Donating Goods
When you donate food, personal care products or clothing to The Bowery Mission, you impact the lives of people struggling with homelessness and poverty in New York City. Thank you for considering a gift-in-kind donation to help our neighbors in need.
Please see below for items we accept, as well as items we cannot accept due to program needs or space restrictions.
Accepted Donations
**We graciously accept donations throughout the week, Monday – Sunday
- Clothes
Location:
BoweryTime: Monday – Sunday
9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. & 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. - Practical Care Kits
Location:
BoweryTime: Monday – Sunday
9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. & 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. - Food
Location:
Bowery & TribecaTime: Monday – Sunday
Bowery: 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. & 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. & 7 – 8 p.m.
Tribeca: 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. & 2 – 5 p.m. - Other Items
Location:
Bowery & TribecaTime: Monday – Sunday
Bowery: 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. & 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Tribeca: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Special Notes
- The Bowery location experiences peak traffic during meal service hours: 8 – 9:30 a.m. & 1 – 2:30 p.m. & 5:30 – 7 p.m. daily. During these times, we are serving meals to our community and unfortunately cannot receive donations due to limited staff availability.
- The New Museum is currently under construction next to our 227 Bowery campus. Scaffolding now covers our red entrance doors, making them easy to miss. Please do not drive past the scaffolding. Park just before the sidewalk breaks and the scaffolding begins — our entrance is directly underneath it.
- If you drop off item(s) in person, you’ll receive an in-kind gift receipt describing your donation. While The Bowery Mission does not assign value, your accountant can use the receipt for tax purposes. For donations over $500, the IRS may require Form 8283 and a qualified appraisal.
- Unsure of what to give us, check out our wish list of most needed items right now.
If you have any questions regarding your donation, please email [email protected].
Clothes
Clean clothes provide a great deal of relief to a neighbor experiencing homelessness. After being out on the streets or in the subways, our guests feel a sense of restored dignity from a change of clothing. Donations of professional attire also help our guests who are interviewing for jobs. Thank you for your interest in supporting our community!
Drop-off Information
Location: Bowery (227 Bowery) campus
Time: Monday – Sunday
9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. & 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Accepted Items
- Top priorities: new socks and underwear for both men and women
- Clothing & shoes: Clean, new or gently used | Sizes M – 3XL
- Other: Jeans, pajamas, shorts, hoodies, undershirts and bras (new only)
Special Notes
- Up to three large trash bags accepted per donation.
- For larger donations or companies donating new clothing, please email [email protected].
Practical Care Kits
Travel-size or individually packaged hygiene items are always appreciated and help support the community we serve. If you or your group are interested in assembling kits, please email [email protected]. We also gladly accept bulk hygiene supplies if full kits aren’t feasible (see ‘Other Items’ below).
Drop-off Information
Location: Bowery (227 Bowery) campus
Time: Monday – Sunday
9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. & 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Accepted Items
- Travel-size bar soap
- Travel-size shampoo/conditioner
- Travel-size lotion
- Travel-size deodorant
- Travel-size toothpaste
- Toothbrush
- Travel-size shaving cream
- Razors
- Baby wipes
- Travel-size mouthwash (non-alcoholic)
- Comb
- Nail clippers
Food
Thanks to the generosity of individuals and corporate donors, The Bowery Mission serves over 1,000 meals every day to New Yorkers experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. Your donations of food help make this possible.
Drop-off Information
Location: Bowery (227 Bowery) & Tribeca (90 Lafayette) campuses
Time: Monday – Sunday
Bowery: 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. & 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. & 7 – 8 p.m.
Tribeca: 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. & 2 – 5 p.m.
Accepted Items
- Grab & go meals
- Pre-packaged sandwiches & salads, pre-packaged snacks
- Canned & non-perishable
- Prepared foods (fresh and sealed)
- Fresh fruits & vegetables
- Fresh & frozen meats
- Sandwich supplies (sliced bread or rolls, peanut butter, jelly, deli meat (sliced), sliced cheese, condiments)
- Water bottles
- Herbs & spices
- Cooking oil
- Sauces, salad dressing & condiments
- Food supplies (disposable cutlery, to-go bags (paper and plastic), take-away containers (new))
Special Note
- Any prepared foods must be professionally catered due to food safety guidelines. We cannot accept home-cooked/prepared foods.
Other Items
We also accept the items listed below. If you are unsure of what to give us, here's our wish list.
Drop-off Information
Location: Bowery (227 Bowery) & Tribeca (90 Lafayette) campuses
Time: Monday – Sunday
Bowery: 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. & 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Tribeca: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Accepted Items
- Hygiene items (new, travel-size only): hand sanitizer, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving cream, nail clippers, razors, baby/body wipes and feminine hygiene products (only in unopened, fully sealed outer packaging — individual pieces cannot be accepted)
- Disposable/sanitary gloves: latex or non-latex, all sizes (new/unopened boxes)
- Masks (new/unopened boxes, or sealed packs)
- Linens (new): twin-size sheets, blankets and standard size pillowcases
- Bath towels & face cloths (new or gently used)
- Household items: dish soap, sponges, scrub brushes, paper towels, trash bags, mop heads, brooms, dust pans, hand soap, Clorox wipes, bleach, cleaning spray, disinfectant, oven cleaner
Hosting a Food or Clothing Drive
If you’re considering hosting a food or clothing drive at your organization, workplace, school or place of worship, we’d love to hear from you! Email [email protected], and we’ll work with you to launch a successful drive that directly supports the needs of our community.
For Large Donations: If you plan to donate the equivalent of 10 or more bags or boxes, please contact us 1 – 2 weeks in advance so our staff can be prepared to receive your delivery.
Not Accepted
Please note: Due to limited space and low demand, we are generally unable to accept the following items. If you’d like to inquire about a specific donation, feel free to email [email protected] — we may be able to accept it in rare cases.
- Furniture: couches, dressers, dining tables, chairs, bookcases, desks, coffee tables
- Appliances: refrigerators, freezers, microwaves
- Kitchenware/Housewares: plates, bowls, silverware, glassware, cooking utensils, pots and pans, lamps
- Office supplies
- TVs, computers or electronic devices
- Used mattresses or bed frames
- Used pillows, comforters or duvet covers
- Used sleeping bags
- Toys
- Books
- Baby items
- Kids clothing
- Purses