Donations Needed for Refugees in Oakland

Thank you for your interest in supporting the work of the IRC in Oakland! Your donations of household and other items provide a warm welcome to refugees upon their arrival. 

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, all donations are be tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. We provide a donation receipt for all donations given to the IRC in Oakland, including in-kind donations; however, we cannot place a value on the items you donate. Please keep your purchase receipt if you purchase any new items for donation that you wish to deduct. We suggest you consult your tax professional for more information about charitable deductions if you need it.

Policies and Procedures

Please review the items and process for donating below. For questions, please email [email protected]. To coordinate a donation drive or other community service project with us, please scroll to the bottom of this page for instructions. !

1. All donation drop-offs require an appointment as our storage facilities are off-site, and our team is often delivering items to our clients. Please note that we have limited capacity to pick up donations, so priority for pick-ups is given to large furniture donations.
2. Please allow approximately 30 minutes for your donation drop-off appointment. Your donation will be assessed, itemized, and sorted during this time. We reserve the right to reject any donations that do not meet our standards or our current demands.
   • RECOMMENDED: Arriving with an itemized list of what you want to donate speeds up the drop-off.
   • We CANNOT accept items that are not in usable condition. This includes items that are unclean, broken, or missing pieces. Additionally, we cannot accept items for which health and safety regulations prohibit us from accepting.

Donations Needed

Appliances

• Blenders
• Electric Kettles
• Microwaves
• Pressure Cookers
• Rice Cookers
• Vacuum Cleaners

Baby & Children's Items

• *New* Baby & Toddler Hygiene Items: Shampoo/Wash, Lotion, Towels, Washcloths, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, Baby Grooming Starter Sets (High Need)
• Crib/Toddler Bed Frames (we cannot accept used mattresses)
• *New* Car Seats & Booster Seats (High Need)
• *New* Diapers, Training Pants, and Wipes
• Strollers (High Need)
• Other baby essentials, if storage space allows

Cleaning

• *New* All-Purpose Cleaners (32oz Bottles Preferred) (High Need)
• *New* Broom w/ Dustpan (High Need)
• *New* Dish Soap & Sponges (56oz Bottles Preferred) (High Need)
• *New* Laundry Detergent (50-load Bottles Preferred)
• *New* Mop w/ Mop Bucket (High Need)
• *New* Paper Towel Rolls
• *New* Trash Bins w/ Trash Bags (40-Bag Sets Preferred) (High Need)

Furniture

• Bed Frames (Twin, Queen, and Crib/Toddler Bed Sizes Only)
• Coffee Tables
• Dining Tables & Chairs (High Need)
• Dressers
• End Tables
• *New* Mattresses (Twin, Queen, and Crib/Toddler Bed Sizes Only)
• Nightstands
• Sofas (High Need)

• TV Stands

Gift Cards: The Gift of Choice

VISA or Mastercard gift cards and gift cards to businesses such as Amazon, Costco, IKEA, Lyft, Target, Walmart, Uber, and more are highly appreciated because they allow our clients to obtain what they most need while bestowing upon them the gift of choice. Increments of $25 are encouraged.

Home Goods

• *New* Bedding: Comforters, Sheet Sets, Pillows, Winter Blankets (Twin, Queen, and Crib/Toddler Bed Sizes Only)
• Bakeware and Cookware (Pots, Pans, Kitchen Utensils, Mixing Bowls, etc.) (High Need)
• Dinnerware (Plates, Bowls, Glasses, Mugs, and Flatware) (High Need)
• Small Child Dinnerware (High Need)

Major Impact Items

These items provide a major impact in a refugee's journey to self-sufficiency.

• Adult Bicycles
• Bicycle Safety Kits: *New* Helmets, U-Locks, and Light Sets (Baskets also highly desired)
• Laptops
• Unlocked Cell Phones

Personal Hygiene

• *New* Bath Towels, Hand Towels, and Washcloths (High Need)
• *New* Body Soap & Lotion (Standard Size)
• *New* Deodorant (Standard Size)
• *New* Face Wash (Standard Size)
• *New* Hair Brushes & Combs (High Need)
• *New* Hand Soap (Standard Size)
• *New* Nail Clippers (Standard Size)
• *New* Razors & Shaving Cream (Standard Size)
• *New* Shampoo & Conditioner (Standard Size)
• *New* Toilet Paper (High Need)
• *New* Toothbrushes & Toothpaste (Standard Sizes)

Donation Drives and Community Service Projects

We kindly ask that interested community members and groups contact us to discuss potential donation drives to ensure our collective efforts are most impactful.

Please email [email protected] to get started. 

Wish Lists

Amazon Wish List