ABC’s - What We Don't Accept…
We simply don't have enough room for everything you might want to donate...but don't throw it away! There are lots of other places in town where you can take your donations!
A
Air Mattresses: Regardless of whether or not they can hold air, we do not accept air mattresses (or any other type of furniture). The Budget Shop, The Encore Shop, or Goodwill would be MUCH BETTER options.
Avatar-INappropriate clothing: Any clothing that a pre-K through 12th grade student would NOT be proud/excited to wear to school. The Budget Shop or Goodwill would be better options.
B
Beyond-Wear Items: Holey/ripped/stained clothing and shoes should be recycled. PLEASE DO NOT DONATE!
Baby Gear (bottles, booster seats, breastfeeding pumps, etc.): Life Choice Ministries / Pregnancy Testing Center
Bath Robes: We simply don’t have room for these bulky items. The Budget Shop, The Encore Shop, or Goodwill would be better options.
Beds/Box Springs: One great option is our area’s Care Portal. Another wonderful option is Helping International Students (an organization that serves int’l students at K-State).
Books: Little Free Libraries are all over town: https://littlefreelibrary.org/ourmap/. Another option is a favorite of the FIT Closet Coordinator: The Dusty Bookshelf MHK - you can donate your books or ask for store credit.
Booster Seats: check with Life Choice Ministries / Pregnancy Testing Center, they may be able to accept.
Business Suits: The KSU Career Closet
C
Children’s Car Seats: check with Life Choice Ministries / Pregnancy Testing Center, they may be able to accept.
Career Wear (business suits, blazers, suit jackets, sportcoats, etc.): The KSU Career Closet
Curtains/Window Coverings: The Budget Shop, The Encore Shop, or Goodwill would be better options.
D
Diapers/Wipes/Pull-Ups: Life Choice Ministries / Pregnancy Testing Center or Riley County Health Department (WIC or Maternal & Infant Health) or Catholic Charities (212 S. 4th St: Suite 120, Manhattan / Phone: (785) 323-0644)
Decor: We simply do not have room for home decor items, no matter how small. Please take your knick-knacks, tzchockes, holiday decorations, lamps, decorative boxes, etc. to one of our local thrift stores (The Budget Shop, The Encore Shop, or Goodwill).
Denim that’s ripped, stained, out-of-style: American Eagle in the Manhattan Town Center Mall accepts ripped/stained/out-of-style denim! Donated denim enters the Blue Jeans Go Green program where it’s recycled into insulation for Habitat for Humanity houses!
E
Extra Plastic Hangers (the type you get with clothing purchased at a retail store): We do not need these - please donate them elsewhere or recycle them.
F
Food: three great options for unopened/shelf-stable/non-expired foods: The Peace Full Pantry at Peace Lutheran Church, Flint Hills Breadbasket, and Blessing Boxes for Manhattan
Furniture: Habitat for Humanity ReStore (513 Pillsbury Dr. - open Thursday thru Saturday, 10a to 4p) is a great place to donate furniture! Another great option is Helping International Students (an organization that serves int’l students at K-State). Yet another great option is our area’s Care Portal.
G
Games: reach out to Judy @ Toys for Manhattan.
Great-Grandma Gertie’s velour jogging suits, double-knit polyester suits, house dresses, mumus, etc.: These do not appeal to our AVATAR (pre-K thru seniors in high school)! Please donate elsewhere. The Budget Shop or Goodwill would be much better options!
Great-Grandpa George’s overalls, suspenders, suits, etc.: These do not appeal to our AVATAR (pre-K thru seniors in high school)! Please donate elsewhere. The Budget Shop or Goodwill would be much better options!
H
High Heels: Our high school students only have a few minutes between classes…high heels are NOT school-appropriate. Please take all high heels to The KSU Career Closet, The Budget Shop, The Encore Shop, or Goodwill.
Holiday Decor: The Budget Shop, Toys for Manhattan, The Encore Shop, or Goodwill.
House Dresses: Not something our “Avatar” would be excited to wear to school. Please donate to The Budget Shop, The Encore Shop, or Goodwill.
Hygiene Items (full-size): Flint Hills Breadbasket (905 Yuma St. | Monday through Friday | 8am to 4pm).
Hygiene Items (hotel-size): LEAVE THEM AT THE HOTEL! I’ve spoken with EVERY agency I can think of and no one wants hotel-size hygiene items!
I
J
“Junk” Leftover From Your Garage Sale: The Budget Shop, The Encore Shop, or Goodwill
K
Kitchenware: Kitchen Restore or Cat’s Cupboard - Please ensure that all donations are clean and in working order. They accept:
Dishes
Flatware/Silverware
Toasters/Toaster Ovens
Waffle irons
Griddles
Cookware
Cooking utensils
Coffee pots
Crock Pots / Slow Cookers
Microwaves
Knick-Knacks: The Budget Shop, The Encore Shop, or Goodwill would be better options, as we simply do not have room for these items.
L
Laundry Baskets: We have a good quantity for our needs at the FIT Closet. Please take any extra laundry baskets to The Budget Shop, The Encore Shop, or Goodwill.
Leftovers from your garage sale: Unless the items that are leftover are on our list, please take to The Budget Shop, The Encore Shop, or Goodwill instead.
M
Maternity Clothes: Life Choice Ministries / Pregnancy Testing Center
Mattresses: reach out to our area’s Care Portal. Need more info on Care Portal? Click over to their website. Another option is Helping International Students (an organization that serves int’l students at K-State).
N
Neckties: The KSU Career Closet
Non-USD 383 Spirit-Wear: Since we support only students in the Manhattan-Ogden school district, we ask that you donate other districts’ “spirit wear” elsewhere. The Budget Shop, or Goodwill would be better options.
O
Outdated/no-longer-in-style clothing: Goodwill would be the best place to take these types of clothing items - KSU students search there to find clothing to wear to “retro” parties.
Old Phones/Phone Cases, Old Tech Gear (of any kind): The Budget Shop, The Encore Shop, or Goodwill would be much better places for these items!
P
Plastic Hangers (the ones that come with the clothes from stores like Walmart, Target, Old Navy, etc.): PLEASE RECYCLE! Don’t donate to us.
Pillows: The Budget Shop, The Encore Shop, or Goodwill
Playpens/Pack N Plays: Life Choice Ministries / Pregnancy Testing Center
Q
R
Roller Blades/Roller Skates: reach out to Judy @ Toys for Manhattan
S
Shoes (beyond wear): Manhattan Running Company recycles shoes of all kinds.
Stuffed Animals: reach out to Judy @ Toys for Manhattan
Shower Curtains / Liners: The Budget Shop, or The Encore Shop, or Goodwill would be better options.
Swimsuits/Swimwear/Swimsuit Cover-Ups/Floaties/Life Jackets/etc.: The Budget Shop, or The Encore Shop, or Goodwill would be better options, as we simply do not have room for these items.
T
Tchotchkes / Knick-Knacks: The Budget Shop, The Encore Shop, or Goodwill would be better options, as we simply do not have room for these items.
Ties (business-wear): The KSU Career Closet
Toys: reach out to Judy @ Toys for Manhattan
U
Used Office Supplies: We provide ONLY NEW school supplies to our students. Please take any used office supplies to The Budget Shop or Goodwill instead.
Used Underwear: We give out only new/never been worn underwear to our shoppers. The Budget Shop, The Encore Shop, or Goodwill may accept these as donations.
V
Vintage anything: Please take anything “vintage” to The Budget Shop, The Encore Shop, or Goodwill.
W
Wire Hangers: We do not accept these types of hangers - please recycle.
Window Coverings: The Budget Shop, The Encore Shop, or Goodwill would be better options.
X
X-Rated Clothing (or items that have references to alcohol, drugs, guns/violence, gambling, sexual innuendo): Goodwill may accept these as donations.
Y
Your old, holey, worn out, pit-stained, and/or ripped clothing: PLEASE RECYCLE - DO NOT DONATE! We only accept clothing that is “on-trend” and in EXCELLENT CONDITION.
Z
Zippers broken? Buttons missing? We don’t want it either. Please take these types of items to an alterations business for repair before donating.