(Ross May / Los Angeles Times)
11 charitable thrift stores in L.A. that need your clothing donations right now
You’ve cleaned out your closet and now have bags full of clothes at your feet. What to do? You could head to a local Goodwill, like many in Los Angeles — the Southern California branch got a record 2.3 million donations in 2021. Or you could try something new. There are a wealth of charitable donation stores in the Los Angeles area that could use your donations to support victims of domestic violence, children’s health research, the unhoused and people living with HIV/AIDS.
For example, thrift store L.A. Road has been a part of the Eagle Rock community for six years. The store partners with organizations that help people transition to permanent housing. Matthew Troyer, the store manager, said donations tend to slow down after spring.
“People generally do their spring cleaning in March,” said Troyer. “So we have really good donations in March, and in April we kinda tend to see a slump.”
At the moment, it feels like the store doesn’t have a lot of donations to work with. Which is why it is eagerly accepting drop-offs.
Whether you plan to take part in spring cleaning or you’re holding off to declutter your closet later in the year, it’s never a bad time to donate clothing or home goods. Just make sure you’re not donating junk. Thrift stores may have to use their own limited funds to send trash to the landfill, or they may not accept unusable items at all.
Do you know of other worthwhile donation centers that accept used clothing? Email jacqueline.pinedo@latimes.com so that we can add them to our list.
As spring cleaning approaches, two queens of #CleanTok, KC Davis and Auri Kananen, share low-stress tips and tricks.
Showing Places
AIDS Assistance thrift shop sells clothes and artworks.
(Jacqueline Pinedo)
AIDS Assistance Thrift Store
Thrift store
AIDS Assistance Thrift Store has been supporting the Long Beach community for 30 years. It has a unique program that provides people who are living with HIV and AIDS with access to free furniture and clothing. Donations are accepted at the counter during normal business hours, which are Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The thrift store doesn’t have a parking lot and it’s located on a busy street, so you’ll need to be patient when searching for a parking spot. It accepts clothing, furniture and art pieces.
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(Jacqueline Pinedo)
Children's Hospital Thrift Shop
Burbank Thrift store
If you want to support research into find cures for children’s endocrine disorders, donate to the Children’s Hospital thrift shop in Burbank. The thrift store is part of the L.A. Providence Guild, which raises funds for research in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolic disorders. Due to COVID, the thrift store is operating on limited hours. It is open Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and accepts donations from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The donations drop-off is located in the back of the store, where you also will find a small parking lot. The store accepts clothing items for men, women and children; toys; household items; collectibles; and furniture. For larger furniture items, call or email the store to make a drop-off appointment.
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Assistance League Thrift Store
Santa Monica Thrift store
Assistance League in Santa Monica is one of 120 chapter stores in the nation. Each location donates to specific causes in its community. The Santa Monica location works to provide college scholarships for high school graduates; it also provides scholarships for children to attend day and sleepover camps; and works to stop bullying in elementary school with its Assistance League puppeteers shows. The Santa Monica location has a large parking lot and there is plenty of metered street parking nearby. The thrift shop is open only Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you plan to drop off donations, show up when it opens because the parking lot tends to fill up. This locations accepts men’s, women’s and children’s clothing as well as household items, books and media and jewelry; it’s specifically seeking women’s vintage designer clothing.
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(Jacqueline Pinedo)
Shelter Right Hand Thrift Shop
Thrift store
Shelter Right Hand Thrift helps women and children in crisis. The thrift store is conveniently located in a shopping plaza, which offers visitors a large parking lot. Donations are accepted in the back of the store Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. It accepts two 30-gallon bags of women’s, children’s and men’s clothing per visit. Working kitchen and home appliances also are accepted. The thrift store operates Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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(Jacqueline Pinedo)
UCLA Thrift Shop
Sawtelle Thrift store
UCLA Thrift is tucked away in Westwood and benefits the UCLA Health Auxiliary, a nonprofit organization that supports the families, patients and health staff workers through special programs. The donation store has a designated drop-off door for donations just a few feet from its main entrance. Don’t be fooled by the lack of activity at the drop-off location; just ring the doorbell and someone will come to greet you. True to the Westwood location, it doesn’t have a parking garage and street parking is limited. The store is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It accepts men’s, women’s and children’s clothing items as well as furniture.
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(Jaqueline Pinedo)
LBRM Mission Thrift Shop
Thrift store
Long Beach Rescue Mission, tucked away on the industrial side of the city, supports the unhoused communities of Greater Los Angeles. The drop-off location is on the side of the building just a few feet from the main entrance. There is a decent amount of parking despite the location, and the shop operates Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It accepts small furniture items, new toys, clothing, jewelry and household items.
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L.A. Road Thrift Store
(Jacqueline Pinedo)
L.A. Road Thrift Store
Glassell Park Thrift store
The mission of L.A. Road Thrift Store in Glassell Park is to support its local community. The thrift store partners with organizations like Family Promise of the Verdugos and Ascencia that help people transition into permanent housing. The store has a designated drop-off located in the back of the building, which can be accessed through its parking lot. It accepts gently used clothing items, furniture, electronics and sports equipment. The store is open on Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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(Jacqueline Pinedo)
The Midnight Mission
Downtown L.A. Specialty
The Midnight Mission may be known for accepting food donations but it also accepts clothing. It accepts donations 24/7. At the drop-off center on San Pedro Street, where a person will greet you and take your donations. The location isn’t ideal for parking but you can pull up to the drop-off center and not have to park while unloading. Midnight Mission accepts men’s and women’s clothing.
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(Jacqueline Pinedo)
St. Vincent de Paul of Los Angeles
Lincoln Heights Thrift store
St. Vincent de Paul of Los Angeles helps the unhoused community. Its Los Angeles location has a large parking lot where you can comfortably get situated to make your donations. Pack your clothing donations into trash bags; otherwise they will not be accepted. The charity has bins at the entrance of the store where you can conveniently drop off clothing donations, as well as a drive-up station for larger items such as furniture. SVPDLA stops taking donation 30 minutes before closing. The L.A. location is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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(Jacqueline Pinedo)
National Council of Jewish Women Los Angeles Thrift Store
Burbank Flea Market
The National Council of Jewish Women has multiple thrift store locations throughout L.A. Its mission is to advance “economic security, promote dignity in the workplace and expand the safety net for families who are struggling,” according to its website. If you decide to visit the Burbank location, you’ll find plenty of parking. The donation drop-off is located in the back of the store and the center accepts donations from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It accepts gently used clothing for both men and women as well as housewares and furniture. The Burbank location is open Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m..
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(Jacqueline Pinedo)
Out of the Closet
Glassell Park Thrift store
Out of the Closet has multiple locations throughout the nation and Los Angeles. You can find stores in Atwater Village, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Long Beach and Glassell Park. Proceeds from thrift store sales go to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. The Glassell Park location is a little tricky to get to because it’s on a one-way street, but it has a parking lot, which is always a plus in L.A. It is open Saturday to Monday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It accepts clothing, furniture, kitchenware and appliance donations. It doesn’t take children’s toys and books, children’s clothing, office furniture or bedding, among other items.
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