With many donation options available, not knowing the most reputable organizations for blankets means valuable resources go to waste or enable exploitation rather than genuinely helping those in need.
Before I donate, I vet charities to ensure the items assist causes and people effectively. I’m listing options for the best places to donate blankets.
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Best Place to Donate Blankets
The best places that accept blankets for donation are charitable organizations like Goodwill with local branches, The Salvation Army operating worldwide, and TerraCycle offering pickup services. They have proven track records of directing donations to disadvantaged communities.
| Place | Purpose | Location | Benefits |
| Goodwill | Employment and community services | Local branches | Established reputation, community impact |
| The Salvation Army | Social services and disaster relief | International branches | Global reach, a trusted name |
| TerraCycle | Reuse and recycling innovator | Offers home pickup | Ensures blankets avoid landfills |
| Homeless shelter | Temporary housing assistance | Local and international locations | Directly helps vulnerable neighbors |
| GreenDrop | Charity donation coordinator | Donation sites | Links donors to verified charities |
| Local churches | Community outreach | Congregations | Neighborhood-focused assistance |
| Vietnam Veterans of America | Supports U.S. veterans | Pickup or drop-off | Respectful repurposing helps vets |
| Domestic abuse shelters | Protect vulnerable families | Confidential shelters | Support and comfort to vulnerable individuals |
| Orphanages | House displaced children | Local institutions | Warmth and cheer for kids |
| Animal shelters | Provide warmth for shelter animals | Various locations | Comforts animals during cold seasons |
One of the best ways to help less fortunate folks stay warm during the cooler months is by donating items of value, such as old blankets. These are just some of the most well-known options that actively receive old bedding and linen from the community.
1. Goodwill
Goodwill is one of the biggest landing points for donated items in the United States. According to the oganization’s NYNJ Communications Director Jose Medellin, Goodwill received 85.7 million pounds of textile donations at its New York and New Jersey sites in 2017. They accept blankets and sheets only if they’re washed and in good condition.
2. The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is another organization that accepts blankets and linen that are in good shape. The Salvation Army is active in 132 countries, operating shelters for homeless people, offering humanitarian aid, and running charity shops. You should be able to find a donation site or thrift store with special offers.
3. TerraCycle
TerraCycle is another place that accepts blankets. Here is where I donate bedding and other items like clothes, towels, linens, and pillows. You only need to order, fill, and send a Zero Waste Box back to TerraCycle, letting you help the organization recycle or repurpose 7,762,174,415 units of waste.
4. Homeless Shelters
You can find a local homeless shelter in most cities and towns, running on the kindness of donors. They often need items like blankets to give to homeless people, especially in the winter months. Most organizations consider blankets a valuable commodity, especially for surviving the harsh winters.
5. GreenDrop
GreenDrop accepts most household items, including old blankets, bedding, and other linens that may otherwise end up in the trash. It partners with other organizations, such as the Purple Heart Service Foundation and the American Red Cross. Its New York site is one of the best recycling centers, handling roughly 12,000 to 15,000 pounds of donations per week.
6. Local Churches and Charitable Institutions
Churches are places of refuge for many less fortunate folks looking for donations to help keep their charitable work going. This is a good place to donate bedding or reuse old towels. For example, a congregation in Alabama received over 7,000 blanket donations in one of their winter donation drives.
7. Vietnam Veterans of America
The Vietnam Veterans of America is another excellent place to donate sheets and other fabric you can’t recycle. The organization works with around 90,000 veterans to improve their lives. Aside from accepting money, they get donations of most household items, including old towels, blankets, sheets, and other textiles.
8. Domestic Abuse Shelters
Around 53% of shelters in Canada reported increased demand for victim outreach services from 2020 to 2021. Domestic abuse shelters are often underfunded and depend on the goodness of others to help them take care of the victims they’re helping. You can donate bedding, old towels, and linens to your city shelter.
9. Orphanages
Around 45,000 children are orphans in Canada. The country’s orphanages are in dire need of money to support their projects, especially in healthcare, food, and clothing. Whenever my clients shop for new household items, I encourage them to donate items like old bedding, blankets, linens, and towels to orphanages.
10. Animal Shelters
The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies estimates that approximately 300,000 unowned cats and dogs enter pounds and animal shelters in North America every year. I typically donate bedding, linens, towels, and old sheets to local animal shelters when some items aren’t fit for donation at other institutions.
Blanket Preparation for a Journey of Warmth: What to Do Before Donating Your Blankets
Donating old or extra blankets is a kind gesture, although it’s only good manners to ensure the blankets are in good condition before donation.
- Give them a good wash and use washing detergent that doesn’t contain fragrances, so no one will suffer any allergic reactions when they use the blankets.
- Check for holes or small stains. Such blankets or towels would be better off donating to an animal shelter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What to Do With Old Sheets and Towels?
You can convert and recycle old sheets into picnic blankets, table linens, tapestries, and furniture covers for painting if you can’t sell or donate old bed sheets or towels. You can also bring them to a local animal shelter in your city instead of dumping them in the trash.
What Is the Best Charity to Donate Used Blankets To?
The American Red Cross, GreenDrop, and TerraCycle are highly reputable charitable institutions with efficient donation processes. They ensure donated blankets directly assist verified groups. This helps vulnerable community members, like people experiencing homelessness.
How Do I Donate Old Blankets to Charity or a Local Animal Shelter?
Call your local homeless shelters, domestic violence centers, church congregations, or animal shelters to ask about current blanket donation requirements and need. You may arrange convenient drop-off or pickup options.
Why Donate Blankets to a Local Homeless Shelter?
Donating blankets to local homeless shelters directly provides essential warmth and comfort to vulnerable members of your own community. Shelter resources are highly strained, particularly during frigid weather when donation needs are most in demand.
Where to Recycle Old Blankets?
You can recycle and donate to the American Textile Recycling Service (ATRS) if your blankets, towels, or old sheets are in too bad condition to be donated. You may also search on Earth911 for textile recycling centers near you.
Final Thoughts
To maximize positive community impact, the best places to recycle and donate clean blankets in good condition are charities and institutions with established reputations. They directly donate goods to verified local groups assisting disadvantaged populations. Give your old towels, sheets, and blankets a new life by helping the less fortunate.
********OLD CONTENT BELOW**********
With winter being around the corner and fall standing at our doorsteps, it’s time to think about those less fortunate. One of the best ways to help folks stay warm during the cooler months is by donating items of value, such as blankets.
There are many places to donate blankets, such as homeless shelters, Goodwill, and The Salvation Army. But those aren’t the only options, and this article’s aim is to guide people and help them find all the places where they can donate blankets.
Related To: Blankets for Your Home | Types of Electric Blankets | Types of Soundproof Blankets
Before Donating Your Blankets
Donating old or extra blankets is a kind gesture, but it’s only good manners to ensure the blankets are in a good condition before donation. If you have blankets that have been lying in your closets for months, they’re probably dusty.
Give them a good wash and use washing detergent that doesn’t contain any fragrances so no one will suffer any allergic reactions when they use the blankets.
Also, if your blankets have holes in them or are torn in any way, you shouldn’t donate them. No organization will accept blankets in poor conditions.
Where To Donate Your Blankets
The following list is by no means meant to give you the only options available. There may be unique organizations in your area that will accept blanket donations, and you can find them by doing a quick Google search.
These are just some of the most well-known options, are you’re bound to have several of these organizations actively taking donations in your community.
Goodwill
One of the best-known donation locations is Goodwill. They accept blankets as well as sheets, but only if they’re washed and in good condition. Goodwill will not accept blankets with holes, stains, or if they smell bad.
There should be a Goodwill drop-off location in your area, or at least in your city.
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is another organization that accepts blankets and linen, but again, only if they’re in really good shape. They will not take blankets that smell or are in a poor condition.
The Salvation Army is active in 132 countries, and they operate shelters for homeless people, offer humanitarian aid, and run charity shops. You should be able to find one near you with a quick Google search.
Homeless Shelters
Homeless shelters can be found in most cities and towns, and they mostly run on the kindness of donors. They are always in need of items like blankets to give to homeless people, especially in the winter months.
Sometimes, homeless shelters are willing to take blankets that have seen better days but are clean and neat. If Goodwill or The Salvation Army doesn’t accept your blankets, you might be able to donate them to your local homeless shelter.
You can contact your local homeless shelters by searching for them online. Most of them will have social media accounts for easy communication.
GreenDrop
Working with organizations such as the Purple Heart Service Foundation and the American Red Cross, GreenDrop is a good place to donate blankets you don’t need.
This organization accepts most household items, and that includes blankets. Sometimes, they’ll even pick up donations at your home if you’re unable to visit their physical location.
Local Churches and Charities
Churches are places of refuge for many less fortunate folks and are always looking for donations to help keep their charitable work going.
You won’t find it difficult to locate a church that will accept your blankets, as long as they’re clean and in good condition.
Vietnam Veterans of America
This organization is aimed at working with veterans to improve their lives and help them out if they’re in financial difficulties. They accept donations of most household items, and this includes blankets.
If you have a donation to make but can’t visit the physical location, the Vietnam Veterans of America will come to pick it up from your house.
Domestic Abuse Shelters
Domestic abuse shelters are often underfunded and depend on the goodness of others to help them take care of the victims they’re helping. Although these shelters don’t share their addresses with the public, you can still donate blankets to them.
You’ll have to arrange a meeting to drop off the blankets or you’ll be given a location where you can take them, such as a nearby church.
Orphanages
Orphanages, much like domestic abuse shelters, are always looking for kind strangers to donate items like blankets. You can visit your local orphanage or any close to you, and drop off the blankets you don’t need.
Animal Shelters
If you have old blankets that won’t be fit for donation at any of the above-mentioned organizations, you can always donate them to your local animal shelter. These shelters are often in dire need of support and your contribution will be appreciated, even if the blankets aren’t in the best condition.
Final Thoughts
There are many places you can donate the blankets you and your family don’t need. It’s a good idea and will help keep those less fortunate than yourself warm this coming winter. Do something that will not only make you feel good, but improve the lives of others. Donate today!
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