Donate

Help Us Help Others

We appreciate any way you can help us reach out goals of helping our neighbors in Oakland. Anything from donating money to donating your time by volunteering. Check out the many ways you can give below or apply to volunteer!

Monetary Donations

Your monetary donation makes an immediate difference in someone's life by providing food, clothing, job training assistance, and access to healthcare. We make  it easy to donate online, with a safe, secure online donation. You can make a one-time or recurring donation.
DonateNow

Donate By Mail

Send to:
Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County
2272 San Pablo Ave.
​Oakland, CA 94612

Other Ways to Donate and Give

Donate Clothes and Wares at Our West Oakland Campus
​(drop off hours: 10-2 (Tues-Sat)

Or

​Donate to Our Livermore or Fremont Thrift Stores!

Donations We do and don't accept
*Please wash or dry-clean clothing, test electrical items, and include all pieces and parts to your donation

    We Accept:

Clothing:
  • Dresses and skirts
  • Formal-wear
  • Blouses and shirts
  • Shorts, pants, and leggings
  • Jackets and sweaters

Accessories: 
  • Purses and bags
  • Hats
  • Belts
  • Jewelry
  • Shoes and boots

Wares:
  • Kitchen goods and housewares
  • Linens, towels, curtains
  • ​Typewriters
  • TVs, amplifiers (for music)
  • Sewing machines, small sporting goods​
  • Furniture in good (salable) condition
  • Tools
  • Crafts

Sorry, We Don't Accept:

  • Computers and printers
  • Non-working electronics of any kind
  • Large desks
  • Entertainment  centers
  • Fiberboard  furniture 
  • Weights and exercise equipment
  • Pianos and organs
  • Office furniture (desks, credenzas, file cabinets, tables)
  • Damaged, stained or pet loved items
  • Mattresses and box springs
  • Sofa  beds, futons, headboards
  • Hazardous materials such as: paint, household cleaners, chemicals
  • Fluorescent light bulbs
  • Appliances
  • Outdoor grills
  • Carpet remnants
  • Encyclopedias
  • Tires
  • Bathtubs, sinks, toilets or other construction goods
  • Cribs, toys, car seats, playpens, strollers, and swing sets, high chairs, booster seats, walkers or jumpies

FAQs

WHY COULDN'T YOU ACCEPT MY DONATION? IT'S ON YOUR LIST OF ACCEPTED ITEMS
​In order to carry out our mission to provide services for SVdP Alameda County people in need, we need to minimize store expenses. We work very hard to process donations and sell them quickly so we can support our   mission.  If you have items that are quite worn, have pet hair, are soiled, need repair, or can't withstand the constant moves required in the store, they will be sent to the landfill which is our largest store expense! If you are in doubt about donating an item, please dispose of it,  or better yet, reuse it for something else!   ​
WHERE CAN I TAKE ITEMS YOU CAN'T ACCEPT?
If we are unable to accept your donation, see websites below to direct you to alternative donation or disposal sites*:

https://resource.stopwaste.org/

https://sfrecycles.org/

Freecycle.org

Sf.craigslist.org/free stuff
​
Alameda County Hazardous Waste and E-waste Drop-off, 41149 Boyce Road, Fremont


*We do not maintain a complete list and cannot guarantee accuracy of any list ​
Collection Drives
Partner with SVdP to collect items for our community. ​Last year, over $1.2 million of food items were distributed throughout Alameda County and in our Free Dining Room. Volunteers provide support by conducting food and clothing drives and packing food boxes for clients. If you are interested in hosting a drive in partnership with us, please contact the Volunteer Team at volunteer@svdp-alameda.org or call 510-877-9252. 
Clothing 
We accept clothing at three locations: our Fremont thrift store, our Livermore thrift store, and at our location in West Oakland (675 23rd Street).

Please contact us at 510-638-7600 to find out which hours we are able to accept donations at our West Oakland location. The hours for the thrift stores can be found here.

Clothing given to the stores is sold to provide revenue to fund our programs. Items donated to our West Oakland location may be placed in our Clothing Closet, where our guests are able to obtain clothing free of charge, or may be delivered to our stores for sale (where proceeds fund our programs), depending on the nature of the items and the current situation. This is done at our discretion, unless requested otherwise. We strive to keep our Clothing Closet stocked with items which are appropriate for our guests.

Please note that we are only able to accept items which are deemed to be in reusable condition, and this determination is made by the attendant accepting the donations. We are not able to accept items not deemed reusable because they end up in landfill, which costs money which would otherwise be used to support our programs.
Household items
We accept household items at our thrift stores in Livermore and Fremont. When you donate your new and gently used items, we sell them in our stores and use the revenue generated to fund valuable free programs and services for people in our community. Click here to access our tips for preparing donations and to review what can and cannot be accepted. 
vehical donations
Generous supporters donated 31 cars in 2020, contributing a total of $24,000! ​It's easy to donate your car, truck, motorcycle, RV, or boat with CARS, a nationwide 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Remember to provide an Alameda County zip code to ensure St. Vincent de Paul receives your generous donation. For more information, call 800-322-8284 or click the image below.
Planned giving, stock, and other options
​Estate planning and stock donations are made easy with St. Vincent de Paul. Charitable gifts and stock donations provide extraordinary opportunities for the future of St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County. Please contact Blase Bova, Executive Director, at 510-435-2625 for more information.
Direct Support
How
Remember SVDP in Your Will
Your Will can direct cash or other assets to support the works of St. Vincent De Paul.
Securities            
Did you know you could transfer to St. Vincent De Paul Society an appreciated security such as stocks or bonds? You can deduct the full fair market value; no capital gains taxes if used as a charitable donation. Talk to your financial advisor for details.
Tangible Personal Property
You can donate property to St. Vincent De Paul Society. Income tax deduction is for full fair market if gift is used to support our tax-exempt purpose.
Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust (CART)
A trust is set up to pay your beneficiaries for a designated number of years. At the end of the trust, property is transferred to St. Vincent De Paul Society. Check with your legal counsel and financial advisor.
Charitable Gift Annuity
Assets such as cash or securities are donated to St. Vincent De Paul Society in exchange for fixed annuity payments. A variety of terms and options may be available. Check with your financial advisor for details.
Life Insurance
Did you know that you could designate St. Vincent De Paul Society as one of the beneficiaries of your life insurance? There may be income tax deductions based on your situation.
There are a number of other gift options available to those who are interested in supporting the works of St. Vincent De Paul. In concert with your family, legal, tax and financial counsels, please consider what works best for you.

If you have further questions, please contact us directly by calling our Executive Director, Blase Bova, at 510-435-2625.
 
Legal Name: The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County
Address: 2272 San Pablo Ave., Oakland, CA 94612
Phone Number: 510-638-7600
Federal Tax ID#: 94-1156493
Nonprofit Status: 501(c)(3)
For questions or to discuss non-monetary donations, contact John Sterns: jsterns@svdp-alameda.org; (925) 323-5848