Are you ridding yourself of home excess? Do some good with your gently used discards. OppShop, the Opportunity House thrift store, has a drop-off donation center behind the store and numerous bins for donations, including one at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Mertztown, PA.
We welcome your gently used goods for resale to contribute to the mission of Opportunity House. In addition to all profits going toward the shelter’s work, we provide clients access to the attire within OppShop for their clothing needs.
The types of donations that we accept vary. All should be in good condition – unstained, untorn, clean, and functioning. Categories include:
- Clothing items for the whole family;
- Jewelry, purses, bags, and shoes;
- CDs, DVDs, and BluRay discs – in original cases
- Cookware, dishes, utensils, and cutlery
- Seasonal and holiday decor
- Furniture
- Flatscreen TVs
- Toys and stuffies
We can’t accept items that we can’t sell. Chemicals, old electronics, building supplies, and tires are a few examples of items that we can’t take. When goods are stained, torn, broken, and outdated, we’ll have to divert funds toward their disposal and away from the Opportunity House mission.
If goods don’t sell at OppShop, the pros at our warehouse, partnering with recycling companies around the country, recycle them. In fact, over a single year, we recycle 700,000 pounds of goods.
Making a Donation
Dropping off items with OppShop is simple:
- Donation center behind the OppShop thrift store;
- Scheduled pickups for large items like furniture;
- Donation bins spread throughout the county*.
At the donation bins, you can drop off items that will fit within grocery-size bags; regular-size trash bags will not fit in the slot of the bins. We also ask that you leave nothing outside of the bins. The area’s surroundings need to remain clean.
Additional Donations for Opportunity House
Opportunity House serves the needs of the homeless population in Berks County, PA. In addition to serving the area’s homeless men, women, children, and Veterans’ emergency needs, we offer supportive services, case management, and transitional and permanent housing.
Part of this work involves providing hygiene and self-care essentials, so we also welcome donations of these items. Bring any of the following items, new and unopened, to the shelter to serve this purpose:
- Underwear, socks, T-shirts, and sports bras
- Shampoo and conditioner, soap, lotion, nail clippers, hair brushes, and combs
- Maxi pads and tampons
- Bladder control pads and diapers
- Laundry detergent
- Coats and jackets, caps and gloves, sweatsuits, yoga pants, winter boots
- Baby diapers, wipes, and bottles
- Bottled water
Donations of items aren’t the only options for giving to Opportunity House. You may also express your generosity through financial gifts and volunteer efforts. Whether you’d like to arrange for a day of service; plan, prepare, and serve a meal at the shelter; or serve on a fundraising event committee, we’re always grateful for an extra set of hands.
Opportunity House operates the OppShop thrift store as an extension of our work. We welcome your drop-off donation at the collection center behind the thrift store or a donation bin in Mertztown, PA, and other locations throughout Berks County. Click here if you’d like to donate a financial gift on a one-time or recurring basis.
