Donate clothing

What to donate

We appreciate your donations of women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing, shoes, and accessories in good or better wearable condition. Our clients need clothing, shoes, and accessories for all kinds of activities including work, school, casual and dressy events, sports, and more. Anything our clients cannot use is either recycled or sold wholesale to support our work.

We accept:

• Clothing from any era, in any size, for any age or gender
• Footwear including shoes, sandals, sneakers, and boots
• Outerwear including all kinds of coats and jackets
• Bathing suits, workout clothing, athletic wear
• Wearable accessories, including belts, hats, scarfs, gloves, and more
• Purses and bags
• Costume jewelry
• Aprons

We cannot accept donations of anything that is not listed above. If you'd like to donate funds, here's how »

Most needed items:

• Men’s clothing – all types and sizes
• Women’s clothing, especially larger sizes
• Footwear in good condition for both men and women

Click here for donation bin locations and public clothing drives (when scheduled).

How to donate

• We cannot accept clothing donations at our office, which is a very small shared space. Please donate at a clothing drive or at our outdoor bins.
• Place your clothing, shoes, and accessories in a small- or medium-sized bag (no hangers and no boxes, please). The opening in our donation bins is approximately 3' x 2'.
• Please do not leave donations or trash outside of our clothing donation bins. If your donation will not fit through the opening, empty the contents into the bin and take the container with you. If the bin is full (rare, but sometimes unavoidable during the busiest times of the year), please come back another time, or visit one of our other locations.
• Don't drop anything into the bin that you intend to keep. Hold your keys, wallet, phone, etc. in your other hand, or better yet, in a pocket or bag.
• Please send your donation check separately - do not include it with your clothing donation. Same with coins!
• Second Chances presently has extremely limited ability to pick up donations. If you have fewer than 30 large bags (350+ pounds) or are outside of the Greater Boston area, please drop off at our donation bins or one of our public clothing drives. Thank you.
  
  

Where to donate

OPERATIONS UPDATE

Our donation bins are operating according to the schedules (if applicable) below. Publicly accessible bins are emptied three to four times per week. If you are able to donate on a weekday, we really appreciate it and it will be picked up quickly! If a bin is full, please wait to donate another time or at another location. Do not leave donations outside the bins. Thank you for your generosity and support.

PUBLIC CLOTHING DRIVES

ARLINGTON
Get ready for another terrific event with Steve McKenna and the Home Advantage Team in Arlington in October! You can donate clothing from Monday, October 2 to Friday, October 13, 2023 | Details »

ARLINGTON

Whole Foods Market, Arlington
808 Massachusetts Avenue | Arlington, Massachusetts | Map »
Donation bin is to the right of the electric car charging station in the parking lot.

Arlington Reuse & Recycling Center - residents only
33 Ryder Street | Arlington, Massachusetts | Map »
For Arlington residents only. Our donation bin inside the recycling center can be accessed during recycling events. Visit the Reuse & Recycling Center website for dates, times, and more information about Arlington recycling events.

BOSTON

Museum of Science
Inside the parking garage at One Science Park | Boston, Massachusetts
Map »
To donate: Turn into the driveway at the Museum of Science. The parking garage is immediately on your right. Enter the garage and take a ticket, go through the gate and immediately head right along the wall that is parallel to McGrath Highway (stay on the ground level, do not head up the ramp). Our donation bin is about halfway down on the right side. You have 30 minutes to exit the garage without paying. You will need to insert your ticket in the machine to leave the garage.
Garage hours: Sunday to Thursday: 5:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. | Friday and Saturday: 5:30 a.m. to midnight

Pierce Boston, Fenway - residents only
Inside 200 Brookline Avenue | Boston, Massachusetts
Details and directions »
For Pierce Boston residents only.

CAMBRIDGE

Fresh Pond, Danehy Park parking lot, near the dog park
162 New Street | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Map »
Donation bin is in the parking lot on the left side, near the entrance.
Hours: Generally, the parking lot gates are open from dawn to dusk, every day.

Elevate, Cambridge Crossing - residents only
Inside One Leighton Street | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Map »
For Elevate residents only. The concierge can show you to the loading dock area where the donation bin is located.

SOMERVILLE / MEDFORD

TAB parking lot, West Somerville
169 Holland Street | Somerville, Massachusetts | Map »
Donation bin is near the exit, to the left of the attendant's booth.

Tufts University Campus
101 Talbot Avenue | Medford, Massachusetts | Map »
Donation bin is in the driveway to the left of the office/house - it has been moved slightly because of construction. This location is very close to the Medford/Somerville line.

Donation bin hosts wanted

Want to host one of our clothing donation bins at your location? We are looking for locations for donation bins in Somerville, Cambridge, and communities bordering Somerville and Cambridge. Details »

Thanks to our wonderful partners at Architectural Openings (East Somerville), Delaney Uniform Services (Watertown), and Whole Foods Market (Prospect Street and River Street in Cambridge and Beacon Street in Somerville) for graciously hosting donation bins in the past.

Hosting a clothing drive?

Let us know! We can help with marketing, your own webpage, posters, materials, and ideas.
More information »
Contact us »

Other ways you can help »

Second Chances, Inc.  |  P.O. Box 441328  |  Somerville, Massachusetts 02144-1328
Second Chances reuses and recycles clothing, shoes, and accessories so that homeless and lower-income people feel confident and valued as they take their first steps toward brighter futures and, as a community, we can minimize the amount of apparel going into local landfills. Give funds, donate clothing, or volunteer to help our neighbors in need and our planet!
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