After spring cleaning and decluttering, clothes need to go somewhere. Donating them ensures nothing goes to waste. When looking in and around Hoboken, there are three standout options.
1. St. Mary Advocates Thrift Shop
536 Garden St., Hoboken, NJ 07030
Relying solely on the work of volunteers and donating their profits to both a scholarship and various charitable funds, St Mary’s is by far one of the best places to donate clothes and miscellaneous items.
Donations accepted include clothing, small housewares, shoes, jewelry, and, of course, time.
All donations are carefully sorted through before hitting the store floor. Small kitchen appliances are checked to ensure they work, clothes are checked for any stains or snags, and higher ticket items have their authenticity verified. Anything that doesn’t pass inspection is recycled, so nothing is wasted.
Store hours are Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday, 12 to 5 p.m., Friday, 2 to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 12 to 4:30 p.m. Occasionally, additional hours on Sunday or Monday are announced on their Instagram page.
2. Hoboken Homeless Shelter
300 Bloomfield St., Hoboken, NJ 07030
Supporting the community through both food and resources to help get people back on their feet, the Hoboken Shelter is a bastion of hope. While food is one of the first things to come to mind when donating to a shelter, clothes are also needed to best help the shelter’s guests.
Donations can be made any day of the week, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Items accepted are shoes, seasonally appropriate clothes, and backpacks. A comprehensive list of other needed items is posted on their website.
Of course, donations of time are also greatly appreciated, with volunteering opportunities revolving around manning the three different shifts for mealtimes. Any donations contribute directly to the benefit of the local community.
3. St. Lucy’s Emergency Shelter
619 Grove St., Jersey City, NJ 07310
Serving to help others through feeding the hungry and providing housing to the homeless, St Lucy’s Emergency Shelter is part of the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark. While not being directly situated in Hoboken, it’s not too far, being a roughly 31-minute walk from campus.
Tucked away in their parking lot is a donation bin, one of several sprinkled across the state. Accepted donations include gently used clothing, linens, sheets, towels, shoes, and small household appliances. It is requested that items be either bagged in a clear plastic bag or placed in a box.
All items donated to them will be sold, and all proceeds from this will be used to fund any of their 86 programs for the needy.
Any donations to any of the listed places above will serve to help people, with items that otherwise would have just been taking up space. Instead of cluttering up a closet or sitting in boxes, your clothes could make a tangible difference for someone.
