Donations

Please, only donate when somebody is present.

What Items Can I Donate?

The Waukegan Freegan Store accepts all usable items that are in good working condition.

Clothing - We accept clothing of all kinds so long as it is not stained, ripped, extremely dirty, or possessing an odor.

Shoes - Shoes should be wearable, not overly damaged, no holes, no horrible odor, etc.

Toys - WE ARE IN NEED OF LOTS OF TOYS!! We take any and all toys including stuffed animals. It is helpful if toys with lots of parts are in ziplock bags and puzzles are taped shut. Please wipe clean any sort of plastic or hard toy before you donate it.

Books - We take all books and magazines. WE ARE IN NEED OF CHILDRENS BOOKS!! Please note that we do sell a small portion of the textbooks, old antique books, and collectible books in order to help with the costs of operation.

Baby Items - We take all baby items and accessories such as strollers, high chairs, play pens, cribs, car seats, bouncers, etc. Please wipe clean all plastic or vinyl items before you donate them. Please only donate items that have all of their parts. It is helpful if you attach all parts with tape to make sure they do not get lost.

Household Items - We accept all items so long as they are not broken or missing parts. This includes decorative items, bath items, kitchen items, outdoor items, etc. Please clean off any outdoor items before donating them. We will take pots/pans/containers without lids and lids without containers.

Electronics, Media, Computers, Etc. - We accept all electronics so long as they are in working order. We do not have the ability to repair broken electronics. This includes stereos, VCRs, DVD players, TVs, etc. We accept computers that are year 2000 and newer. They do not need to be fully operational as we have a team of people that rebuilds computers from other donated parts. We also accept working computer monitors and printers, parts, accessories, etc. We accept all working media and other electronics including tapes, cds, vhs, dvds, and so on.

Appliances - We accept all working small appliances such as a toaster oven, microwave, air conditioner, heaters, blender, etc.

Rehab/Decoration items - partial and full cans of paint/stain, wood, tile, wallpaper, insulation, screens, screws, nails, hooks... you get the picture. (Oh, yeah picture hooks.)

Plants, non-perishable foods, valid coupons...

Everything Else - We accept pretty much anything except for items that are broken, missing parts, stained, full of odor, contaminated, etc. Use your best judgment.

We do not accept very large items: refrigerators, couches, swing sets, boats, cars, entertainment centers,.. However, Waukegan Freegan Store has a big item board where you can post your large items with a description/picture and your contact information for pick-up.

These guidelines have been copied, (and added to), from the Free Store in Baltimore - we like their style.