VolunteerNow

Donated Goods - VolunteerNow's Donated Goods program directly impacts 250,000 individuals annually, processes 500,000 donated goods and diverts 750 tons of usable goods from landfills each year. The Donated Goods program takes new and needed goods and redistributes them to Low Moderate Income (LMI) communities and nonprofits serving that sector. Donated Goods provides three essential services. 1- Discount Depot. Launched in 1989, the Donated Goods storefront, Discount Depot, receives new goods from corporate partners like JCPenney, Target, CVS, Walgreens, Lowes and others. For a minimal fee, nonprofit partners and other community members can shop for essential goods for programs and personal use at 50-90 percent off retail prices. Annually, the two stores redistribute over 750 tons of new goods. In Fall 2023, Discount Depot was selected by SMU's Master of Arts in Design and Innovation as the Studio Social Impact Client, joining a roster of clients like the Water Cooler at Pegasus Park, the Dallas Mavericks, and DFW Airport. 2 & 3 - Goods Giveaways and Goods Grants. As a trusted organization in the donated goods space, VolunteerNow often receives large scale donations from corporate partners. The volume of these donations requires wider and more intentional distribution than can be managed through the Discount Depot storefronts. When these opportunities arise, VolunteerNow communicates with partner agencies and provides a first-come, first-served chance to receive the donated goods at no expense. Since the inception of these services in March 2023, VolunteerNow has provided over $1.5 million in goods to 189 nonprofit and educational partners, including grants valued at $250,000 to reduce the operational expense burden of purchasing needed goods. Providing these goods to nonprofits means that their budgets are reserved for their core programming.