Spring is officially here! When it comes to decluttering your home, the first stepis toget rid of things you’re no longer using. But rather than tossing your items in the trash and having them end up at the landfill, consider donating your gently used things to a local thrift store for the good of the environment and the community!
The greater Omaha area is packed full of amazing thrift and resale shops thatsell andaccept donations of clothing, furniture, household items, appliances and more to help support people in need in our community. We rounded up a few of our favorites here—so read on andget ready for a discount shopping spree!
Assistance League of Omaha is a nonprofit organization transforming the lives of children and adults througha variety ofcommunity programs. They fund those programs through community donations and purchases at their thrift shop! They currently are not accepting donations due to COVID-19, but you are still welcome to come in and shop on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and 10 a.m.-2 p.m.,respectively.
Located on the Harney Street side of First Central Congregational Church, the Evergreen Thrift Shop istheplace to find great bargains on gently used clothing, furnishings and books!To keep their staff and customers safe, they have closed their doors for the time being, but hope to reopenin the near future. You can follow them onFacebookfor updates.
When we think of donating items, we think of Goodwill. One of the largest thrift chains in the country, Goodwill provides training and employment services to those in need. You can donate almost anything to Goodwill—including financial contributions! But if you have specific goods you’d like to donate to Goodwill, we recommend checking each location’s respective website for a list of items they accept.
OmahaHabitat forHumanityisdedicated to providingaffordable homeownership opportunities for families and individuals in the entireEastern Nebraska area.Their ReStore thrift shopsinOmahaarefilled with a wide variety of home improvement materials, tools and home furnishings, almost exclusively donated byourgenerouscommunity. So, if you have any furniture, appliances or extra building materials, stop by and donate them Tuesday-Saturday. Proceeds from their ReStore shop go directly into funding their Habitat for Humanity programs.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Hand Me-Ups Thrift (@handmeupsthriftstores)
Hand Me-Ups Thrift Store and Hand Me-Ups Thrift Store & Furniture are two fantastic and unique retail outlets that help underwrite the needs of Angel Guardians Inc’s Career Center and VSP Club. Both stores feature a widevarietyof gently used clothing for infants, children, teens and adults,along with exceptional furniture, home décor, kitchenware and other treasures.
ThisBellevuethrift store is one of the best in the state! In fact, it was even rankedonBestThingsNE.comin their article “The 10 Best Thrift Shops in Nebraska.” No matter what you’relookingfor, you’ll probably be able to find it here,from clothing and accessories to artwork and furniture. Proceeds from sales go to support theHope Center for Kids, whichprovides learning spaces, a commercial kitchen, and The Hope Skate roller skating rink to local children and families who need a little hopein their lives.
We’ve all heard of The Salvation Army—especially during the holidays each year, when we can spot their kind bellringers outside almost every department store in the area. But that’s just one of their many fundraisers to help support people in our community. One of their other, and most well-known, fundraisers is their thrift stores, which raise money to fund their Adult Rehabilitation Centers, where those struggling with drugs and alcohol can find help, hope and a second chance at life. You can donate clothing, furniture, household goods, appliances and even cars to their Omaha locations.
Hope Net Ministries—a nonprofit that works to advance thespiritualhealth and well-being of those experiencing homelessness in the Council Bluffs area—operatestwo thrift stores in the area! These stores, Sequels,sell pretty much everything under the sun, from clothing to furniture and children’s itemsto books. One of their stores is even located inside a Dairy Queen, so if you have a hankering for ice cream, you can enjoy some while you do your shopping!
Several locations in the Omaha area
Photo courtesy ofSt Vincent De Paul Thrift Store
St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Stores have four locations across the Omaha area, each funding localcharity projects that help their mission of growing the community through spirituality, friendship and service. Check them out onFacebookto see what’s new in-storeand to keep up with everything the Society of St Vincent de Paul is currently working on in Omaha.
Surprise Thrift Shop is a resale shop located in 38thStreet, offering great deals on furniture,records,toys, clothing, accessories and so much more.Their kind and knowledgeable staff love to chat and will be able to help you find anything you’re looking for.For more information and to find out their currenthours, call (402) 341-0625.
Thrift America Omaha is one of the oldest thrift stores in the area, having served Omaha andLa Vistasince 1985. They donate their profits to a non-profit sponsor,The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Nebraska, which works to improve the daily lives of people with CF.But they couldn’t do any of it without your donations!You can donate almost anythingat one of their many donationdrop-offboxes around Omaha.Click herefor a list ofcurrentdrop-off box locations!
View this post on Instagram
This local nonprofit thrift shop has been serving the Omahaarea since 1996! Today, they havefour retail store locations around Omaha and one in Independence, MO.Slightly different than other thrift storeson this list, Thrift World is a for-profit thrift store business that promotestherecyclingand re-use of used clothing, accessories and other household goods in partnership with non-profit organizations.
Tip Top Thrift Shop is a fabulous resale shop owned and operated entirely by volunteers! Their profitsbenefitYouth Emergency Services (YES)and their work with homeless and at-risk teens in the Omaha area.They oftenpost aboutspecial sales, pop-ups and other exciting deals ontheirFacebook page,somake sure to follow them to keep up with all the funannouncements!
Where do you like to thrift?
Did we miss your favorite local thrift store? Let us, and other readers, know all about them in the comments below!
