gov.