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by Karen Schroter
Resources
Find the fair market value for your donated items
If you itemize deductions on your income taxes, you may be able to deduct the value of your donations. Check current tax laws. You must provide a description of noncash donations that exceed $500 in value on Form 8283. Items worth more than $5,000 require an appraisal.
Salvation Army’s “Donation Value Guide”
Intuit’s “It's Deductible” program
Send your donations where they are needed most
Give Back Box allows you to reuse shipping boxes to send donations to a multitude of needy organizations. You chose the recipient, pack your box with gently used or new items, pay $15. for the shipping label, drop off at USPS/UPS or have it picked up.
Donate to benefit teachers - The East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse
Donate items to be used creatively by Bay Area teachers. Visit this site to see acceptable donations, location and hours of operation.
What is accepted? Click here
Donate books and movies to your local Library
Find your local library.
http://find-your-public-library.dp.la/
Save time with menu planning with Real Plans
(monthly/annual subscription cost)
One of my personal favorite resource. This affordable, easy to navigate, time saving site will benefit the entire family!
Safe Medication Drop-off
Keep expired and unused medications out of our water supply and away from children and others by dropping off at a local CVS. Look here for a location near you.
https://www.cvs.com/content/safer-communities-locate
Earth911
Find recycle centers near you.
Recycle Where
Find locations in your area to recycle just about anything.
Recycle Where also available as an app
re:source
Your Online Guide for Reuse, Repair, Recycling, and Safe Disposal
Serving Alameda County, Contra Costa County, and the City of Palo Alto
Guide to Going Green at Home
Budget-friendly habits we can implement in our homes that can help reduce
landfill waste, create cleaner air, reduce deforestation, and conserve natural resources.
Resource shared by Ms. Platt's summer nature program students.
PaperKarma
(possible minimal monthly cost for a subscription after trial)
Rid yourself of unwanted mail simply by taking a photo.
https://www.paperkarma.com/ app with phone camera needed
Contra Costa County Household Hazardous Waste
Properly dispose of paint, cleaning products, fluorescent bulbs, batteries...
What is accepted? Click here
https://www.centralsan.org/household-hazardous-waste-collection-facility
Electronic Waste (and metal)- Rapid Recycle
Dispose of electronic items and more. Working items are recycled and sold on Wednesdays (10a-2p). I found a great monitor for a fraction of the price new and felt good about the recycling aspect of keeping items out of our landfill.
Cardboard & boxes (and more) filling your space? Easy recycle drop off-
Dispose of flattened cardboard and more. There are 2 drop off addresses, for paper/cardboard and steel /appliances visit 1313 Galaxy Way, Concord. For eWaste, non-ferrous and CRV items, go to 1320 Galaxy Way, Concord. What is accepted? Click here
Concord Recycling Center website
Mattress Donation and Disposal
Discarding a used mattress can be difficult especially if you are not purchasing a new one and having them take away the old one. Here are some things to consider and help you remove the mattress from your home. Click here