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/ Freebox - The Buy Nothing Project is the world's largest gifting economy, promoting the circular economy by allowing neighbors to share items freely without spending money. Participants can offer items they no longer need and request things they could use. Join hyper-localized groups on Facebook (some groups use the term “Freebox”) or download the app through their website. Online Only

(CHaRM) - This is a permanent recycling drop-off facility available to Cook County residents that helps divert millions of pounds of waste and other hard-to-recycle items from regional landfills and water systems. Items accepted include electronics and computers, clothing and textiles, small furniture, small appliances, styrofoam, and personal healthcare equipment. Visit the CHaRM website for a specific list of items accepted. South Holland

- This nonprofit organization serves as an intermediary between Chicagoans who have extra furniture and those who need it. They provide furnishing packages that include beds, couches, armchairs, dressers, desks, end tables, coffee tables, kitchen tables + chairs, dish ware, rugs, lamps, artwork, mirrors, and more. Brighton Park

- Instead of buying new, you could rent a wide variety of tools (and other items) from Chicago Tool Library. You can also donate your used items to this nonprofit. West Garfield Park

- A nonprofit organization committed to the creative reuse and redistribution of surplus materials for arts, non-profit, education in the Chicago area. Auburn Gresham

- elevates the lives of those transitioning from homelessness by filling their houses with everything that makes a comfortable, dignified home. Digs with Dignity works with a variety of individuals and families that may include domestic abuse victims, veterans, those who have experienced a sudden job loss or those dealing with extreme health situations. They accept a wide variety of home furnishings. McKinley Park

- This group is dedicated to collecting, reusing, and distributing used shipping materials throughout Chicago. It connects individuals with used shipping materials to businesses that need them, via a network of drop-off locations. Multiple

- Similar to Buy Nothing in the sense that it is a gifting economy, but items are exclusively listed through its website. Online Only

- Custom designs and fully furnishes home interiors for individuals, families and veterans emerging from homelessness. Accepts donated furniture to accomplish this. Canaryville

- If you have unexpired food items you cannot use (or don’t want), you can bring it to one of the many love fridges throughout Chicagoland. Locations in the link! Multiple

accepts clothing, baby and infant items, reusable bags, storage containers, kitchen items, cleaning products, and more! Logan Square

- A nonprofit technology reuse center that refurbishes donated computers and securely recycles e-waste. It partners with local businesses, schools, and government to collect retired devices by wiping data according to DoD and HIPAA standards, and either refurbishes them for low income families, students, seniors, and nonprofits, or recycles them with zero landfill waste. Oak Lawn

- This nonprofit bike shop will take your used bicycles, bike parts, and tools! Bicycles donated to them may be given away to someone who needs them through their , used in their youth classes, or repaired by a mechanic and sold for an affordable price at their shop. Rogers Park

- Repair Café is a free meeting place for neighbors to help each other repair things. The idea was born in Amsterdam in 2009 and is now an international movement. () Location Varies

- Here you can donate overstock and secondhand home items like furniture, appliances, home decor and building materials. You can also shop for these items instead of buying new— all of them are 50%-80% off the original retail value. Proceeds from sales support Habitat’s work to build and preserve homes for local families. Sauganash

Secondhand Sales Sites - Used goods can be sold locally in a variety of ways. Options include Offerup, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Nextdoor.com’s sales page. (You can also list items for free- it’s a great way to get rid of stuff!) Additional sites that primarily allow you to sell online (instead of locally) include ThredUp, Poshmark, The RealReal, Mercari, and more.

- A creative reuse center that collects reusable art and school supplies that would otherwise be thrown away and makes them available to teachers, artists, and anyone who needs them, at a low cost. Humboldt Park and Evanston

- Serves community-based organizations by providing tools, equipment and expertise to empower their most ambitious goals. Pilsen

- donate or buy overstock and secondhand appliances here. Prices are 50%-80% off the original retail value. Sauganash

• - Takes almost everything, with a few exceptions, including: perishable items, flammable items, livestock, and appliances connected or affixed to the home (though disconnected appliances are accepted).

• - Accepts tempera, acrylic, gouache paints, air dry clay, femo, sculpey, brushes, pencils, charcoal, canvas, crayons, markers, spray paint, glitter, used kits and much more! Do not bring items without contacting them first! Evanston, IL

• - Accepts art supplies for reuse. Auburn Gresham

• - Accepts secondhand art supplies for reuse. Call for more info. McKinley Park

• - Accepts secondhand art and school supplies. Arlington Heights, IL

• - A creative reuse center that collects reusable art and school supplies that would otherwise be thrown away. Humboldt Park and Evanston

• - Accepts a variety of baby and infant supplies. Check link for accepted items and updates! Logan Square

• - Accepts Supplies for Children and Mothers: textiles, open packages of diapers, strollers, feeding and nursing supplies, toys, bath and toilet gear and more in new and like new condition. Check Website for details. Old Irving Park

• - Accepts Ikea tote bags as well as Amazon-style courier delivery bags (the ones that look like cubes). Check link for accepted items and updates! Logan Square

• - This nonprofit bike shop will take your used bicycles, bike parts, and tools! Bicycles donated to them may be given away to someone who needs them through their Freecyclery program, used in their youth classes, or repaired by a mechanic and sold for an affordable price at their shop. Rogers Park

• - Working Bikes gives donated bicycles new life by redistributing them as tools of empowerment in local and global communities. Little Village

• - This is a nonprofit that provides literacy experiences for tens of thousands of readers each year through inspiring programs and the sale of new and used donated books. Multiple locations

• - Little Free Library is a nonprofit organization that promotes neighborhood book exchanges, usually in the form of a public bookcase. Check the map on the website to find your nearest location. Multiple locations

• BoxDibs - Accepts used moving boxes to pass on to others who need them. They also have a that is the main mechanism for finding boxes near you. Online Only

• - This group is dedicated to collecting, reusing, and distributing used shipping materials all throughout Chicago. They accept SOME small boxes- check the website to confirm. Multiple

- Donate your used camping gear () or rent items for your camping trip. West Garfield Park

• - will buy your gently used, still functional merchandise, including CDs from major and indie labels, vinyl records, video games, controllers, headsets, batteries, magazines, VHS, DVDs, Blu-rays, headphones, stereo equipment, speakers, and more. East Lakeview, Wicker Park

• - will buy your unwanted CDs, DVDs, and vinyl. They buy at all locations every day up to an hour before closing time. The Loop, Wicker Park, and East Lakeview

• - Accepts a variety of cleaning supplies. Check link for accepted items and updates! Logan Square

• and Freebox - The Buy Nothing Project allows neighbors to participate in the circular economy through sharing things with one another, without having to acquire any new items OR spend any money. Simply log in, search “Buy Nothing (Your Neighborhood’s Name),” and see what pops up. (Some groups use the term “Freebox” instead- we would also recommend checking for that). If you’re not on Facebook, you could download the app through their website above. Online Only

• - Accept a wide variety of gently used children’s clothing and outerwear. Accepted items can be found at the link, and dropoffs can be found . Multiple

• - Accepts a variety of clothing and accessories. Check link for accepted items and updates! Logan Square

• Secondhand Sales Sites - Used goods can be sold locally in a variety of ways. Options include Offerup, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Nextdoor.com’s sales page. (You can also list items for free- it’s a great way to get rid of stuff!) Additional sites that primarily allow you to sell online (instead of locally) include ThredUp, Poshmark, The RealReal, Mercari, and more.

• - accepts many baby, infant, and maternity clothing items in new or very good condition. Old Irving Park

• - Extends the life of garments through hands-on repair services, including button and hole mending, sew-on or iron-on patches, seam reinforcement, hemming pants or sleeves, and adding external pockets to keep clothing in use and out of landfills. Bridgeport

• - A Chicago-based collective led by local artist Daya Tiye Stanley, running reuse programs and community workshops that give clothing and skating equipment a second life while bringing neighbors together. Multiple

• - Accepts working electric motors. Call for more info. Mckinley Park

• - Accepts useful electronics in working order, plus electric motors, fuses, and small electrical controls. Call for more info. McKinley Park

• - Accepts laptops and desktops for reuse. Multiple Locations

• - A nonprofit technology reuse center that refurbishes donated computers and securely recycles e-waste. It partners with local businesses, schools, and government to collect retired devices by wiping data according to DoD and HIPAA standards, and either refurbishes them for low income families, students, seniors, and nonprofits, or recycles them with zero landfill waste. Oak Lawn

• - Scrap fabric, remnants, burlap, leftover buttons, spools, string, beads, yarn, string, hemp. Please call before bringing any items! Evanston, IL

• - Accepts fabric remnants/scraps and upholstery samples (especially faux and genuine leather) to create bags, keychains, earrings, and more. 15% of the sales of the Round Two Up-Cycled Goods line of products is donated to Sierra Club. Contact via email to coordinate pick-up or drop-off .

• Food Pantries - there are obviously MANY food pantries in Chicago to choose from. A full map can be found .

• - If you have unexpired food items you cannot use (or don’t want), you can bring it to one of the many love fridges throughout Chicagoland. Locations in the link! Multiple

• - Accepts beds, couches, armchairs, dressers, desks, end tables, coffee tables, kitchen tables + chairs, dish ware, rugs, lamps, artwork, mirrors, and more. This nonprofit serves as an intermediary between Chicagoans who have extra furniture and those who need it. Brighton Park

• - Accepts wide variety of home furnishings to assist those transitioning from homelessness. Check their website for specifications and please call before bringing items. McKinley Park

• - Accepts bedframes, mattresses, box springs, tables, desks, sofas, decor and other household items. Check the list on their website for specifications. They help furnish homes for people emerging from homelessness. Canaryville

• - Accepts gently used furniture, appliances, cabinetry, building materials and other household items. Proceeds from sales support Habitat’s work to build and preserve homes for local families. Sauganash

- Accepts pieces of tile, doorknobs, hooks, hangers, etc. Please call before bringing any items! Evanston, IL

• - accepts donations of reusable ice packs. Skokie, IL

• - Accepts a variety of kitchen tools, containers, and other supplies. Check link for accepted items and updates! Logan Square

- Accepts end-of-life (unusable) leather products with the exception of shoes. Leather is upcycled into jewelry by a local artist. See link for more details. Lakeview

• - They accept twin, full and queen mattresses only - in gently used condition with no stains. Mattresses require a truck pick up. They offer one truck pick up each month with 8-12 spots available. They require a minimum donation of $50 for a truck pick up to cover the truck, labor and gas. Donors should fill out their online furniture donation form and someone from the Digs with Dignity team will be in touch.

• - Donations help Devices 4 the Disabled (D4D) cover the costs for the pickup, repair, storage and delivery of durable medical equipment including walkers, wheelchairs and lift devices. Brighton Park

• - Accepts surplus medical supplies from hospitals, manufacturers, medical facilities, and individuals.

• - Donations of medical equipment in good condition are accepted. The Lending Closet will now accept UNOPENED PACKAGES of medical supplies such as gloves, gauze bandages, alcohol wipes, bed pads, adult briefs, Q-tips, and disposable wash clothes. Call 773.973.5464 on Tuesday and Thursdays to speak to the Heart to Heart team to schedule a dropoff appointment. Edgewater

- Safety pins, old silverware, paperclips, old keys, chains, etc. Please call before bringing any items! Evanston, IL

• - Donate gently used items on their list for reuse, please check website or call to confirm accepted items. River North

• - Donate gently used items on their list for reuse, please check website or call to confirm accepted items. Heart of Chicago

• - Donate gently used items on their list for reuse, please check website or call to confirm accepted items. Edgewater

• - Wish list varies based on needs. Check website to confirm! Bucktown

• - Donate gently used items on their list for reuse, please check website or call to confirm accepted items. Lincoln Park

• - Pillows must be in gently used condition – no stained or ripped pillows are accepted. They do not accept king sized pillows at this time. Pillows may be dropped off at their warehouse located at 1965 W. Pershing, dock 7 north. The warehouse hours are Mondays and Wednesdays from 10-3:00pm. Back of the Yards

• - Accepts #6 plastic to create shrinky dink jewelry and pins as well as fabric remnants/scraps and upholstery samples (especially faux and genuine leather) to create bags, keychains, earrings, and more. Contact via email

• - currently accepting HDPE (#2) and PP (#5) plastics for recycling and reuse. Bridgeport

• Reuse them as Pet Waste Bags - if you have a dog, plastic bags from newspapers, bread, tortillas, baby carrots, and small shipped items make excellent poop bags! They replace your need to buy any new manufactured plastic (or non-plastic) product to dispose of waste, saving you money and giving a non-recyclable item a second life before it goes to a landfill. Larger bags are great for disposing of litter box waste as well.

• - Accepting LDPE (#4) plastics, which is most plastic bags and films. Check website to confirm. Bridgeport

• - Clean and empty prescription pill bottles can be dropped off for reuse at Ellis Veterinary Clinic on Tuesday - Saturday, anytime between 9am-5pm. Leave bottles in a bag labeled as a donation by the back door. Bucktown

• - Instead of buying new, you could rent a wide variety of tools (and other items) from Chicago Tool Library. You can also donate your used items to this nonprofit. West Garfield Park

• - This workshop’s goals are to divert repairable items from the waste stream, or repurpose them if needed. They host monthly free workshops that bring together community members who can fix with those whose items need fixing. Edgewater

• - Repair Café is a free meeting place for neighbors to help each other repair things. Location Varies

- accepts these. Please call before bringing any items! Evanston, IL

• - Accepts gently used school and office supplies. Auburn Gresham

• - Collects reusable art and school supplies that would otherwise be thrown away and makes them available to anyone who needs them, at a low cost. Humboldt Park and Evanston

• - Accepts wide range of packaging materials including plastic, paper, reusable bags, cardboard boxes, holiday & gift wrapping, egg cartons etc. Check this for specifications. The materials go to businesses that could reuse them. Multiple

• - Accepts plastic tote storage boxes in all sizes, as well as Amazon-style delivery totes. Check link for accepted items and updates! Logan Square

• - Takes screws, nails, working hand or electric tools, sand paper, springs, nuts and bolts, etc. Please call before bringing any items! Evanston, IL

• - You can donate your tools or rent tools to use for yourself. West Garfield Park

• - Accepts secondhand tools and hardware. Call for more info. McKinley Park

• - Accepts commonly used home-repair and gardening tools. Evanston

• - Serves community-based organizations by providing tools, equipment and expertise to empower their most ambitious goals. Pilsen

• - Takes items like packaged takeout silverware, plates, cups, coffee. Contact for more information on what to donate. Lincoln Park

- takes small leftover wood cuttings, scrap wood, and semi large pieces that they can cut down. Do not bring items without contacting them first! Evanston, IL