Furniture Donation/Pick-up in Newark? archived

Here's a link to Furniture Assist, an organization that provides donated furniture and household goods to people in our area who have been certified as in need by various social agencies (think fire victims, battered spouses, etc.). I'm not sure if they pick up, but it sounds as if they do for a small cash donation. I know some of their clients are in Newark.

http://www.furnitureassist.com/index.html

good luck.

There is a place in Newark called the Goodwill Rescue Mission that picked up some furniture from us just a few weeks ago. I'd assumed it was the same as Goodwill (Industries), but apparently not.

http://www.grmnewark.org/thriftstores.asp

Good luck!

try this: http://www.donationtown.org/donation-pick-up.html

Thank you! I have no idea if any of this will work, because my SIL didn't ask me to take this on until yesterday, and she actually thought I'd be able to arrange pick-up today or tomorrow. Clearly, she has never donated anything. :p

I will give these suggestions the old college try. Thanks, everyone.

PeggyC - I know a family in Irvington that just lost everything in an apartment fire this past week. I bet they could use some of the stuff you are donating - and I am sure they can arrange pick up. Would your family be willing to give some of the items to them?

Also, my condolences on your Father in Law.

this guy's name is Pastor Tony (201) 919-5226. He can pick up most items. I'm not sure what his charity is, I think he runs a mission in Morristown?

kriss, I may have some things after my estate sale this weekend.

c_q - awesome! Thanks.

Kriss, how soon do you think they would be able to pick up the furniture? I should stress that we don't have time for this to be a shopping opportunity... we would need to be sure they would actually take everything, because otherwise I think my SIL would have a nervous breakdown. She's at her wits' end with all this stuff, and she was completely devastated by losing him. She's not long on patience at the best of times.

The furniture is:
Sofa (tan microfiber, with at least one part that is a recliner)
Loveseat (sage green with a pattern in the back cushions)
Small round oak table - antique, has a little wobble in the top but would be easy to fix. It's very pretty; I almost took this myself.
Four chairs for the table - not an exact match, but usable.
A small tube TV
Shelving unit
A couple of lamps and small miscellaneous tables

None of it is gorgeous, but it's still serviceable.

I reached out to some of the links above, and I'm waiting for a call from Goodwill Rescue Mission. It does look like they aren't associated with Goodwill Industries, strangely enough. I've got my fingers crossed on that one.

Peggy - let me shoot an email out and get back to you ASAP. Thank you!

Sure... I would love this to work out, Kriss. That would be a nice piece of serendipity.

Vietnam Vets says they don't have a pick-up scheduled in the near future for the Newark area, so that's out. Crossing fingers that maybe Habitat for Humanity will work...

Definitely! I have reached out and will get back to you as soon as I hear.

Hi PeggyC - ok, they are actually doing really well - have had a bunch of stuff donated so they wouldn't be able to take everything. However, I have a rec for you - did you try the Lupus Foundation? They picked up some stuff from a friend of mine last week.

Struck out with Habitat for Humanity. Pastor Tony doesn't want to arrange a fast pick-up without being able to see the furniture first (in case he gets stuck picking up crap he can't give away, which I understand). (C_Q, thanks for that suggestion... I'm going to keep him in mind for some of our own stuff down the road.) Unfortunately, none of us thought of taking photos for donations to individuals or to put on Craigs List or anything like that.

H'mm. That leaves me with three possibilities:

Goodwill Rescue Mission. This is my strongest hope right now.
Kriss's family in Irvington. Got my fingers crossed.
FurnitureAssist. Very faint hope, since I had to email them and don't even know if I will hear back any time soon.

Thanks to everyone for great ideas. If anyone can think of any other avenues, please post.

Kriss, I will try the Lupus Foundation, although I don't know if they take furniture. I'm glad the family is doing well, even though this doesn't help my own personal crusade.

Argh. Lupus Foundation does not take furniture. Good thought, though.

Wasn't the S.O. public works department looking for furniture after the flood a couple of months ago because they lost everything in the break room? I don't know whatever happened with that, but might be worth a shot...

Don't even talk to me about the SO public works department. I called them after the flood offering them my piano for free, and the guy I talked to was very excited, because they had been looking for a piano for the senior citizens' center, and he gave me a phone number for the woman in charge of that search. She never called me back, and I gave up after three calls. Yes, I'm holding a grudge.

(Do you happen to have a number for them?)

Peggy, how about this company...they donate and recycle items picked up when possible. Never used them but saw the company featured on a news show. (you will have to pay for their service)

http://www.1800gotjunk.com/us_en/locations/junk-removal-new-jersey/

Peggy - here is their number (973) 378-7741

And there was a poster on MOL who was helping to pull together the donations for DPW - was it KTrama? Maybe PM him - you might get a better response. Good luck! If I think of anything else I'll post.

Thanks, Kriss. MLJ, I called 1800GotJunk, and they can absolutely do it. I just have to get the idea of paying a fee past my SIL, but I'm going to try. They sound like the most realistic option at this point. I never realized just how hard it is to get rid of unwanted furniture!

*sigh*

After all this research, I learn that my SIL "couldn't wait," so she called Salvation Army herself. They said they couldn't pick up until the 30th, so now she says she just wants to throw it all in a dumpster.

Why do I even bother?

Call Catholic Charities and St Vincent DePaul. Both have a presence in Newark.

Also, you may want to reach out to mem. She has worked with several programs in Newark that may fill the bill.

I love when people give you a task but then go ahead and do it themselves anyway, thereby completely wasting your time.

Is it feasible to just stick it out on the curb? I've had great luck just putting random stuff out in front of my house - people come by and pick it up. I got rid of DR chairs, a couple of bookcases, a nightstand, etc. Of course, I've never put out an entire room full of furniture at one time...

Thanks, Calli, but I'm not making any more calls on this. My SIL as usual is trying to delegate but then taking the job back when it doesn't happen within her split-second timeframe. When her hair is on fire, the only thing to do is back off.

I appreciate the suggestions and would do it if it was up to me, but it's not... I'm standing down.

Thanks, Kriss, that's exactly how I feel. She gave me this job at 3:30 yesterday afternoon, and it wasn't quick enough that I called her with extensive research at 10:30 a.m. the following morning. She gave up after making ONE call herself.

And no, it isn't just her grief over the bereavement... she's always like this.

I think she's just going to arrange for the stuff to be hauled downstairs to the dumpster of the building where he lived. He was in subsidized housing in Newark, and most likely there will be folks who will haul something out if they want it.

I know you are over it, but you could also list items on Freecycle. she would have to set a time she would be there to let people pick the items up.

I think she just wants to be done with it, and I don't blame her. Any complications or further suggestions right now would probably send her over the edge, and she's the only one with keys to the apartment. But it's a good thought, C_Q.