Starting over in a new country isn’t easy, but material donations from people and partners like you provide a warm welcome to newly arrived families.

Rally your friends, family, and community or faith group to collect donations for newcomers in your community! 

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, all donations are tax-deductible. We can provide a donations receipt upon request; however, we cannot place a dollar value on the items. If you purchase new items that you intend to deduct, make sure you keep your purchase receipt. 

How to Help

The IRC accepts a variety of donations for families in our community. Check out our most pressing needs below, as well as the items we accept on a rolling basis. 

Gifts Cards: the gift of choice

Visa or Mastercard Gift Cards and those from businesses such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, Ikea, Costco, are extremely valuable because they allow our clients to obtain what they need most while bestowing upon them the gift of choice and greater independence. For gift cards, we recommend increments of $25.

Major Impact Items (new or gently ready-to-use)

Laptops and Smartphones can make a major impact because they are essential to accessing language classes, job applications, schoolwork, navigation, and virtual services — critical tools for building independence and integration.

Kitchen Items (new only please)

Kitchen items enable families to cook familiar meals at home, promote independence, and reduce food insecurity, fostering a sense of stability and comfort in a new environment.

Baby & Children's Items (new only please)

Age-appropriate baby gear is critical to a child’s safety and well-being and helps parents maintain routines that support child development.

Cleaning Items (new only please, large sizes most valuable)

Cleaning products promote hygiene and dignity in new homes, helping families maintain safe, welcoming living environments.

Household Items (new only please)

Basic household items help turn a shelter into a home, offering functionality and comfort that support emotional and physical well-being.

Clothing (men’s, women’s, kid’s -- new only please)

New clothing allows individuals to face their new lives with dignity, comfort, and weather-appropriate attire, especially when arriving with very little.

Additional Information: 

Ready to organize a donation drive or donate new or unneeded household goods and supplies? First and foremost, thank you!

We kindly ask that interested community members and groups review the guidelines below. For questions, email volunteeroak@rescue.org. 

 

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

All donations require an appointment. Our storage facility is off-site, and our team is often in the field making deliveries to families. We have limited capacity for pick-ups and appreciate your ability to schedule a drop-off time with us.

Plan for approximately 30 minutes at your drop-off appointment. During this time, donations will be reviewed, itemized, and sorted. While we are grateful for all donations, we reserve the right to decline items that do not meet our quality standards or needs in order to best serve our clients.

✅ Tip: For gently used items, please be prepared to share a picture of each item’s condition prior to collection/drop-off to avoid transporting unacceptable items.

🚫 We cannot accept items that are broken, dirty, missing parts, or otherwise in an unusable condition. We also cannot accept items restricted by health and safety regulations.

Thank you again for your interest in supporting the work of the IRC in Oakland! Your donations of household and other items provide a warm welcome to families upon their arrival and as they integrate into the Bay Area!

Please email volunteeroak@rescue.org to get started, and a heartfelt thank you once again for your time and support.