Donation Center

THE ARC REUSE & RECYCLING CENTER

Welcome to The Arc Donation Center, where your gently used goods are given a second life through our unique, community-centered approach. Every item we receive is carefully processed to determine the best path forward—whether that’s resale in our store, recycling, or creative repurposing. What sets us apart is our commitment to local impact: we redistribute 100% of surplus materials back into the Portland metro community through partnerships with nonprofits, artists, and grassroots organizations. By donating to The Arc, you’re supporting not just sustainability, but also inclusion, creativity, and local resilience

Items We Accept

We’re proud to accept a wide variety of items for repurposing:

Clothing, shoes and accessories
Linens and bedding
Textiles for recycling
Jewelry and watches
Musical instruments
Personal electronics
Records, CD’s and Cassettes
Books
Toys in good condition and complete. No plastic toys larger than a large moving box
Home goods (dishes, silverware, cookware, décor, etc)
Recreational and camping gear
Small furniture items:
- Must be of solid wood construction (no particle board)
- No larger than 2 by 3 feet: dressers, nightstands, end tables, sitting chairs
- In good working order and ready to sell
- Vintage or collectible pieces

Electronics Recycling

We accept electronics as a certified Oregon E-Cycles location:

Computers
Tablets (wipe & release device from apple or android account)
Monitors
Televisions
Printers
Keyboards
Mice
Cell phones (wipe & release device from apple or android account)

Metal Recycling

The Arc provides free metal recycling for items that can’t be resold:

Washers
Dryers
Stoves/ranges
Metal bed frames
Hardware
Microwaves
Cookware
Free weights
Wiring
Extension cords
Any object made from steel, aluminum, copper, brass, iron, tin, or zinc

STUFF WE CAN'T TAKE RIGHT NOW

We are always looking for initiatives and partnerships that will allow us to accept a wider variety of items to repurpose, but we are operating within some limitations.

We are currently unable to accept the following items:

Artwork larger than 2′ by 3′
Mattresses, hide-a-beds, sleeper sofas, bunk beds, cribs, and box springs
Furniture: large items (wider than 2′ x 3′), or items in disrepair
Refrigerators and freezers
Mini-blinds, drapes on rods, and curtain rods
Baby furniture: cribs, car seats, play pens, and high chairs
Kiddie pools and large plastic toys, such as ride-on toys
Anything that needs to be built in, such as toilets, sinks, and cabinets
Gas-powered equipment, like lawn mowers, trimmers/edgers, gas cans, etc.
Clothes that are dirty, musty, smoky or wet. No rips, stains, or tears
Shoes that are overly worn or dirty, or have as rips, stains, or tears
Dated material such as encyclopedias, text books, and magazines
Pillows, mattress pads
Bicycles & bike helmets
Bean bag chairs
Golf clubs and bags
Auto parts, such as mats, oil, or fluids
Building materials
Firearms and ammunition
Food and beverages (including pet and baby formula)
Household chemicals
Paint and paint thinners
Medications and vitamins
Medical supplies
Pianos and organs
Carpet and padding
Area rugs larger than 3′ x 4′
Plastic containers and lids
Cleaning supplies, such as cleaners, mops, and brooms
Vacuums and carpet-cleaning machines
Suitcases (unless new with tags)
Unframed mirrors
Stereo speakers
VHS tapes or empty CD cases

If you need help finding a home for any of the items we can’t accept, feel free to ask us for suggestions on local partners who might be able to accept them.