Second District Police Collecting Formal Wear for Teens

Photo by Sean McGrath

We're happy to pass along this request for donated formal wear for teens that was posted on the Second District Police Listserv:

Prom season is approaching, but for many teens in DC, this is a time of sadness. They want to attend their prom, but do not have prom attire to wear. Yearly, WPGC 95.5 (in association with State Farm Insurance, Once Upon a Prom, The Boys and Girls Club of Washington, and El Zol 107.9) has been sponsoring a gown and tux collection and giveaway for these kids. They call their drive "Operation Pretty and Polished."

The giveaway event will be held on April 21 from 9am - 3pm at the Boys and Girls Club at 4103 Benning Road NE. A current student ID is required to take part in the event.

If you have a clean gown or a clean tux (additions are needed: shirt, studs, cummerbund) or dress suit that you no longer need, please consider donating to this clothing drive. All sizes are needed from size 0 to size XXX.

There will be a box set up for donations at the Second District Police Station at 3320 Idaho Avenue, NW (behind the Giant at Wisconsin and Macomb). We collected 30 gowns from this neighborhood last year. Let's see if we can top that this year.

Please help turn a frown into a smile. Give these teens a chance to attend their prom.

Recommendation: Unloading Your Books

Our companion email list, the Cleveland Park Listserv, is a treasure trove of recommendations. We want to share on All Life Is Local, on a periodic basis, the best recommendations that have been posted on the Cleveland Park Listserv. Just use the search box on this site to type in the category of service you're looking for.

This recommendation is a compilation of advice from various list members about shedding excess books. There are recommendations both for selling used books and for donating your books to a worthy cause.

First, about selling books to used booksellers:

This all pertains to your average box of books. If you have a very large or valuable collection, cash and house calls are available.

Try selling online to Powell's books (the Oregon bookshop); they are pretty fussy about what condition the books are in as they tell you on the website. You put in the ISBN and they immediately tell you if they want the book and how much

they will give you in cash via PayPal or store credit (more for the latter) and they pay for shipping."

Capitol Hill Books buys for cash on very limited days and times and in limited quantities.

Wonder Books in Gaithersburg has the most lenient purchasing policy, though perhaps a pay-out to match. They also take DVDs & CDs.

One person suggested taking things to the Second Story Books warehouse in Rockville for cash instead of downtown. Last time I was in, Second Story no longer offered cash at either location, though I imagine this policy might vary for something rare. The website does say they "buy" books, but in the used book trade this means they might buy for cash or buy for store trade.

Put Your Unwanted Furniture and Household Items to Good Use

Have you just finished spring cleaning? Do you have a lot of items to unload? Or maybe you are afraid to start spring cleaning because you don't know who will take your child's outgrown stroller or your slightly stained couch? Don't worry: There are plenty of good causes that will send your less-than-perfect furniture and household items to families that can put them to good use. Some of the recommended organizations will sell your donated items at thrift shops and use the money to run a variety of worthwhile programs.

All of the organizations below can schedule a pickup or will provide you with information about dropping off your donations.

National Children's Center. Call 301-595-3840 to schedule a pickup or go to NCC's household donations page.

A Wider Circle. The organization picks up and provide a tax receipt.  Call 301-608-3504 or go to the donations page of the website.

Hope and a Home. This organization finds and furnishes housing for homeless families. Call 202-387-7091 extension 208 or use the web form -- - scroll down to the bottom of the form for donations of furniture and other items.

Goodwill. Call  202-636-4225 or search for your pickup location on the donations web page.

Vietnam Veterans of America. Call 800-459-8387. VVA will also schedule a pickup if you fill out this online form.

Lutheran Social Services. Will pick up gently used household items and furniture to give directly to people in need. Donors report that members of the pickup team may be those who will actually receive the donated items.  In two cases, recent refugees came with the program officer to pick up the items.  The list of needed items is at http://www.lssnca.org/lss/give_gifts.  Call 703-698-5026 ext. 113 to schedule a drop off or pick up. Furniture pick-ups by appointment only each Friday.  Drop off times are Mon - Fri, 9 am to 5 pm at 7401 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church VA 22043.

BabyLove DC. BabyLove does not pick up but you can click here to find out about the next collection drive or how to drop off at its storefront.  

Used Bike Drive on Saturday, April 30 , 11 AM - 3 PM

Georgetown Day School is hosting a used bike drive on Saturday, April 30, from 11am - 3pm. Drop off your bikes at Georgetown Day School, 4530 MacArthur Blvd NW, Washington DC. This is a wonderful opportunity to pass on your outgrown or no-longer-needed bikes to people who need transportation.

Bikes for the World will ship them to wherever they are most needed. They will be refurbished and distributed to those who will use them to get to school, work, health services, etc. Bicycle parts, accessories, and tools also welcome. A $10 per bike donation is suggested to defray a share of the cost of shipping. Questions? Please email Sue Cohn at BikeDriveGDS at aol dot com.

BabyLove Drive: Drop Off Baby Items on Saturday, April 9

BabyLove DC is having a clothing and gear drive this Saturday. You can drop off your gently used maternity, infant, and children's clothes, blankets, diaper bags, swings, strollers, and other baby items so that they can be used by families in need.


When:  Saturday, April 9 from 9am - 1pm

Where:  Wisconsin Avenue and 34th Street, outside Hardy Middle School, across from the Georgetown Safeway

For a full list of accepted and needed items visit the BabyLoveDC donations page.

BabyLoveDC thanks you for your generosity and adds a special thanks to College Hunks Hauling Junk for use of the trucks needed to move supplies.

BabyLove Drive: Drop Off Maternity and Baby Items on Saturday

BabyLove DC is holding a drive to collect gently used maternity, infant, and children's clothes, blankets, diaper bags, swings, strollers, and other items.

BabyLove is in partnership with the KIPP DC Charter Schools to get donations for families at the BabyLove storefront at KIPP. This is the second joint BabyLove/KIPP drive: The donations will be going to KIPP and the storefront will be opening soon.

In addition to maternity and baby items, please donate any folding tables, large containers, rolling racks or any other storage items that may be used in the "store." 
Here is the drop-off information:

Saturday, January 22
9am-1pm
5608 Broad Branch Road (outside the Broad Branch Market, across from Lafayette School)

For a full list of accepted and needed items please visit: BabyLoveDCDonations.

Donate Your Gently Use Baby Items to BabyLove

BabyLove DC is having a January donations drive.  Please drop off gently used maternity, infant, and children's clothes, blankets, diaper bags, swings, strollers, and other baby and toddler items.

BabyLove DC is partnering with the KIPP DC Charter Schools to get donations to needy families at the BabyLove storefront at KIPP. The donation drive hours are:

Saturday, January 15, 9am-1pm
Outside the Hardy School
Wisconsin at 34th Street (across from the "Social Safeway")

And BabyLoveDC will have a second drive Saturday January 22 at a location to be announced. For a full list of accepted and needed items visit the BabyLoveDC donations page.

Recommended: Charities That Pick Up Furniture, Clothing & Other Items

Our companion email list, the Cleveland Park Listserv, is a treasure trove of recommendations. We want to share on All Life Is Local, on a periodic basis, the best recommendations that have been posted on the Cleveland Park Listserv. You'll be able to search All Life Is Local for "contractor," "plumber," "computer tech," "auto body shop" -- whatever you need. The search box, in case you have trouble finding it, is to the right and down a bit.

I routinely unload clothing and other items to Vietnam Vets of America  and the National Childrens Center (Value Village).  They call me periodically when they have a truck in the area, but  you can also call to schedule a pick-up. If you have a place to leave donations for them to pick up easily, you don't have to take your donations anywhere.

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In addition to Vietnam Vets and the National Children's Center, there are two other organizations that will pick up furniture and other household goods.  Donations must be in good but not necessarily mint condition. I recommend that you contact either Goodwill (202-715-2633) or the Salvation Army (301-403-1704) to find out what the requirements are to get your furniture picked up.