Season of giving: Places to donate pre-loved items in Singapore
PUBLISHED ONJanuary 01, 2020 1:50 AMByIsabelle Tow
With the new year approaching, there's no time like now to declutter your house and start the year with a sparkling, clean home.
But instead of tossing everything into the dump, your pre-loved items that are in good, usable condition could benefit the less fortunate instead. Here's where to check out.
1. PASS-IT-ON
Pass-It-On is a non-profit project that connects the general public to the needy via Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs).
VWOs request for items on behalf of their clients that can range from infant milk formulas to refrigerators which appear on the website's "Wish List".
The public can fulfil these wishes by donating the requested items, or list items they'd like to donate on the website and wait for a VWO to contact them directly if the item is of use.
What types of items:
- Infant milk formula
- Electrical appliances such as refrigerators, microwaves and television sets
- Wheelchairs
How and where: Visit their website to see the latest wish list or put up the items you'd like to gift.
2. THE SALVATION ARMY
Singaporeans should be no stranger to The Salvation Army. I remember being taken to the Praisehaven thrift store at Bukit Timah when I was a child and being bought their one-dollar books by the stack.
Around since 1935, their thrift store is part of the organisation's comprehensive network of social services that range from child care centres to counselling, all catered to serve the underprivileged in Singapore.
What types of items:
- Electronic devices and appliances
- Furniture
- Books
- Toys
How and where: The Salvation Army has seven fixed Donation in Kind Booths where you can drop your items off. Their locations can be found at their website.
If you have bulky items, you may arrange for a collection service by calling +65 6288 5438, booking online at www.redshieldindustries.com, or emailing donor@SMM.salvationarmy.org with a brief description of the items you wish to donate, your collection address and contact number.
The organisation will appreciate a contribution of $60 for every collection, which is optional.
3. MINDS SHOP
MINDS, or Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore, runs four flagship thrift stores that not only carry a carefully selected range of wares from furniture to collectibles, but serve as avenues where their intellectually disabled clients learn how to interact with customers.
What types of items:
- Ornaments and small furniture
- Bags
- Clothes
- Toys
How and where: Drop off your pre-loved items at any of their store locations or contact Ms Linda Yusop at shawalindah.hq@minds.org.sg.
4. UPLIFT PROJECT SINGAPORE
A volunteer group founded in Australia, Uplift Project collects new or used bras and sends them to women in developing countries where bras are often unaffordable and unavailable.
Countries where the Uplift Project has sent bras to in the past include the Philippines.
What types of items:
- Nursing bras
- Strapless bras
- Sports bras
- Training bras
How and where: Uplift Project Singapore does not have any ongoing local bra collection drive and only accepts bra donations to women in the Philippines. Visit this link for the mailing address.
5. DIGNITY MAMA STALL
Dignity "Mama" Stall are pushcarts that sell pre-loved books, which are managed by young adults with special needs and their parents.
These kiosks are found at three hospitals, National University Hospital, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and Ng Teng Fong Hospital and Seng Kang General Hospital.
What types of items:
- English and Chinese fiction and non-fiction books
- Magazines like the National Geographic and Readers' Digest
- Books on arts and craft
- Encyclopedias
How and where:
Notify at least 3 working days in advance on their online form before donating books at the two drop-off locations.
6. TZU CHI
Since 2006, the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation has made every second Sunday of the month Tzu Chi Recycling Day.
Recycling points are set up at 37 locations across the island where residents can bring down their recyclable items to, and encouraged to sort their items according to their different categories.
What types of items:
- Clothes
- Electrical appliances
- School bags
- Aluminium cans and steel tins
- Shoes
- CDs
How and where: Find the nearest recycling points to your home on their website.
7. ANGEL HEARTS SINGAPORE
Angel Hearts Singapore is a volunteer group that provides parents with hand-sewn burial outfits for their premature babies, stillborns or infants who have died.
Their outfits are repurposed from donated wedding gowns and formal outfits, which are cut and remade into various dress sizes to fit even the smallest baby.
The angel gowns are thereafter hand-washed, packaged and delivered to hospitals in Singapore. They also create hand sewn crafts and accessories to raise funds.
What types of items:
- Pre-loved wedding gowns, bridesmaids' dresses, baptism dresses
- Lace fabric, duchess satin, pearl buttons, white ribbons
- Printed fabrics to be made into hand sewn items
- DIY jewellery beads, crystals and findings to be made into accessories
How and where: If you would like to help make the gowns, the group meets every 2nd Wednesday of the month. Email contact@angelhearts.sg for more details; no sewing experience is required.
To donate your outfits, arrange an appointment with the volunteers via email or send a private message on its Facebook page.
You can also mail your outfit to Angel Gowns Singapore, My Mail Box 884383, Singapore 919191.
Note: Due to overwhelming response, Angel Hearts has stopped collection of gowns for 2019, and will likely continue in 2020. Visit its Facebook page for updates.
8. WILLING HEARTS
Run wholly by volunteers, Willing Hearts is a charity that operates a soup kitchen that prepares, cooks and distributes 5,000 daily meals to over 40 locations island wide, 365 days a year.
Beneficiaries include the elderly, the disabled, low income families, children from single parent families and migrant workers.
The charity employs only six full-time staff and relies on their 200 daily volunteers and donors for electricity and food supplies.
What:
- Rice, bee hoon, macaroni
- Canola or Sunflower oil
- Soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, pepper
- Sugar (preferably raw)
How and where: Donors can drop supplies directly to Willing Hearts at 11 Jalan Ubi Blk 6, #01-51 Kembangan - Chai Chee Community Hub Singapore 409074 during its operating hours of 4.30am to 3pm.
9. BLESSINGS IN A BAG
Blessings in a Bag is a non-profit organisation that collects items mainly for children such as school supplies, hygiene products, stationery and toys from corporations and the local community, and then distributes them to beneficiaries across Singapore.
What types of items:
- Hygiene supplies like toilet paper and body wash
- Stationery like pens, notebooks and supplies for art and craft
- Toys
- Clothing, shoes and bedclothes
- Books
How and where: Donations-in-kind from the public have closed for 2017, but will re-open soon in 2018. Follow them on their Facebook page to find out when they will re-open collections or email blessingsinabag@gmail.com
10. SINGAPORE FREECYCLE NETWORK
A grassroots and non-profit movement that aims to match people who have functional items they have no use for to people who have a need for them.
The transaction takes place on their Facebook page where an item's picture is uploaded and individuals who are interested can contact the owner directly for collection.
What types of items:
- Any item in working condition and can be reused
How and where: Post a picture of the item you want to give away on the Facebook page and interested takers will respond to the offer for collection.
11. NEW2U THRIFT SHOP
Entirely managed by volunteers of the Singapore Council of Women's Organisations (SCWO), this is where you can both donate and shop for bargains, including pre-loved clothing, accessories, household items, ornaments, books and more.
Proceeds go towards Star Shelter, a registered charity under the SCWO, and various SCWO Initiatives.
What types of items:
- Clothes (men, women, and children)
- Books & Toys
- Bags & Accessories
- Shoes
- Crockery & Utensils
How and where: Email new2u@scwo.org.sg for more details on donating your items.
Note: Due to space constraints, New2U Thrift Shop is temporarily not accepting donations, and will be closed from 14 December 2019 to 12 January 2020. It reopens on 13 January 2020. Visit its website for updates.
12. GREENSQUARE
Fast fashion makes for more affordable threads but it's also hurting the environment. In 2016 alone, over 150,000 tonnes of textile and leather waste was generated with only 7 per cent of it being recycled.
It doesn't just take up space in the landfills - it also produces plenty of carbon emission and textile production is the second-largest consumer of the world's water supply.
Greensquare aims to combat this issue by offering free textile recycling services, sifts out good quality recyclables which are sold to second-hand textile importers in developing countries to help the less fortunate purchase them at a more affordable price.
The rest are sold as industrial cleaning cloth.
What types of items:
- Clean clothes and wearable paired shoes
- Clean household linen like bedsheets and towels
- Accessories like belts and bags
How and where: You can schedule a collection (minimum weight of 15kg) or find the nearest drop-off locations.
This article was first published in Home & Decor.