Where To Donate Children’s Clothes in Los Angeles
Things To Do in Los Angeles with Kids
Updated for 2026
Have a stack of outgrown onesies, school shirts or almost-new jackets? In Los Angeles, gently used children’s clothes can support nonprofit thrift programs, family services and foster-youth resources—but the right destination depends on the condition, size and organization’s current needs.
For gently used clothes, start with Fore Goods (formerly Council Thrift/The Council Shop), Goodwill Southern California, The Salvation Army or St. Vincent de Paul. Union Rescue Mission also lists gently used children’s clothes, with delivery instructions arranged in advance. For infant clothes up to one year, Topanga Women’s Circle has a much narrower list. Good+Foundation accepts only new, unused goods in their original packaging.
Before loading the car, confirm that your chosen location can take your specific items and ask where and when to bring them. An organization’s office address, thrift-store shopping hours or online wishlist is not automatically a clothing drop-off invitation.
What should I sort before choosing a donation destination?
Make three piles: new and unused, clean and gently used, and not ready to donate. Clothes in the gently used pile should be wearable now: no stains, holes, broken fasteners or repairs needed. Match shoes into pairs and check sizes on labels. A bag marked “kids’ clothes, sizes 6–8” is easier to describe than a mixed bag of everything from newborn outfits to adult coats.
Keep used underwear, used socks and opened personal-care products out of your regular clothing bags. Do not assume an organization accepts them just because it accepts clothes. If you want to donate underwear, socks or hygiene supplies, ask about new, unopened items and current needs first. Union Rescue Mission specifically lists socks and undergarments under new clothing.
Which LA donation option fits my clothes and neighborhood?
This table helps you shortlist a destination; it is not a guarantee of same-day acceptance. Recheck the organization’s official instructions before your trip, especially for large loads.
| Organization / area | Best clothing match | Plan the handoff |
|---|---|---|
| Fore Goods — Fairfax, West LA, Mar Vista and more | Gently used children’s clothing and shoes | Official store/donation-location list; pickup by appointment |
| Goodwill Southern California — LA-area locator | New or gently used clothing in good, clean, sellable condition | Select an actual donation site; check capacity before driving |
| The Salvation Army — ZIP-based locations | Gently used children’s clothes and shoes | Confirm local rules; ask about drop-off or scheduled pickup |
| St. Vincent de Paul — Northeast LA / Long Beach | Clean, wearable children’s clothing, all sizes | Store drop-off; confirm donation hours or arrange truck pickup |
| Union Rescue Mission — Los Angeles | New or gently used children’s clothing and shoes, all sizes | Call for delivery or shipping instructions; sort and label boxes |
| Family Onward Re-Up Room — Crenshaw / Palmdale | New or gently used clothing; children, youth and young adults among those served | Confirm a donor handoff appointment and current needs |
| Topanga Women’s Circle — Topanga | Clean, like-new infant clothes up to one year only | Confirm staffed bin session; no after-hours leaving of bags |
| Good+Foundation — Los Angeles, NEW-only | New, unused goods in original packaging; no gently used donations | Schedule an approved LA drop-off or use official LA registry |
Where can I donate gently used kids’ clothes for nonprofit resale?
Thrift donations can help fund important programs even when your child’s shirt is sold rather than handed directly to another child. If direct distribution matters most to you, ask how the organization uses clothing donations. Neither route guarantees a particular recipient or immediate distribution.
Fore Goods, formerly Council Thrift / The Council Shop
NCJWLA is now Fore Women, and its thrift-store brand is transitioning to Fore Goods. Its accepted-donation guide explicitly includes gently used children’s clothing and shoes. Sales help support programs for women and families, along with employment and workforce opportunities.
Familiar locations remain on the official location list: Fairfax at 360 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036; Veteran–West LA at 10960 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025; and Venice–Mar Vista at 12120 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90066. A donations-only center is listed at 4625 W. Washington Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90016. Donation hours differ from shopping hours, so check the chosen site. For an arranged Greater LA pickup, call 323-655-3111.
Goodwill Southern California
Goodwill Southern California accepts new and gently used clothing in good condition. Retail sales fund education, training, work experience and career-placement services. Use its donation-center locator rather than assuming every Goodwill office or career center takes bags of clothes.
Goodwill warns that donation centers sometimes reach capacity and temporarily stop accepting items. A quick check can save a cross-town drive. Also, Southern California is not one single Goodwill operator: nearby counties may have different rules. If you need collection from home, ask about the current service and any fees rather than assuming free pickup.
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army thrift-donation site lists gently used children’s dresses, jackets, shoes, jeans, sweaters, coats and shirts. Thrift sales support its adult rehabilitation centers. Enter your ZIP code for donation options, or call 800-728-7825 to confirm local acceptance and hours.
Pickup scheduling is offered through the site, but ask whether your address and clothing load qualify. A nearby community program or red-kettle location is not necessarily the place to bring thrift donations.
St. Vincent de Paul of Los Angeles
St. Vincent de Paul’s official donation guide welcomes clean, wearable children’s clothing in all sizes. Its stores support charitable programs through donated goods and sales.
Two useful choices are 210 North Avenue 21, Los Angeles, CA 90031, and 2750 Pacific Coast Hwy., Long Beach, CA 90804. Confirm donation receiving hours before you go. The organization also lists free truck pickup arrangements through 800-974-3571; discuss your items and location before planning around a pickup.
Which organizations list children’s clothing for family or youth support?
Union Rescue Mission
Union Rescue Mission’s gifts-in-kind page lists new and gently used clothing and shoes for children in all sizes. Used clothes must be clean, good quality and ready to wear, with no repairs needed. New baby clothes, socks and undergarments are also listed.
Sort clothing into boxes, label them “children’s clothing,” and mark each box “new” or “used.” Call 213-673-4875 for instructions on delivering or shipping your donation. Its Los Angeles contact address is not a reason to arrive with an unscheduled load. The mission also operates thrift stores, so ask which donation route best fits your goal.
Family Onward’s Re-Up Room
The Re-Up Room offers new and gently used clothing in a shop-style setting for foster youth and other people who need essentials. Children, youth and young adults are among those served; the page says other donated items should be new and unused.
Listed locations are 5449 S. Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90043, and 1317 E. Palmdale Blvd., Palmdale, CA 93550. Call 661-416-2096 to describe your clothing and confirm the donor handoff location and appointment. The program is appointment-based and availability-dependent; do not treat recipient shopping information as open-door donor hours.
Topanga Women’s Circle: infant clothes only
Topanga Women’s Circle’s clothing list is specific: clean, like-new clothes for infants up to one year. Because of space limitations, it does not accept other children’s clothing or adult clothes. Toddler and school-age bags need another destination.
The donation bin is at Pine Tree Circle, 120 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga, CA 90290, across from Canyon Gourmet. Its posted schedule is Saturdays, 9:00–10:30 a.m., with holiday and extreme-weather exceptions. Confirm the next staffed session and access before driving. Never leave donations when the bin is closed: the organization says those items are discarded.
Where can I donate new clothes instead of used clothes?
Good+Foundation
Good+Foundation accepts new, unused goods in their original packaging and explicitly cannot accept gently used goods. Keep it off your used-clothes itinerary, but consider it if you have untouched items or want to give through its official Los Angeles registry.
Call 310-439-5463 to arrange a Los Angeles drop-off and confirm the items, sizes and delivery address. Its registry is a separate purchase-and-ship option; follow the organization’s link and shipping instructions. Do not send household clothing to an old address or assume a retail partner accepts bags.
Which original guide organizations should I contact before packing a bag?
These organizations remain worth asking about, but their inspected current pages did not settle the household clothing condition rules or donor drop-off process. That does not mean they are closed.
- Toberman Neighborhood Center, San Pedro: Its thrift program provides free and low-cost essentials. Ask 310-832-1145 about children’s clothing condition, sizes and receiving times; the listed main office is not an automatic drop-off instruction.
- Children’s Institute: Clothing for infants, children and adults appears in its current in-kind section. Email [email protected] about new-versus-used rules and an agreed delivery site; do not assume walk-in intake at the Echo Park campus.
- Upward Bound House: Children’s clothing is on its goods list. Email [email protected] for condition and handoff instructions. The mailing instructions for checks are not permission to mail clothes.
- Baby2Baby: Ask [email protected] about current individual item donations. Do not bring used clothes without approval; current corporate product-donation information does not establish household acceptance. Its listed address is in Los Angeles, not Culver City.
- Rescue Mission Alliance San Fernando Valley: Its thrift pages offer a goods-donation/pickup route. Call 800-417-5678 to confirm children’s clothing rules and arrangements; do not use the Northridge shelter/office as an assumed clothing drop-off.
- Alexandria House: Call 213-381-2649 about current clothing needs and appointments. Its official wishlist is another way to help, not approval for a used-clothing delivery.
What should go on my family’s donation packing checklist?
- Wash and fully dry used clothes; check pockets, stains, tears and fasteners.
- Separate new goods from used clothes, and baby sizes from toddler, school-age and teen sizes.
- Label bags or boxes with contents, condition and sizes. Follow the organization’s own packing instructions.
- Keep underwear, socks and hygiene products separate; check rules for new, unopened donations.
- Confirm the exact receiving location, entrance, appointment and any quantity limits—not just general business hours.
- Have a backup plan if a donation site is full. Never leave bags outside a closed bin, shelter or store.
Kids can help match shoes, read sizes and choose clothes they have outgrown. Keep the conversation simple: useful items deserve care, and different organizations need different things. You do not need to buy extra products to make a closet cleanout worthwhile.
What else do parents ask about donating kids’ clothes?
Can I get a donation receipt?
Goodwill Southern California, The Salvation Army and Union Rescue Mission explicitly describe receipts. Ask at the handoff. A receipt is a record, not a guarantee that you qualify for a tax deduction; consult a qualified tax professional about your own situation.
What if I want to give directly to a nearby family?
A neighborhood Buy Nothing group is a peer-to-peer alternative, not a staffed charity drop-off. Describe the size and condition honestly and agree on a safe handoff. Do not expect a nonprofit receipt or post someone else’s private information.
Can I add books, toys or baby gear to the same bag?
Check each item category first. Clothing acceptance does not mean car seats, strollers, toys or books are accepted. For more giving ideas, explore MomsLA’s Holiday Toy Drives guide, confirming current-season dates, and volunteer opportunities for high school students. For another reuse option, see used clothes and toys for kids in LA and check current shop policies.
Donation policies, space and schedules can change. Please confirm your items and handoff arrangements directly with the organization before traveling or shipping.
Wendy Kennar is a mother, writer, and former teacher who has lived her entire life in the same Los Angeles zip code. You can read more from Wendy at her website WendyKennar.com where she writes about books, boys, and bodies (living with an invisible disability).
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