Most people think of donations as bags of old clothes and maybe a couch they're tired of looking at. And sure, we pick up plenty of both. But the list of things that can be donated — and that local nonprofits actually need — is a lot longer than you'd expect.
Here are ten items that Burlington-area donors regularly overlook.
1. Medical equipment and mobility aids
Crutches from a healed ankle. A walker your parent no longer uses. A shower bench that's been sitting in the basement since rehab ended. These items are expensive to buy new, and organizations like the Vermont Center for Independent Living (VCIL) put them directly into the hands of Vermonters with disabilities who need them.
If it's gathering dust in your closet, someone in Chittenden County could be using it right now.
2. Pet supplies
Leftover bags of dog food. A crate your puppy outgrew. Cat litter, leashes, beds, bowls — the Humane Society of Chittenden County runs entirely on community donations and adoption fees. Every bag of kibble you donate means more of their budget can go toward veterinary care and finding animals permanent homes.
3. Building materials
Replaced your kitchen cabinets? Pulled up hardwood flooring that's still in good shape? Leftover tile, lumber, light fixtures, hardware — Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity ReStore sells donated building materials to fund affordable homebuilding across northwest Vermont. That half-used box of screws has more value than you think.
4. Books
This one sounds obvious, but most people don't think to donate books beyond dropping a few in a Little Free Library. The Friends of the Fletcher Free Library accepts up to 50 books at a time and sells them to fund library programming. If you've got a bigger collection, they'll work with you to arrange a larger donation. Your bookshelf cleanout directly supports Burlington's public library.
5. Toys and sports equipment
Kids grow fast. The toys and gear they leave behind don't have to end up in a landfill. King Street Center and the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington use donated toys, art supplies, and sports equipment in their youth programs. That soccer ball your kid hasn't touched in two years could be getting kicked around an after-school program tomorrow.
6. Vehicles
This is the one that surprises people most. Good News Garage accepts donated cars in almost any condition — running or not — with free towing statewide. They repair the vehicles and award them to lower-income Vermont families working toward self-sufficiency. Your old car that's not worth the repair bill to you could be someone else's ride to work.
7. Hygiene and personal care products
Half-used isn't useful, but unopened shampoo, soap, toothpaste, deodorant, and menstrual products are in constant demand. Organizations like COTS, Spectrum Youth & Family Services, and Steps to End Domestic Violence go through personal care supplies quickly. That stockpile under your bathroom sink could help someone in crisis tonight.
8. Kitchen and household goods
Not just furniture — we're talking pots, pans, dishes, utensils, bedding, towels, lamps, small appliances. When USCRI Vermont resettles a refugee family in Burlington, they need to furnish an entire apartment from scratch. Your duplicate slow cooker or the sheet set from your old apartment can help a family build a home in a new country.
9. Electronics
Old laptops, tablets, monitors, and phones that still work have real value. ReSOURCE Vermont refurbishes donated electronics and sells them at affordable prices, with proceeds funding workforce development programs. That laptop you replaced last year could help someone learn job skills.
10. Food (yes, from your pantry)
You don't need a garden or a warehouse to make a food donation. Feeding Chittenden, the North End Food Pantry, and the South Burlington Food Shelf all accept non-perishable food from individual donors. Canned goods, pasta, rice, peanut butter — the basics that food-insecure families need most. If you're cleaning out your pantry, don't toss it. Donate it.
The common thread
The misconception isn't that people don't want to donate these things. It's that they don't realize anyone wants them. They assume the crutches are too niche, the pet food is too small, the building materials are too random.
They're not. Burlington's nonprofits are resourceful, and the range of what they accept reflects the range of needs in our community. The gap isn't generosity — it's awareness.
How GiveBetter fits in
We pick up furniture, clothing, household goods, electronics, and more — for free, anywhere in Burlington and Chittenden County. You schedule a pickup, choose which vetted nonprofit cause gets the proceeds, and we handle the rest.
Not sure if we can take something? Submit a request with a photo and we'll let you know. The answer is yes more often than you'd think.