Frequently Asked Questions

Have a question about donating to Goodwill? Here are some answers to the most popular queries:

Why won’t Goodwill take my mattress? Refrigerator?
There are several reasons why we do not accept these items. Items such as mattresses cannot be cleaned properly. Some items are too large for our donation station attendants to handle, while other items may be hazardous or recalled by the Consumer Products Safety Commission. If you have a question about what Goodwill can and cannot accept, view our list here.

Why won’t Goodwill take my computer or TV?
Computer monitors and televisions that are broken or unusable are costly to recycle, thus diverting proceeds from our job training and education programs.
Click here for a list of providers who do recycle TVs and computer monitors.

Will you pick up my donation?
Goodwill is not able to do home pickups. Check our list of conveniently located donation centers to find a location near you.

What do you do with the donations you don’t sell?
Goodwill makes every effort to sell the donated merchandise we receive, through affordable pricing and weekly sales in our stores. Merchandise that doesn’t sell in our retail stores is then sent to the Goodwill Outlet store, which offers merchandise at low or per-pound prices. We recycle what we can’t sell and also partner with other community organizations in need by sharing unsold goods with them.

How much revenue from my donation goes to your programs?
More than 94 percent of proceeds raised from our sales support our job training and education programs.

OOPS! I ACCIDENTALLY DONATED THE WRONG THING!

Sometimes, items that donors intend to keep are accidentally given to Goodwill. By acting quickly, we may be able to help you retrieve the item. Call us at 1-877-GIVE4GOOD for more information.