92014
Food Recovery Collection Service Area: Vista, Oceanside, San Marcos, Encinitas, Carlsbad, Escondido
churchoffice@faithvista.org
760-724-7700
Types of Food Accepted: Fresh Produce (whole fruit & vegetables) Shelf-stable/ Non-perishable Foods Perishable Foods (meat, dairy, eggs, etc.) Baked Goods Prepared Foods (hot, cold, or frozen prepared food)
Servicing all of San Diego County
No local office: national company headquartered in Tennessee
P.O. Box 22787
Knoxville, TN 37934
ContactUs@foodtodonate.com
(800) 831-8161
Types of Food Accepted:
Prepared (food prepared in a commercial kitchen but not served to customers)
Frozen items
Services Chula Vista and surrounding communities within 40 miles.
Phone: (619) 866-1469
Email: Zenaida Orellano
zorellana@sdrescue.org
Types of Food Accepted: Fresh produce (whole fruit & vegetables), Shelf-stable/ non-perishables Perishables, Prepared (food prepared in a commercial kitchen but not served to customers), Prepared frozen items
Services Chula Vista, Coronado, National City, Imperial Beach, San Diego and surrounding areas within 30 miles
Phone: (619) 761-6771
Email: Roberta “Bobbi” VanMechelen
robertavm2@gmail.com
Types of Food Accepted:
Fresh produce (whole fruit & vegetables), Shelf-stable/ non-perishables, Perishables, Prepared (food prepared in a commercial kitchen but not served to customers), Prepared frozen items
Shelf-Stable/non-perishable foods
Contact ivette.Garcia@syhealth.org for any food donation inquiries
Please limit your donations at these sites to one or two bags of food. Many of our public donation drop off sites are small, local businesses with limited storage capacity and are not equipped to accept large amounts of donations.
If you would like to drop off larger quantities of food, please do so at our Miramar or Vista distribution centers.
Please limit your donations at these sites to one or two bags of food. Many of our public donation drop off sites are small, local businesses with limited storage capacity and are not equipped to accept large amounts of donations.
Fresh produce (whole fruit and vegetables)
Prepared food, packaged food
Fresh produce (whole fruit & vegetables)
Shelf-stable/ non-perishable
Perishable (meat, dairy, eggs, etc.)
Prepared (hot, cold, or frozen prepared food)
Frozen foods
williamandkim@hotmail.com
(858) 337-0613 (Kim Rearick)
Fresh produce (whole fruit & vegetables)
Shelf-stable/ non-perishable food
Perishable food (meat, dairy, eggs, etc.)
Frozen Foods
Baked Goods
Prepared foods (hot, cold, or frozen prepared food)
Fresh produce (whole fruit & vegetables)
Shelf-stable/ non-perishable food
Perishable food (meat, dairy, eggs, etc.)
Frozen Foods
Baked Goods
Prepared foods (hot, cold, or frozen prepared food)
Beverages
Fresh produce (whole fruit & vegetables)
Shelf-stable/ non-perishable food
Perishable food (meat, dairy, eggs, etc.)
Baked Goods
Prepared foods (hot, cold, or frozen prepared food)
Fresh produce (whole fruit & vegetables)
Shelf-stable/ non-perishable food
Perishable food (meat, dairy, eggs, etc.)
Baked Goods
Prepared foods (hot, cold, or frozen prepared food)
Fresh produce (whole fruit & vegetables)
Shelf-stable/ non-perishable food
Frozen Foods
Baked Goods
Prepared foods (hot, cold, or frozen prepared food)
Fresh produce (whole fruit & vegetables)
Shelf-stable/ non-perishable
Perishable food (meat, dairy, eggs, etc.)
Prepared foods (hot, cold, or frozen prepared food)
Fresh produce (whole fruit & vegetables)
Shelf-stable/ non-perishable food
Perishable food (meat, dairy, eggs, etc.)
Frozen Foods
Baked Goods
Prepared foods (hot, cold, or frozen prepared food)
Bulk Foods
Food Recovery Collection Service Area: Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, Escondido, Carlsbad, Encinitas
isabel@calvaryoceanside.org
lindag@calvaryoceanside.org
(760) 754-1234 x 239
Fresh produce (whole fruit & vegetables)
Shelf-stable/ non-perishable food
Perishable food (meat, dairy, eggs, etc.)
Frozen Foods
Baked Goods
Beverages
Fresh produce (whole fruit & vegetables)
Shelf-stable/ non-perishable food
Perishable food (meat, dairy, eggs, etc.)
Frozen Foods
Baked Goods
Beverages
Prepared foods (hot, cold, or frozen prepared food)
Bulk Foods
Fresh produce (whole fruit & vegetables)
Shelf-stable/ non-perishable food
Perishable food (meat, dairy, eggs, etc.)
Baked Goods
Beverages
keith@theokc.com
(760)707-8108
Fresh produce (whole fruit & vegetables)
Shelf-stable/ non-perishable food
Perishable food (meat, dairy, eggs, etc.)
Frozen Foods
Baked Goods
Candy and soda
Prepared foods (hot, cold, or frozen prepared food)
Fresh produce (whole fruit & vegetables)
Shelf-stable/ non-perishable food
Baked Goods
Prepared foods (hot, cold, or frozen prepared food)
Fresh produce, perishables, and
non-perishables.
Monday thru Friday every week
Fresh produce, perishables and
non-perishables.
Primarily Spanish Speaking
u-Tool-ize is a tool lending program intended on providing community members with free access to tools and equipment, with the goal of fostering environmental stewardship, sustainable practices, and personal empowerment. The tool library carries a diverse range of tools for home improvement, gardening, electrical, plumbing, automotive, bicycle, and crafting which can all be borrowed, just like books, by NCPL cardholders. This program launched in July 2024 and is supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.
Before borrowing any tools or equipment, users must:
After completing those steps users can check out up to five (5) tools at a time for up to seven (7) days. All tools are first come, first served. Tools must be returned clean. View tool inventory
The U-Tool-ize tool library is located on the second floor of the library, down the hall from the Tech Lab and restrooms. Tools can be checked out during the tool library’s designated open hours. Tools can be returned to the tool library’s during its designated open hours and to the Computer Center during all other library hours.
CARE carpet drop-off location
Please note: Area rugs are not covered under the CARE Program and therefore are not accepted.
Do you accept carpet directly from the public? Yes
Tip Fee/Discount for Carpet: $0 for homeowners (DIYer’s); $0 per load (Pick-Up Truck/Van); $0 per load (Stake Bed/Box Van); Larger loads please call ahead for pricing (Larger than Stake Bed and Box Van with Trailers)
CARE carpet drop-off location
Please note: Area rugs are not covered under the CARE Program and therefore are not accepted.
Do you accept carpet directly from the public? Yes
Kinds of carpet accepted (e.g. nylon only) All Types
Tip Fee: For Homeowners/DIY: $15.00 per load; Pick-Up Truck/Van: $25.00 per load; Stake Bed/Box Van: $50.00 per load. Larger loads call ahead for pricing (larger than stake bed and box van with trailers)
Fresh produce, perishables, and
non-perishables.
Fresh produce (whole fruit & vegetables)
Shelf-stable/ non-perishable
Perishable
Prepared (food prepared in a commercial kitchen but not
served to customers)
Frozen items
Donate your produce to help improve local community health and strengthen the local food system – while reducing food waste! We are partnering with Fresh Food Connect to launch our Homegrown Hunger Relief program in the communities of Encinitas, Carlsbad, Solana Beach and Balboa Park!
Donation Station Locations and times:
San Diego Botanic Garden – 300 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas: Sundays 9:30am-5:00pm
Encinitas Library – 540 Cornish Dr, Encinitas: Sundays 9:30am-5:00pm
Olivenhain Germania Hotel – 7th & Cole Ranch Rd: Sundays 9:30am-5:00pm
Healthy Day Partners Harvest Yard – 425 Raphael Ct. Encinitas: Everyday 9:30am-5:00pm
Encinitas Community Garden – for community gardeners only: Sundays 9:30am-5:00pm
Village Rock Shop – Carlsbad Village – 2690 State St., Carlsbad Sundays 9:30am-4:00pm
Jimbo’s – Carlsbad Forum – 1923 Calle Barcelona, Sundays 9:30am-5:00pm
Contact Mim with any questions: 714-329-1349
Fresh produce (whole fruit & vegetables)
Shelf-stable/ non-perishables
Perishables
Prepared frozen items
Services Carlsbad, Coronado, Del Mar, Imperial Beach, National City, Oceanside, San Diego and areas of San Diego County within 40 miles of its location
Phone: (619) 386-5166
Email: Yessika Pena
yessika@togetherhospice.com
In 2021, we began offering collection bins for plastic bags and films in our U.S. stores. Our program is designed to collect these materials and mix them into a bale with other recyclables. We contract with companies to pick up these bales for sorting and recycling. Although our contracts with these companies require these items to be recycled to the maximum extent practicable, in some circumstances, the companies we contract with determine that items placed in our bins cannot be recycled—for example, a plastic bag may be contaminated.
We accept all Women’s, Men’s, and Kid’s apparel items with the exception of intimates, swimwear, and socks.
We accept apparel in any condition whether that be stained, ripped, or broken. We just ask that you launder everything before sending it our way. Once received, we’ll sort and recycle your items for a second life — from new textiles to new projects, including furniture batting, insulation, & padding — sending nothing to landfill.
We accept all Women’s, Men’s, and Kid’s apparel items with the exception of intimates, swimwear, and socks.
We accept apparel in any condition whether that be stained, ripped, or broken. We just ask that you launder everything before sending it our way. Once received, we’ll sort and recycle your items for a second life — from new textiles to new projects, including furniture batting, insulation, & padding — sending nothing to landfill.
We accept all Women’s, Men’s, and Kid’s apparel items with the exception of intimates, swimwear, and socks.
We accept apparel in any condition whether that be stained, ripped, or broken. We just ask that you launder everything before sending it our way. Once received, we’ll sort and recycle your items for a second life — from new textiles to new projects, including furniture batting, insulation, & padding — sending nothing to landfill.
How it Works
Almost every bottle and can you use can be recycled. Look at the label for the universal recycle symbol and the words CA CASH REFUND or CA CRV.* Containers with these markings are good to go in your curbside bin and will be accepted at the recycling center. For more information about the CRV program, check out our Frequently Asked Questions. Other acceptable labels include “California Redemption Value,” “CA Redemption Value” or “California Cash Refund.”
There’s no need to wash or crush your recyclables. Just separate your aluminum, glass, and plastic containers in different bags or bins, and head for the recycling center.
Recycling centers are not owned or operated by the State of California. All recycling center days and hours of operation are determined and overseen by the individual recycling center operator and must be posted at the center. Centers are required to be open a minimum of 30 hours per week, at least five days a week, and at least one weekend day. If you would like to report a recycling center closure or file a formal complaint regarding a certified recycling center, please email CalRecycle or call 1-800-RECYCLE.
Beverage Container CRV Recycling
Beverage Container CRV Recycling
Beverage Container CRV Recycling
To Serve individuals and families in our community with food and essentials with dignity and compassion
Services Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, Lemon Grove, National City, San Diego and surrounding areas within 20 miles.
Phone: (619) 761-6771
Email: Brenda Trejo
operationpromise630@gmail.com
Types of Food Accepted:
Fresh produce (whole fruit & vegetables), Shelf-stable/ non-perishables, Perishables, Prepared (food prepared in a commercial kitchen but not served to customers), Prepared frozen items
Bring us your food scraps to add to our hot piles and worm tunnel
Acceptable items:
egg shells
coffee grounds
coffee filters
paper tea bags
fruit/vegetable
shredded paper
grains (cooked or uncooked)
breads/flours
spices
shredded paper
torn paper plates/
Items not accepted:
excessive meat or dairy
excessive fish products
any plastic/foil
rubber bands/twist ties
nylon tea bags
4009 Hicock St STE D, San Diego, CA 92110
131 W 33rd St #1, National City, CA 91950
Please contact FSD to establish partnership with this Food Recovery Organization
Feeding San Diego: (619) 654-8385 or fooddonation@feedingsandiego.org
Please contact FSD or SDFB to establish partnership with this Food Recovery Organization
Feeding San Diego: (619) 654-8385 or fooddonation@feedingsandiego.org
San Diego Food Bank: (858) 863-5133 or donatefood@sandiegofoodbank.org
Please contact to partner with this Food Recovery Organization
(619) 478-2384 Ivette.Garcia@syhealth.org
Business Food Recovery Organization Partner. Please contact FSD.
Feeding San Diego – (858) 863-5133 or donatefood@sandiegofoodbank.org
Business Food Recovery Organization Partner. Please contact SDFB or FSD.
San Diego Food Bank – (858) 863-5133 or donatefood@sandiegofoodbank.org
Feeding San Diego – (858) 863-5133 or donatefood@sandiegofoodbank.org
Business Food Recovery Organization Partner. Please contact SDFB or FSD.
San Diego Food Bank – (858) 863-5133 or donatefood@sandiegofoodbank.org
Feeding San Diego – (858) 863-5133 or donatefood@sandiegofoodbank.org
Businesses please contact San Diego Food Bank or Feeding San Diego to partner with this Food Recovery Organization
San Diego Food Bank – (858) 863-5133 or donatefood@sandiegofoodbank.org
Feeding San Diego – (619) 654-8385 or fooddonation@feedingsandiego.org
Please contact Feeding San Diego to partner with this Food Recovery Organization at (619) 654-8385 or fooddonation@feedingsandiego.org
The Gleaning Field Foundation is an all volunteer faith based organization that serves poor and low income families and individuals.
For food recovery partnership, please contact Feeding San Diego at (619) 654-8385 or fooddonation@feedingsandiego.org
Business donors – Please contact SDFB or FSD to establish partnership
San Diego Food Bank: (858) 863-5133 or donatefood@sandiegofoodbank.org
Feeding San Diego: (619) 654-8385 or fooddonation@feedingsandiego.org
Individual donors
Food Recovery Organization. Please contact the San Diego Food Bank at (858) 863-5133 or donatefood@sandiegofoodbank.org
Food Recovery Organization. Please contact the San Diego Food Bank at (858) 863-5133 or donatefood@sandiegofoodbank.org
All brands of air and home cartridges, air and home care plugs, air and home care trigger heads, and air and home care plastic and film packaging. Mr. Clean Deep Cleaning Mist bottles and trigger heads.
All brands of air and home care plugs
IMPORTANT: Do not send in aerosol containers through this program.
Please recycle locally where possible.
For the public: non-perishable food donations only
Their walk-in donation hours are Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. No appointment is necessary. Located in Miramar at 9850 Distribution Ave. San Diego, CA 92121. Please follow signs for Shipping & Receiving.
CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF OUR MOST NEEDED FOOD ITEMS
For businesses: Accepting Perishable and non-perishable foods including produce and prepared meals
This organization partners with a wide range of non-profits and food recovery organizations and can help connect you to organizations in
Please contact Kayla Thomson, kthomson@sandiegofoodbank.org, 858-863-5133
Putting on your own production? We rent our costumes to schools, organizations and individuals looking for full show costume rentals or partial. Please contact us for details.
CYT San Diego Costume Rentals focuses our availability to theaters, schools and performance companies. Individual rentals (such as Halloween, special events or parties) are welcome, but on a limited basis.
We Have A Very Large Selection of Costumes Rental & Sales
For School Drama Department Merchandise – Weddings – Private Events – Theatre Shows
Costumes Of Any Era & Occasion – 20’s Flappers – 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, & Much More!
Accessories – Theatrical Makeup – Ben Nu – Hats, Wigs, Mustaches & Beards – Plastic Weapons & Swords – Boas – Glasses – Masquerade Masks – Wrestling Masks-Costume Masks -Largest Selection Anywhere
Get Costumes For – Renaissance – Civil War & Colonial – Pirates – Mariachi Customs – Clowns
Costumes for Adults and Kids – Rent or Buy
While you can only see a small selection of their costume rental options online, rest assured that they have thousands of choices in their store.
Gypsy Treasure’s prices and terms are fair, with costume rentals ranging from $45 to $150 for a 24-hour period, with an additional day costing just $15 extra.
(Re-opening early September) This is one of the most expansive costume rental companies near San Diego
STAR Theatrical Costumes and Rentals is located in Escondido, CA, and carries high-end theatrical quality musical theatre production costumes, props, and set pieces for rent!
Costuming on a budget? No worries! Thrifty Threads is the perfect costume rental company in San Diego for the more frugal shoppers and renters. Luckily, you don’t have to skimp on quality here. In fact, this is one of the area’s best-reviewed and highly touted costume rental companies. Doubling as a sprawling vintage thrift store, this company has a truly staggering variety of options for everything from masquerade parties to props and gear worthy of big-budget production studios.
Drop off your used or unwanted shoes at your local Road Runner Sports store (find it here) and they’ll be donated to Got Sneakers.
For every pair of shoes tha’s donated, Got Sneakers will donate $3.00 to Athletes Helping Athletes. Every dollar donated will help raise funds for handcycles or will go toward changing the life of a child.
Got Sneakers accepts used footwear in any condition, processes and recycles it through sustainable means. Over 80% of all footwear accepted is shipped to emerging markets & communities in Latin America, the Caribbean and the Middle East, providing consumers in these areas with accessible footwear.
Drop off your used or unwanted shoes at your local Road Runner Sports store (find it here) and they’ll be donated to Got Sneakers.
For every pair of shoes tha’s donated, Got Sneakers will donate $3.00 to Athletes Helping Athletes. Every dollar donated will help raise funds for handcycles or will go toward changing the life of a child.
Got Sneakers accepts used footwear in any condition, processes and recycles it through sustainable means. Over 80% of all footwear accepted is shipped to emerging markets & communities in Latin America, the Caribbean and the Middle East, providing consumers in these areas with accessible footwear.
Drop off your used or unwanted shoes at your local Road Runner Sports store (find it here) and they’ll be donated to Got Sneakers.
For every pair of shoes tha’s donated, Got Sneakers will donate $3.00 to Athletes Helping Athletes. Every dollar donated will help raise funds for handcycles or will go toward changing the life of a child.
Got Sneakers accepts used footwear in any condition, processes and recycles it through sustainable means. Over 80% of all footwear accepted is shipped to emerging markets & communities in Latin America, the Caribbean and the Middle East, providing consumers in these areas with accessible footwear.
Drop off your used or unwanted shoes at your local Road Runner Sports store (find it here) and they’ll be donated to Got Sneakers.
For every pair of shoes tha’s donated, Got Sneakers will donate $3.00 to Athletes Helping Athletes. Every dollar donated will help raise funds for handcycles or will go toward changing the life of a child.
Got Sneakers accepts used footwear in any condition, processes and recycles it through sustainable means. Over 80% of all footwear accepted is shipped to emerging markets & communities in Latin America, the Caribbean and the Middle East, providing consumers in these areas with accessible footwear.
Through Republic Services, there are now two medical sharps drop bins located at Fire Station 1 (1275 Carlsbad Village Drive) and Fire Station 6 (7201 Rancho Santa Fe). They are open 24/7 for residents to anonymously drop off their medical sharps. These are serviced and properly disposed of by Stericycle via incineration.
Carlsbad residents can dispose of medical needles free of charge at the Palomar Transfer Station Recycling Center:
5960 El Camino Real
Monday – Saturday
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Republic Services also offers simple and convenient sharps disposal services for at-home, tattoo and piercing shops, home care providers, nursing homes, small medical facilities, veterinary clinics, and more. Please call 760-332-6464 to make a request.
Through Republic Services, there are now two medical sharps drop bins located at Fire Station 1 (1275 Carlsbad Village Drive) and Fire Station 6 (7201 Rancho Santa Fe). They are open 24/7 for residents to anonymously drop off their medical sharps. These are serviced and properly disposed of by Stericycle via incineration.
Carlsbad residents can dispose of medical needles free of charge at the Palomar Transfer Station Recycling Center:
5960 El Camino Real
Monday – Saturday
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Republic Services also offers simple and convenient sharps disposal services for at-home, tattoo and piercing shops, home care providers, nursing homes, small medical facilities, veterinary clinics, and more. Please call 760-332-6464 to make a request.
Medications
Medications in standard containers may be deposited in collection boxes. Loose medication can be put into plastic bags available at the collection box and then deposited. Please ensure any liquid medication is enclosed in secure containers before depositing.
Once collected, evidence staff will ensure the medication is disposed of according to federal standards. Most prescription drug drop-off locations are open weekdays from 8am to 5pm. Call the station’s non-emergency number for hours.
Needles/Sharps
Make sure sharps are stored in a sharps container kit or in a rigid, puncture-resistant, tightly-sealed container, including: bleach bottles, liquid detergent bottles, or coffee cans with lids. To fit into the Police Station kiosks, sharps containers must be 1 gallon or less in size OR have measurements less than 14”H x 8”W x 8”D. All containers must have a tight-fitting lid.
Do not put in: paper or plastic bags, glass containers, cardboard or coated paper containers, plastic bottles that have a CRV (California Redemption Value), or milk jugs.
Ammunition
Call the station’s non-emergency number for instructions.
Station non-emergency number: (858) 538-8000
Our service is straightforward: your residents and businesses can mail in used inkjet cartridges from their home or office. The public can request a free USPS shipping label on our website, www.planetgreenrecycle.com, for mailing in four or more cartridges. Attached is information and a shareable flyer for your convenience.
A plastic bag collection container is at the front of the store.
Since 2010, we have offered front-of-store recycling kiosks that give guests an easy way to recycle cans, glass, plastic bottles, plastic bags, MP3 players, ink cartridges and cell phones right in their local store. The goal of the program is to extend our company recycling efforts, and so far, the program has kept thousands of tons of recycled materials out of landfills.
We endeavor to make recycling simpler and more convenient for our guests with select take-back programs. We have offered front-of-store recycling of plastic bags and some electronics since 2010 and have held car seat trade-in events since 2016.
We’ve made getting started with the Newell Brands Home Fragrance Free Recycling Program easy! Simply download a free shipping label to ship your Newell Brands’ home fragrance products and packaging to TerraCycle, and we’ll recycle it.
All Newell Brands’ home fragrance products from Yankee Candle®, WoodWick®, and Chesapeake Bay Candle®, including: candles, wax melts and melt cups, diffusers and refills, plug-ins and refills, room sprays, fragrance beads, and auto air fresheners and refills.
NOTE: This program only accepts room sprays 1.5 ounces and under. Please do not send in paper or cardboard product packaging that can be recycled curbside.
Stop by the ALFA Bookstore during normal working hours;
we’re located inside the Alpine Library at:
1752 Alpine Blvd
Alpine, CA 91901
Got E-Waste? Urban Corps of San Diego County offers fast, convenient and absolutely free electronic-waste recycling services to residents and businesses in San Diego County.
Free Collection Locations or Free Pick-up – We will come pick up your electronic waste OR you can visit one of our collection locations. No cost either way!
Services Include:
Urban Corps recycling services include business beverage container collection, waste tire and E-waste collection, and education and outreach. We play a significant role at major events throughout San Diego, offering stadium services, bin rentals, recycling, litter removal and zero waste management at local festivals, street fairs and sporting events.
One Earth in South Bay accepts a wide range of materials from categories including:
Directions:
From San Diego, take I-5 South, exit Palm Ave. Make a right onto Palm, the first right onto Saturn, and then right again into the Home Depot-anchored center. One Earth Recycling is located next to Wells Fargo, across from Walmart.
Located immediately west of Interstate 5, Southland Plaza is one of South Bay’s premier lifestyle shopping destinations, consisting of many “core” shopping options from National Retailers including The Home Depot, Radio Shack, Vons, CVS, and Walmart to name a few. Parlay your visit to One Earth/South Bay into a trip to everyone’s favorite burger spot, Boll Weevil!
Charge up battery recycling with best-in-class recycling solutions that are convenient, compliant and safe. Call2Recycle offers turnkey and flexible options to recycle your rechargeable or single-use batteries by shipping in boxes from your home or office. For customers with larger volumes, we can also coordinate freight shipments of batteries for recycling. Contact us at 1-877-723-1297 to learn more about these services or to discuss your recycling needs in more detail.
That’s right, the library. It’s not just for books; it’s for batteries too!
Just bring them to the battery drop-off bins located inside the 14 branches. The libraries primarily collect standard alkaline batteries — Cs, Ds, AAs, AAAs, 9-volts, you name it. But they can also take rechargeable batteries; lithium batteries must be bagged separately.
Please tape positive end of batteries to reduce flammability and place batteries in a resealable bag.
The San Diego County Library is no longer accepting physical donations of materials for the collection, with the exception of items produced by local authors or musicians.
The Library purchases materials at steep discounts that come with labels, barcodes and covers, ready for customer use. It is more expensive to accept a donation and prepare it for circulation than it is for the Library to purchase a title that comes prepared by our vendors. If you would like to support the Library’s collection, we encourage you to donate funds for the purchase of physical and digital materials for our communities.
If you are looking for an organization to donate your books, DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, or magazines to, consider contacting one of the organizations below:
Your Branch Friends of the Library
Many branch Friends of the Library groups accept book donations for their book sales. Please check their websites or phone ahead to ensure that your donation can be accepted at this time. Items donated to the Friends of the Library are sold to support San Diego County Library branch collections and events.
Salvation Army (books, DVDs, CDs)
1-800-728-7825
Goodwill (books, DVDs, CDs)
1-800-GOODWILL
Amvets (books, DVDs, CDs)
877-990-8387
Vietnam Veterans of America (books, DVDs, CDs)
877-775-8387
Father Joe’s Villages (books, DVDs, CDs – limit 5 boxes):
1-800-HOMELESS
Kids Need to Read (like new kids’ books)
480-256-0115
Bridge to Asia (books)
510-665-3998
You can also recycle books and magazines in your recycle bins, particularly if they are damaged or outdated.
We’ve made getting started with the SodaStream® Free Recycling Program easy! Simply download a free shipping label to ship your SodaStream sparkling water machines to TerraCycle, and we’ll recycle it.
Enrollment limits apply. If the program is full, you will be added to a waitlist.
We provide an eco-friendly trash can cleaning service for commercial and residential customers in San Diego. We clean, sanitize and deodorize your trash cans at your curbside using hot steam 200F water, on the day after your trash is collected. We are environmentally friendly, we use less water than if you were to do it yourself. We properly dispose water after cleaning.
We also provide commercial dumpster cleaning with our super truck! We clean and sanitize your 2-10 cubic yard dumpsters. We come to your site, back up to the dumpster, flip it to our specialized bay wash, clean and disinfect it inside and outside. The whole process takes up to 10-15 minutes and we will notify you once it’s clean. For dumpster cleaning customers we provide same-day service.
We’ve made getting started with the Hasbro Free Recycling Program easy! Simply download a free shipping label to ship your Hasbro toys and games to TerraCycle, and we’ll recycle them. Enrollment limits apply. If the program is full, you will be added to a waitlist.
Please make sure your box is full and weighs at least 7 pounds before you ship. We recommend larger shipments to reduce the transportation carbon footprint of this program and allow more people to participate!
Participating in this program is easy and FREE! See answers to frequently-asked questions here.
Enrollment limits apply. If the program is full, you will be added to a waitlist.
Have nonperishable food items to donate to help local families in need?
Please limit your donations at these sites to one or two bags of food. Many of our public donation drop off sites are small, local businesses with limited storage capacity and are not equipped to accept large amounts of donations. If you would like to drop off larger quantities of food, please do so at our Miramar or Vista distribution centers.
Also, if you are in need of a donation receipt, we ask that you please drop off your food donations with the Food Bank directly either at the San Diego Food Bank in Miramar or our North County Food Bank chapter in Vista. Our public donation drop-off sites are unable to provide receipts.
Drop off at this location:
Tuesday-Thursday
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Friday – Saturday
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
COSTCO OPTICAL
Your old glasses can help someone in need see clearer. Costco and Assist International, a nonprofit organization, offer an eyeglasses donation program. Look for a donation box in the optical center at your local warehouse. Costco sends your used eyewear to Assist International, and the nonprofit works with a team of volunteers and partner organizations to sort and distribute the donations to those in need, both locally and internationally. Members can donate prescription eyeglasses, prescription sunglasses and readers.
COSTCO OPTICAL
Your old glasses can help someone in need see clearer. Costco and Assist International, a nonprofit organization, offer an eyeglasses donation program. Look for a donation box in the optical center at your local warehouse. Costco sends your used eyewear to Assist International, and the nonprofit works with a team of volunteers and partner organizations to sort and distribute the donations to those in need, both locally and internationally. Members can donate prescription eyeglasses, prescription sunglasses and readers.
COSTCO OPTICAL
Members can drop-off prescription eyeglasses, readers, & prescription and non-prescription sunglasses at at the Costco Optical Center.
Your old glasses can help someone in need see clearer. Costco and Assist International, a nonprofit organization, offer an eyeglasses donation program. Costco sends your used eyewear to Assist International, and the nonprofit works with a team of volunteers and partner organizations to sort and distribute the donations to those in need, both locally and internationally.
Please send us any textile or fabric-based product.
We recommend calling ahead to ensure your location is still collecting.
