The following is an alphabetic listing of charities accepting clothing donations. These charities are either based in Fort Lauderdale, or have designated affiliates in Fort Lauderdale and/or Broward County. All charities listed here are registered 501(c)(3) entities. Please contact them directly to inquire about drop off locations, hours and policies, or about hosting donation drives on their behalf. For information about adding charities to this list, please scroll to the bottom of this page.
While most charities prefer donations of new or gently used items, some will accept those requiring more substantial repairs. When you donate unusable items, or items beyond repair, charities may still be able to benefit via sales to textile recyclers and salvage companies.Please contact each charity directly to inquire. Be respectful of their guidelines. Donations that cannot be used or recycled may end up in the landfill!
Many of these charities may also be able to use hangers, display racks and shelving, shoeboxes, and other boxes or cases, plastic wrap and covers, and plastic or paper bags-- which keeps those items out of our landfills as well. Please inquire directly.
A Prom to Remember was founded in 2009 by a Fort Lauderdale resident. This organization provides the ultimate prom experience for teenagers with cancer. There are locations in Fort Lauderdale, Cleveland and Boston, with others launching soon. They may accept clothing directly, or may refer you to outlets that accept formal wear and funnel it to them as well as to other deserving organizations.
Becca’s Closet provides underprivileged teenagers with prom and homecoming dresses. The charity was founded by a local Broward County resident Rebecca Kirtman when she was still a teenager, and now run in her memory after her own tragic passing in 2003. The website includes an interactive feature to find a drop location.They welcome donations of age-appropriate formal dresses in all sizes.
Dress for Success was founded in 1997 and promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. They collect suits and other business attire of all types, and then provide this clothing to their clients during a phased program that is one of many programs they have to support women as they enter or re-enter the workforce. Once a client secures an interview, she is provided with appropriate attire for that meeting. After a job is successfully secured, she is then provided with mix and match pieces that can become the foundation of a professional wardrobe.
Goodwill Industries accepts used clothing, household goods and other items, but it is much more than just a recycling center. Goodwill provides rehabilitation services to people with disabilities and also training so that they can be productive members of society. They are actually one of the larger employers in our region, with more than 2000 employees. Donations can be made at Goodwill stores, drop boxes and drop centers (usually manned trucks) throughout the region. Proceeds from sales at Goodwill stores go back into our community. Items that cannot be sold in the stores are recycled or sold for salvage where possible.
Lions Clubs International - The WHO estimates that over 135 million people worldwide are in poverty in part due to problems with eyesight. Their poor vision may prevent them from learning to read or do a trade, and especially poor eyesight can prevent someone from doing a job properly. It can even cause other health and legal problems. For almost 100 years Lions Clubs have been helping to combat sight problems, and a big part of their work is providing recycled eyeglasses. Use their website to find drop locations and affiliates
New Eyes for the Needy was founded in 1932 and focuses on the over 11 million people in the U.S. who have poor eyesight by purchasing eyeglasses for them and supporting eyeglass recycling. In 2012/13, New Eyes helped 6,634 U.S. residents in need and recycled 140,000 eyeglasses.
Nike Re-use a Shoe is an innovative program to recycle running shoes of any brand. Ground up shoes are turned into everything from playground materials to new athletic jackets. So far, over 28 million shoes have been recycled by the company. You can drop yours at any Nike Factory Store.
One Sight is a group of optometrists, industry experts, clinicians, volunteers and partners "pioneering a movement to unlock human progress through universal vision care access." Over 25 years they have brought vision care to over eight million people worldwide. You can usually participate through local LensCrafters, Sears and Pearle Vision outlets. Donated glasses are disassembled and recycled, the proceeds of which go to purchasing new eyewear for patients.
One World Running promotes awareness of health, fitness and nutrition by providing running shoes to those in need in the U.S. and worldwide. They put on 5K walk/runs to promote exercise as well as understanding and goodwill between people. Scout troops often host collection drives, and there are regional drop locations.
Soles4Souls is dedicated to fighting the devastating impact and perpetuation of poverty. They do this by collecting new and used shoes and clothes from individuals, schools, faith-based institutions, civic organizations and corporate partners, then distributing those shoes and clothes both via direct donations to people in need and by provisioning qualified micro-enterprise programs designed to create jobs in poor and disadvantaged communities. Just go onto their website to look for local affiliates or to click on the “shipping” menu.
The Salvation Army operates 7,546 centers across the United States. These include food distribution, disaster relief, rehabilitation centers, anti-human trafficking efforts, and children's programs. Their work is funded through individual donations, corporate contributions, and the sale of goods donated to Salvation Army Family Stores. Donating your used clothing and accessories is essential to service provision. In Broward County, they have been serving the community since 1926, and assist over 15,000 local residents each year including families with children, single individuals, and senior citizens. They run programs to avoid homelessness and support addiction recovery, as well as serving as first responders for local emergencies.
NOTE: These listings are provided for information purposes only. No endorsements are implied. You should thoroughly investigate any organization to which you donate.
If you are a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization operating or with affiliates in the City of Fort Lauderdale and would like to be listed here to accept clothing donations, please click on the Feedback link at the top of this page. Note your organization’s name, Tax ID number, contact representative, phone number email and address. You should note whether donations are utilized here in the City or whether they are shipped elsewhere. You may also describe what types of items you do and do not accept.
