It's Ramadan and that means it's time to get your house raya ready!
Whether it’s old clothes, old books, or toys, many of us would tend to throw them away without a second thought. But why throw them away when you can donate them instead?
Ramadan is a good time for us to give back to the community and individuals in need, and what better way to do that than to donate our old items.
Be it clothes or food, here are 10 places you can donate your old or unused items in Singapore this Ramadan 2024!
1. ActiveSG
If you have old or used sports shoes, you should donate them to ActiveSG!
They have a permanent used shoe collection drive that collects a variety of rubberised shoes including sports shoes, school shoes, football boots without metal studs, and even slippers or sandals.
Credit: ActiveSG
When you donate them, the shoes will be repurposed into sports infrastructures like fitness corners, playgrounds, and jogging tracks.
You can drop off your old shoes at ActiveSG Sports Centres, Public Parks, and even Decathlon. You can find out more about the location here.
2. Big Little Things
Do you have empty skincare bottles stored at home?
Why not donate them! L'Occitane has a permanent recycling program that accepts full-sized cleaned and dried empties (empty bottles) from any beauty brand.
Some other products aside from skincare that they accept are toiletries (hand washes, shower products, scrubs), all Face Care products except skincare capsules, sheet masks, cleansing pads, Hair Care (shampoos, hair masks, conditioners, non-aerosol sprays), Body Care (hand creams, body creams, and deodorant sticks), Fragrances (EDPS, EDTS, and roll-ons), Home Items (candles, L’OCCITANE diffuser refills), and all types of Eco-refills.
The best part is that you can gain rewards when you accumulate a certain number of 'empties'.
Do note that this program is only available at their VivoCity, Paragon, ION Orchard, Plaza Singapura, Northpoint City, and Raffles City outlets.
You can learn more here.
3. The Salvation Army
If you're thinking of clearing your wardrobe for Hari Raya, The Salvation Army is a good place to drop off your old clothes!
Not only can you donate clothes, but also shoes, bags, toys, accessories, computers, mobile phones, and even furniture like beds and desks.
Their programmes help to reach out to those in need including the elderly, needy families, children, and migrant workers.
They have many donation booths located around Singapore, including Jurong East (IMM open-air carpark), Bishan (TSA Headquarters), and Hougang (Gracehaven). Check out their donation booths here.
4. Books Beyond Borders
For avid readers, you may want to donate your old books to Books Beyond Borders!
This place was set to improve education in rural Nepal where you can help by donating your old books.
Books Beyond Borders accept fiction and non-fictional books including Picture/Board books, Young Adult, and Novels.
If you're planning in donating your books, do check the giving guide and assess whether your books are in a suitable condition.
You can drop your donations off at the Kong Beng Industrial Building or you can choose doorstep pickup which is only available if you're donating 20 books or more!
5. HCSA Community Services
HCSA Community Services is a charitable organiser in Singapore which helps single parents who need support or assist ex-offenders in rebuilding their life!
You can donate a wide range of stuff, including groceries, household supplies, toiletries, and IT Equipment.
Once you have decided on your donation items, you'd have to make an appointment to drop them off at their respective centres. You can find out more about the accepted items here.
6. Pass It On
Pass It On is a non-profit project that acts as an online platform to pass unwanted items to needy and low-income families in Singapore.
This is done in collaboration with voluntary welfare organisations where you can fulfill specific wants of these families or elderly by browsing through the requested items on their wish list!
This platform accepts a range of things including home appliances, medical, mobility, and learning aids, as well as furniture!
You can check out the Grant a Wish program to see if your donation items meet a family's needs.
But do note that you have to liaise with individual organisations to pass the donated items to them.
7. Dignity Mama
Another place to drop off your preloved books is Dignity Mama!
Started by Project Dignity, a social organisation that works with struggling young individuals, your donated books will be sold at booths in hospitals in Singapore.
They accept an array of preloved books in good condition including adult fiction (except science fiction), as well as adult non-fiction on various topics such as computer science, business, and wellness.
Books that contain controversial, political, or religious content are not accepted. You can learn more here.
You can drop off your books at Ng Teng Fong Hospital and National University Hospital
8. Greensquare
Greensquare is another spot to drop off your preloved items.
Greensquare collects recyclable textiles before selling those in good condition to secondhand textile importers in developing countries to support their eco-educational activities and free collection services.
For those that cannot be sold, it will then be recycled and sold as cleaning cloths!
If you're interested in recycling your unwanted clothes, accessories, shoes, and household linens, you should ensure that your items are clean and don't donate those that are stained, wet, dirty, or moldy.
Other items that are not acceptable include kitchenware, books, fabric, soft toys, used undergarments and socks, comforters, and pillows.
You can drop your donated items at over 30 drop-off locations islandwide, including Funan Mall, or stores like FOX Kids & Baby.
For those who are donating five bags or more, you can simply schedule a collection appointment and Greensquare will pick them up for $5!
9. The Food Bank Singapore
If you have unopened or non-perishable food that you won't be needing, you can donate them to Food Bank Singapore!
With the aim to fight hunger and reduce food waste, Food Bank Singapore collect over 800,000kg of food each year which will then be distributed to food relief efforts such as emergency food rations delivery and daily meal programmes.
Food Bank accepts any packaged food, non-expired dry food, or unopened items and you can easily drop them off at any bank boxes islandwide!
10. Metta Welfare Association
Metta Welfare Association is a non-profit organisation that accepts an array of in-kind donations, including groceries, electronics, clothing, and IT equipment.
The accepted items will then be distributed to their beneficiaries and centres or transferred to other Social Service Agencies or external parties.
Planning to donate? Simply deposit them at the Metta Building's recycle bins at B1, 32 Simei Street 1.
There you have it! 10 places to donate your preloved and used items. Now you can give back to the community while also getting your house raya ready this Ramadan!