Do you have gently used furniture, housewares or even bikes (read about Helping with Bikes!) that you would like to donate to a family who would enjoy using them? Although all donations are greatly appreciated, we would like to offer these families sets of furniture that belong together so that their empty apartments and town-houses become their home. At present we only pick up inside of the blue shaded area on the map below. You are welcome to drop off your donations at the Depot on Wednesday evenings between 7 and 9 pm. To arrange a drop off, please fill in the donation form. Pick-up Area Map (Within the blue shaded area only.) View larger Pick up Area Map As we get larger we will expand but for the present these are the limits. We do not pick up in Quebec. Please be aware that in order to be as efficient as possible, we have a list of donators and a specific pick-up date will be assigned to you once you have submitted your donation form. You can reach us by completing our donation form.
Please state your name, telephone number, address and area of Ottawa, and the items (with their dimensions) you wish to donate. One of our volunteers will reply as soon as possible. On rare occasions, for the safety of its volunteers, HWF reserves the right to cancel furniture pick-ups and deliveries. Please note that the HWF volunteers have the final say and can refuse items for valid reasons and depending on space available in storage. Your furniture should be in good condition. We DO NOT accept: LIVING ROOM, KITCHEN AND DINING FURNITURE Please read our FAQ to find out how you can donate. You can reach us by completing our Funiture Donation Form. Please leave us a message indicating your name, phone number, and a brief description of the items you have to offer. One of our volunteers will reply as soon as possible. If we can accept your offer, you will be added to our list for a pickup. We do pickups and deliveries once a week, on Wednesday evenings.
In general, the following week’s pickup is already scheduled when you contact us. How soon we can pick up your items depends on your location, what you are offering and our needs. You should be prepared to wait two or three weeks. Consider dropping off your donation at our storage facility. This is our preferred method. When you speak to our volunteer about your donation, indicate that you are prepared to deliver; we will give you the address and do our best to have somebody at our storage at a time that works for both of us.At present we only pick up inside the blue shaded area on the map above. As we get larger we will expand but for the present these are the limits. We do not pick up in Quebec.But every pickup involves transportation and storage costs for us. We do not charge anything for furnishing homes with the furniture we get. So we do appreciate money donations when we pick up your furniture. We give a tax receipt for all money donations of $10 or over.We cannot do that under the rules of our charitable tax status.
Extra large or heavy items, soft furniture used by animals or smokers, torn or unclean soft furniture. We reserve the right to refuse to take away items that do not meet our standards of condition. The person doing the pickup has the authority to make the final decision on the spot at the time of pickup. Large appliances (stoves, refrigerators, washing machines), extra large or heavy items, soft furniture used by animals or smokers, torn or unclean soft furniture. Furniture must be clean and of a quality that we would take in our own homes. Dishes, linens and small items must be boxed or packed, identified as to contents. Loose pieces of related items (e.g. nuts, bolts, screws of beds, tables with legs, TV’s with remotes) must be tied or taped together. Please have donations ready on the main floor if at all possible. If we need them at that time; They must be in good condition, unstained, with accompanying box springs. We pick up on Wednesday evenings. All the people who do our work are volunteers so we have to operate on a limited regular basis.
Pickups are done between 6:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. You will be given notice at least 48 hours beforehand. The City of Ottawa provides a list of places that will take used items. You can reach them at http://ottawa.ca/en/residents/garbage-and-recycling/hazardous-waste-and-special-items. What you can do Eat for healthy oceans Reduce your carbon footprint Food and our planet Connecting youth with nature Be a citizen scientist Canada's 30x30 Nature Challenge Where to recycle mattresses(Credit: Surat Lozowick via Flickr) Old mattresses have been dumped in city landfills for years. Yet all of the materials in them are recyclable. Today, few cities offer recycling options but it's still worth searching for a municipal program, a private recycler, or asking retailers. Across Canada, Sleep Country stores will donate mattresses purchased at their stores and in good condition to a local charity, or they'll have it recycled. Ask about the "green" fee for this service.
And, before you purchase any new mattress, always ask the retailer — no matter how big or small — if they'll recycle your old one. In the greater Toronto area, the City of Toronto will accept oversized items including mattresses, box springs, and upholstered furniture. All you have to do is place your mattress next to your garbage bins and the city will pick it up for free! Sign up for Queen of Green tips by email Recently the City of Vancouver passed a bylaw prohibiting mattresses from being sent to landfills. Canadian Mattress Recycling opened in Metro in January, 2011. They offer weekly residential pickup programs in Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey, Delta, Langley, the North Shore, and the Tri-Cities area. Another option in Western Canada—from Victoria to Edmonton—is Mattress Recycling. Check their website for drop-off locations or pickup pricing on mattresses, headboards, and couches. In the Ottawa area, check out Mattress Mart. They work with Montreal-based recycler Matt Canada who'll pick up your old mattress set and ship it to their factory.