It’s that time of year again when you start to think about ridding your home of the unnecessary objects taking over. But the question is what to do with it all? Instead of throwing it away (or holding that yard sale as you would in your home country), you can recycle and donate it to communities in need. Here, we give you a list of organizations that will happily take your unwanted items. So get into the spirit of cleaning up and declutter your home of things you no longer need.
À Pleines Mains
Founded and run by French expats since 1999, À Pleines Mains dedicates its volunteer forces towards improving the quality of life for underprivileged, disabled and homeless children in the central and western provinces of China. The charity organization accepts donation in the forms of clothes (ages 3 and above), unused toiletry kits, books, toys, clean duvets and quilts and shoes (sizes 11.5-10.5). Drop off your donation at its Qingpu location or find volunteers at one of its community bazaars around town.
Find more information about À Pleines Mains here.
Asian Tigers
As one of Asia’s most well-known moving and relocation company, Asian Tiger also works with charities in town (such as À Pleines Mains, Beacon of love, Mifan Mama, Heart to Heart Shanghai and Will Foundation) to collect unused items. Accepted donations include clothes, toys, shoes, books and furniture; which are redistributed to orphanages and underprivileged groups to help those in need.
To arrange a pick-up, contact sales@asiantigers-china.com.
Books in Shanghai
An independent charity organization and interest group, Books in Shanghai works with Banshe Bookshop to collect and resell second-hand books at RMB20 each. The proceeds are donated to the children at Guangci Orphanage in Fengxian. Simply deposit your books at Banshe Bookshop, and they’ll be placed on the dedicated ‘Books in Shanghai’ shelf.
See listing for Banshe Bookshop here.
Heart to Heart Shanghai
Founded in 2003 by expat Christine Cullen, Heart to Heart Shanghai supports children undergoing corrective heart surgery in Shanghai. The charity collaborates with Shanghai Children's Medical Centre (SCMC) and the Shanghai Yodak Cardiothoracic Hospital and functions as the link between donors and families in need. If you have used clothing, toys, unused toiletries, or even protein-rich packaged food to donate, get in touch with Heart to Heart to arrange a pick-up.
All donations are handled by email: donations@h2hsh.net.
Mifan Mama
This NGO provides basic services (food, healthcare, education) to orphanages across six provinces. You can help them by donating clothing (for babies, children or adults), toys and games for all ages, books (Chinese or English), diapers and baby wipes and furniture.
Call Julie Garratt regarding donations at 139 1871 9179 or email mifanmama@outlook.com.
Mom-to-Mom Sale
Founded in 2008 by two moms, this non-profit group now sells thousands of kuai’s worth of used children’s items. They have six sales per year, and the next one is coming up in late April and registration opens on April 11. (It’s also a great place to shop for kids, although if you’re spring cleaning, it might not be the best idea.) Fifteen percent of proceeds are donated to the Heart to Heart, a community outreach organization that provides support for children undergoing heart surgery. They only accept 50 vendors for each sale, and the registration fee is RMB200.
Check out their website for specific information regarding the items they accept, how to submit your items, and more.
The [WE] Project
Launched in 2016 by the eco-oriented charity organization Green Initiatives, The [WE] Project aims to reduce environmental and health damage by reclaiming unwanted electronic products. If you have household appliances, telecommunications equipment and storage devices, you can dispose of them responsibly and help reduce damaging emissions caused by landfill incineration. The project partners with Community Center Shanghai and Element Fresh along with other cafes and shops around town.
Find more information and a full list of The [WE] Project’s depots here.
Will Foundation
Dedicated to bettering underprivileged children’s future development, Will Foundation also accepts donations including the likes of resellable clothes, shoes, accessories, books and household goods. Items will be displayed at the Will Shop where charity sales are hosted to generate proceeds.
To arrange a donation, contact sarahl_arora@yahoo.com.
