Give Back Box: Fill Boxes w/ Unwanted Items & Donate (No Cost To You & Without Leaving Home)
Did you know 12 million boxes are being shipped daily by online retailers – that is 30 million tons of cardboard every year! 📦
Keep those boxes out of landfills and get rid of unwanted items lying around your home with Give Back Box who has partnered with retailers like Amazon.com! And you can do all this without leaving home and without any cost to you! Awesome!
Here’s How it Works:
* Unpack your merchandise from the box
* Print a free USPS or UPS prepaid shipping label found here
* Look around your home and pack items you no longer need into the cardboard box like gently used clothing & shoes (no electronics may be donated) – there is no weight limit
* Download as many FREE shipping labels that you want
* Drop off the box either at the post office or at any UPS stores OR arrange for USPS to have the box picked up from your home.
* Donations then go directly to your nearest participating Goodwill organization using a free shipping label and Goodwill then sells the donated goods.
This is awesome! Thank you 🙂
You’re welcome!
I will be doing this. Thanks for the post!
Glad to hear it! YW! 😉
Omg I Love this! !!!! YES finally! So awesome; )
How cool is this??!
How do you arrange for ups to come to your door?
I just leave the box at the front door and when UPS brings a package, they take the one you leave.
Thanks for answering ☺
You go to the usps website. You can schedule the day for pick up. They ask a few simple questions about the package. You set it out, they pick it up. We have a lock box for mail and packages so the likelihood of the mail carrier coming to my porch unscheduled is slim. 🙂
Not true, you have to arrange it on their website first. They will not just take a box that you leave outside.
Love this idea!!!
Do you get a donation receipt? I find it very worthwhile to donate items and then use the receipt to write them off my taxes!
Wondering the same thing. We donate very regularly, but being self employed it helps tremendously on our end of the year taxes.
There is a box you can select for a tax receipt
This is perfect for me, I find myself forgetting to take things to the goodwill so stuff piles up. It would be so much easier to leave it outside to get picked up. How convenient!
I am the same exact way!
Love this thank you!!
You’re welcome!
What a great idea!!
Thank you for the information, I’m sure I will do this!
You are so welcome!
I’d rather drove my donations to The Salvation Army or a local charity than ship for free the Goodwill. Great idea though.
Yes! Love the idea but wish it was going to any other organization.
Same!
Me too! Love idea… just wish it wasn’t going to a “for profit” agency.
I’m curious as to why? Is goodwill not reputable ?
Goodwills proceeds go to the CEO not to the needy. Everything you drop off profits corporate hard for me to explain but definitely google it!
Turned me off big time when I had heard CEO makes $$$. I honestly think Goodwill is getting a little too greedy especially when you buy something and they constantly ask you do you want to donate $. Their prices are already inflated especially here in Cali. I donate all my items to my local thrift store run by senior volunteers. The money goes toward the community especially the kids.
Goodwill at least the 1 in my town fills the dumpster with perfectly good items its usually overflowing. I REFUSE to donate to them as well
Same here. I’ve watched them dump items people could use. I’ve seen them break up furniture instead of offering for free because they didn’t have room…such a shame. I run a free site and offer all my stuff for free online and if nobody wants it i donate to others who can use.
I was in a store one day and kept hearing this glass smashing sound. There was an employee by dishes and glasses throwing things into a bin and letting everything smash. Not just placing it but purposely breaking it all. You know if they put a FREE sign someone would take it. Why not let customers or people in need come take it? Ridiculous to destroy it. Not to mention that sound of breaking glass over and over again was horrible to listen to. At least do it when customers aren’t in the store.
If you pick up ANYTHING from their trash bins you stand the chance of getting arrested I personally know if 2 individuals who were arrested after donating but picking up an item. There are cameras everywhere an WILL call the cops.
I have been giving our castoff items to peers in our community who are in need. I have found them through facebook sites, our school, and our network of friends. I am a busy full time-working single mom of three littles. After daddy left, we had our share of rough times. Our community provided for us. Now that we are flourishing, I have the greatest satisfaction in cutting out the middle man and giving directly to those who need a little kindness.
That’s awesome! Way to be an independent woman and take care of your babies. Happy holidays to you and your family. 🙂
agreed. I never have nor ever will give to goodwill. we live in a very small rural town with under 5000 people and like many said they when they have to much stuff donated and charge high prices. They throw it into the dumpster perfectly fine items people have donated. I give out of the goodness of my heart. people know me very well as the grandma helper and I do. our people are clothed pretty good because we all share here. people couple of weeks ago left 15 boxes of items . we are down to two boxes. we sort stuff and then as on needed basis people ask especially now at christmas time. migrant farm workers. give to non profits. or donate to churches for their yard sale or thrift shops.
Goodwill industries is a FOR PROFIT BUSINESS NOT A 501-C3 non Profit Organization. Which means it is a business. An I dare say the best marked business ever, very very cheap labor an all products for sale cost them $0.00 nothing all is pure profit.
No need to drive. They pick up. I have a pick up scheduled for this week. So many good organizations that are not greedy and pick up at your door.
I don’t and won’t donate to goodwill.
Same here. I refuse to donate to the Goodwill.
Same here
Agreed! I’m super pregnant with a crooked baby and 3 children and this pregnancy has not been easy by any means and now I’m constantly in pain. My dr recommended I get a glider now because it will help move her and give me relief and I can use it to nurse her in when she’s here. We are a low income family so I can’t just go buy one! My goodwill had one that needed work and cushions and was asking $50!! They would NOT budge on the price and will not and it’s been there two weeks! I donate to them tons and always round up my change and they couldn’t help me out one bit! I don’t understand how they help then! So, my donations are going somewhere else from now on!
Sorry to hear that -but not surprised. I have heard the manager at local Goodwill get very rude & agressive when someone questions pricing practices or ask for a lower price.
I’ve never asked questions about pricing nor for a lower price until today and was floored at how she acted!! I know they help the disabled get jobs and that’s great, but they can do way more than that so I’m appalled they wouldn’t and how she talked to me!
See if you have a local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. MUCH better organization, much nicer to deal with.
Hey Scarlet sorry to read about your thought pregnancy. May I ask where you live? I have the perfect glider for you if we do t live to far apart. I’m in Lafayette LA. Call if you’re close it would do this Grandmother good to give you this glider. Solid wood with French Toile print in black an white.
Can reach me @337-3441847 or findlaurie@yahoo.com
You are a dear.
Goodwill is more of a business than a charity. Great business structure though; sell items to low income communities that you receive for free.
Whenever I have an out going package/box, I place a post it note in my mailbox, letting my mail carrier that there is an outgoing package by my front door. This has worked out great, esp when my little one’s having nap time or we’re just not up for any outings that day.
Vietnam vets will pick up all sorts of clothing, tools, furniture, etc. from your house. Just go to vva.org and schedule a pick-up online. They leave a tax receipt too!
Thanks, I’d much rather donate there!
Pickupsforvets.org will take you right there. Doesn’t cover all states but most are included.
We have been using Vietnam Vets for years.
Thanks for this info. I’d much rather donate to this!
Yup, they are great! I donate everything that’s in great/good condition because I don’t have the time for a garage sale or the space to hoard. I’ve also donated to big brother and big sister and they’ve been great as well! They also picked up my things right off the porch.
I have a donation of clothes and toys being picked up tomorrow! It’s always been my go to because it’s a good cause and super easy.
I donate stuff to them all time because of this and it’s such a great cause. Love that they pickup and leave a tax receipt too- so helpful!
Omg I need this my hubby is a hoarder and I can never get him to drop off my donations with our one car! I never donate his stuff though lol.
Great concept! Thanks for letting us know
You’re very welcome!
I’m with others. What a bummer it is going to goodwill.
Honestly, lately the things I have heard from a friend that works at Salvation Army corporate offices I am disappointed in them too.
I was loving this until I realized Goodwill would be getting all the stuff. That guy makes millions and pays most of his workers slave wages (literally less than minimum wage – pennies on the dollar!) then calls himself a philanthropist.
I prefer to donate to a local Asbury thrift store. they use the money they make to support organizations in my area. they pick up. also the Purple Heart picks up. Madison, Al
I agree – not a Goodwill fan! Great concept but wish it went somewhere else.
Purple Heart picks up from your home!!!
I used to work at Goodwill. I was the one who went through and priced the donations. The amount of donations that are thrown away is a crime. Any Xmas decorations,donated right after Xmas, will be thrown out. Same goes for any holiday decorations, only priced and sold before the holiday, otherwise, thrown out. All donated towels, sheets or any bedding are thrown out,unless brand new. Products are rotated weekly and what is pulled off the floor is thrown out. If too much of one product is newly on the floor, new donations will be thrown out. Items are priced piece by piece. Example: pot priced separately from its lid. That’s because we had to price a quota of items every hour or else we were reprimanded and eventually written up.
Wow thanks for the insight.
I’m sure if items are not sold it will then go toward Goodwill outlet before trash. Items are sold by the pound.
That’s such a shame they waste so much. It would be great if they donated clothes, sheets etc to homeless shelters or somewhere where desperately needed. I know animal shelters will take blankets. Check your local churches too because a lot of times they’re looking for winter coats, scarves, gloves etc to help people out.
I guess this post is really intended for people to recycle their boxes while donating, but if you’re like me and you’re donating decent items, I’d hate to think that they’re being thrown out, geez, I could do that myself!!
Everyone have a happy and safe holiday!
The goodwill in my area sells towels, and bedding. And the items that don’t sell are pulled and sent to an outlet, where you pay by the pound.
My Goodwill is too picky for me. They only take new shoes and brand name items. I went to drop of some of my kids clothes and they told me to keep most of it or they would have to toss it. They pulled out the Gap, ON, Gymbo, and gave me back the circo, faded glory, hanes, etc. They wouldn’t even take the shoes my daughter wore for a picture because they were used. I ended up going to DAV and they took it all! I went in their store a few days later and I was able to find many of my donated items for sale.
If you live in Texas, Texas Paralyzed Vetrans, come to your house and pick up donations the 3rd Wednesday of every month in my area. They leave tax receipt and very easy to schedule. They email you once a month to see if you have donations or not. I like that i’m supporting vetrans and the donations get used and not thrown away or resold for a profit. https://www.clothingpickuptexas.com/door-to-door.aspx
Thank you so much for sharing, this sounds perfect!
Great idea, but not to goodwill…
I’m not a fan of Goodwill either anymore. They price their items based on brand name which is ridiculous. No warranty comes with that brand name so why price up? They also get the items for free, so I feel they should price more affordably. Goodwill is supposed to be affordable for those in need, yet their prices keep climbing. I have reached out to corporate several times to express my thoughts but they don’t answer back.
We have a thrift mart in our town and they price items between .50 and $4 or $5. Then they use the money to give back to the community. They also give away $1,000’s of dollars in scholarships to the local high school students every year. This all seems so much more charitable to me.
Ohh man but where will I get an empty Amazon box…JUST KIDDING
Best comment ever! LOL I have the same problem.
😂 love this comment!
I donate to goodwill all the time, and will continue to do so. They hire uneducated people and give them training and education. And they pay very well. I have a friend who worked for them after college, who helped find positions for people and get them training. She made $20 an hour in small town Oklahoma. That’s a good wage for the area. While I don’t agree with the CEO making a 6-digit salary, I think it’s a good organization.
I’m with you on this. Our local and surrounding area goodwill stores give back to the communities. I love that they hire those who couldn’t otherwise get a job. When one of our other charities are in need they always help in anyway they can. Don’t let a few bad apples ruin the whole basket.
Paige I beg to differ with you. I have a family member that is well educated not uneducated.and they did not give training nor did they educate him. he did not get paid very well. really now. he got paid minimum wage. and he was working in a big town and him and about 6 others got laid off. I use to donate to goodwill but there prices are just like shopping at wal mart or kohls on clearance. even when many yrs ago I was a single mom I got better stuff at yard sales almost brand new. so before people start saying more wonderful things. research. I will continue to give back to my community thru churches etc. and stuff from my own home. if you won;t wear it then why would someone else want stuff.
Research? lol I guess you didn’t understand what I wrote. And as stated by another commenter, obviously not all Goodwills are created equal.
This is A HUGE BLESSING!!! Praise The Lord for a new and very practical way for us to give all year long.
Do your research. Giving to goodwill is only giving to their CEOs. The $ goodwill makes is profit for them, not a charity at all.
I think I will be one of the few voices defending goodwill. They will employee people with cognitive and developmental disabilities and provide coaches. They provide job training programs and job search items. Literacy classes, computer classes, bus rides to interviews. And this costs money to do.
As for the complaints about what they throw out… to be fair a great deal of it is JUNK. What didn’t sell at yard sales, hopeless outdated, broken, stuff you don’t want to pay for or they don’t have storage space to hold.
Yes the CEO makes good money. However, as one who works with people trying to get jobs, I’m sick and most likely will leave the field because of the mentality that warm fuzzies feed your kids
I think Goodwill is way overpriced as well. A pair of jeans at my local one is over $8.00, a sweater/ shirt is over $6.00. I can purchase for almost that price new on sale. Someone who works there told me that when they do the ” color of the week”( which means items marked with a particular color are half off) they start pulling those items off the floor more and more each day so you can’t ever find much at 50% off. Also even old, dirty looking furniture is way overpriced. Like $200 for a couch and they got it FREE! I think that is a rip off. I’ve quit shoping there.
Those are the same prices in my stores. You can actually find cheap clothes in Kohl’s. It wouldn’t surprise me with them pulling the clothes off the racks during sale week. On Thursdays they have $1 sale which is the same color that was 1/2 price for the week. I’ve gone a few times and have found it extremely hard finding items for $1. Either most are gone or they put some away and restock on Friday.
So great to know. Wonderful initiative by Amazon and UPS. Thanks for sharing
I have lived in different parts of the country and I can honestly say, the Goodwills (retail shops) vary from state to state or region. Here, where I am now—the Goodwill hires the mentally challanged, disabled, etc. One of the mangers has lost her arm, etc. and she is fast as can be on the register. There is a deaf man that is nice as can be that does lifting and loading. I see the store full of these employees when I go in weekly, if not more than that. My Goodwill trains people that might have a hard time getting a job elsewhere and providing them with a good job. They are as friendly and kind as they can be. Things are not thrown out at mine. They put used sheets, towels, linens, Christmas items out, etc. I have seen them unload a car and within minutes roll the items out and put it on the shelves. I can only speak for ours but I will donate to them because I have a cousin who is in her early 20’s with the mind of a child—and places like our Goodwill train and help these people. Don’t say they are making money off of them or being cruel to hire them.. they are not. She has a job that involves washing windows and rolling silverware at a local eating place that uses adults like her for jobs like that. Before her job she just stayed at home and was not near as happy as she is now. That job means the world to her and it has literally changed her life. I know for a fact Goodwills can vary from region to region. i will continue to always support our local Goodwill. They do too much good for the less fortunate here. As for the CEO making a huge salary—that is just like other big organizations. We may not like that but I only see good come from our Goodwill.
My mother shops Goodwill. She sent my son a book from one of their stores. Someone drew a particular male body part with suggestive written words. I found it before he touched the book. Any charity that will pay shipping for any weight begs me to question fund mismanagement. Shipping is quite expensive.
Awe, this is an unfortunate experience. 🙁 I would guess that Goodwill (as well as other retailers and public/school libraries), are not staffed to the point where they can inspect every book for inappropriate “additions.” This is an excellent reminder to us all that it is a great idea to inspect items that could have been tampered with by others before giving to our children. I honestly would have never thought of this, but always will moving forward. Thank you for sharing! I am grateful! 🙂
I donate to a local charity who gives the proceeds to animal shelters.
Even though I have found some great finds at Goodwill, I too have been reluctant to donate a loved ones’ clothes there because she would have wanted them to be given away. I’m going to see which of the organizations mentioned above pick up in my area.
The money they make goes to the owner and not those in need either
I applaud you! In our community, we have several options: women’s shelter, a few churches do free clothing swaps, and we have a facebook site for “unconditional giving.” You’re very kind to think of her wishes and to take the extra effort to give someone else a loving boost! 🙂
Thanks, Sara. It was my mom and I’ve tried really hard to follow her wishes to the letter. She was the most giving person I know. I will look into the options you suggested.
Goodwill is a corporation that rarely helps people in need. If this was Salvation Army yes. Goodwill is no different than Walmart.
They profit, not help.
The Goodwill I go to here in Philly only has junk. The workers take the good stuff and sells it on Ebay prob. they never have any Coats. I dont get how they cant have Coats. I donate to a church thrift shop that helps the community.
Green Drop does the same thing. You can choose who your donation goes to, and they leave a donation tag. I always choose Purple Heart!
I was loving this till I saw it was goodwill. Wish it were a better organization with better morals and geared toward helping those in need
Perfect timing, everyone Donating after they receive their new Christmas presents!🎄🎅
Absolutely despise goodwill. I would much rather drive my donations to the salvation army or local charitable thrift store so I know I am helping someone in need than give their rich CEO my stuff.
I bring my donations to our local recycling center. They have a swap shop run by volunteers. You take what you need and donate what you dont want. It is awesome! It stays local and keeps items out of the landfill. I am truly surprised to read the comments about Goodwill. I had no idea. I do have to say, I called my local chapter last week asking what kind of help they had for homeless children in need of winter coats and they told me they just sold vouchers for half the price value, but they would NOT donate a coat or give me vouchers to hand to families in need after a fire, etc. I couldnt believe it. I continued calling many different organizations and some local ones donated bags and bags of winter items. I am glad I found someone who could help. Goodwill wouldnt.
The closest participating GoodWill to me is the next state over?!!! That’s silly…would definitely drive my donation if I chose to donate to GoodWill. Most often I donate to other charities, such as Catholic Charities, Morning Star Mission or St. Vincent DePaul. Let’s keep them all in business! Merry Christmas everyone : )
There is a thrift store nearby that takes things goodwill does not have room for. At least in the Dayton, Ohio area. I love this one thrift store I find such cool stuff there. I even saw stuff for sale that I had donated to goodwill several miles away. I think the goodwills are expensive. I like to get large print books and puzzles for my grandparents and the cost is double at the goodwill.
What thrift store is this? I live in Beavercreek Township and sometimes visit or donate to the Goodwill by the Fairview Mall.
Village Thrift on Woodman seems to be everyone’s favorite thrift store.
As someone who worked at three nonprofits and now provides consulting to mostly nonprofits, employee compensation would not be my number one criterion for judgment. That aside, the concept of taking donations and selling them is not unique to Goodwill. Many, many nonprofits operate this way, including Red Cross who sells donated blood to hospitals. Lastly, Goodwill isn’t the company covering shipping; Amazon is.
https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pallotta_the_way_we_think_about_charity_is_dead_wrong
Thank you! That was a wonderful Ted talk. Thank you for sharing. 80% of the commenters on this post need to watch it, bc all they care about is what the CEO makes.
It upsets me that goodwill wouldn’t even donate a coat to someone in need. I feel terrible to hear that they won’t recycle things or give things away for free that they can’t use. Recently I connected with a woman on my Nextdoor site who gives clothing to a charity that actually hands it to the poor. I will be going through her from now on. I hate to see things of value go in the garbage when there are so many poor people all over the world.
Such an awesome concept! Unfortunately the president of GW for our state is our very unfriendly next door neighbor. It might make one think twice about donating here if you met him &/or saw his mcmansion…hopefully the program will expand to other charities in the future.
Goodwill CEO and owner Mark Curran profits 2.3 million a year.
Goodwill is a very catchy name for his business.
You dontate to his business and then he sells items for a profit. He pays nothing for his products and pays his workers minimum wage.
NICE GUY!!!
$0.00 (ZERO) goes to help anyone. STOP GIVING TO THIS MAN!!!!
Instead give to reputable organizations like: THE SALVATION ARMY, THE AMERICAN LEGION, THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS, THE DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS, THE MILITARY ORDER OF THE PURPLE HEARTS, THE VIETNAM VETERANS ASSOCIATION (National), MAKE A WISH, ST JUDE RESEARCH HOSPITAL, RONALD MCDONALD HOUSES, LIONS CLUB INTERNATIONAL.
NOTE: Other “BAD” Organizations are: The Am Red Cross, March of Dimes, The United Way and UNICEF
GOODWILL EXECUTIVES GETTING RICH OFF OF YOUR DONATIONS DO SOME RESEARCH GIVE TO CHARITY THAT GIVES IT AWAY FOR FREE.
***Just my point of view**
GOODWILL IS A FOR PROFIT INDIVIDUALLY OWENED BUSINESS. This is equal to giving Kohl’s merchandise for them to sell an make a profit VERY VERY little stays in your own city.
Worked with them when Director of Crisis Pregnancy Center and also when Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. They donate nothing to the persons who had lost everything who were living in CajunDome in my city.
SO PLEASE PLEASE DONATE LOCALLY SO THEY GIVE BACK LOCALLY TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
Thank you for reading I know it’s my opinion but I do feel strongly. Many local organizations will come to your house an pick up.
Yes!!!