Decluttering your house or apartment can feel like a chore, but going through your belongings and sorting them into items that can be donated comes with many benefits. For one, the act of decluttering frees up both physical space in our storage spaces and mental space by cultivating a more organized and peaceful environment in our homes. Donating your personal items allows for a more sustainable lifestyle by keeping materials out of landfills, and promotes community giving by passing on pre-loved items into the hands of someone in need of support.
And now, it's easier than ever for Burnaby residents to donate their household items while contributing to a great cause.
Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver (BBGV) offers free at-home donation pick-up services across Vancouver for clothes, books and small household items. You can visit the BBGV website for the full list of acceptable and non-acceptable items for donation.
By eliminating the need for you to go and transport your boxes and bags of donations, scheduled donation collections provide a more convenient alternative. On top of that, you’ll also be giving back to the non-profit’s programs for children and youth.
Supporting community mentorship programs
All donations received through BBGV’s donation collection initiative are re-sold to Value Village in exchange for funds that support the facilitation of the organization’s community mentorship programs.
Each year, the volunteer-led program serves over 900 kids across Greater Vancouver each year. The mentorship programs include one-on-one mentoring relationships, in-school mentoring, the Game On! group mentorship, math mentorship, and Roots mentoring with Indigenous community leaders. Mentees can talk to, learn from and share experiences with their mentors during regular weekly meetings.
Kids can gain a sense of belonging, confidence and motivation to reach their full potential with the help of a positive and supportive role model in their lives. Currently, the waitlist for BBGV’s mentorship programs can be up to two years from application to intake. As the programs continue to grow, it will take time, effort and the support of the community to ensure that every mentee who needs a mentor is matched with one.
“The funds raised from BBGV's donation drives support volunteer recruitment, training and matching mentors with young people, ensuring each child in the program gets the guidance and support they need,” says Norman Galimski, Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver’s marketing, communications and recruitment officer. “The financial support from these drives is crucial in maintaining the quality and reach of BBGV's services, allowing us to help more children and continually enhance our programs.”
Household donations made easy
The process for scheduling an at-home pick up is simple: Head over to the BBGV website to book a free pick-up, enter your postal code, search through the upcoming pick-up schedule for your neighbourhood and select a date that works for you. If there are no upcoming pick-up dates listed in your area, you can fill out their request form and BBGV will contact you to schedule a donation pick-up from your address.
You can prepare your items for donation on the day of your scheduled at-home pick-up by adding a “BB” label to your sealed bags or boxes with “BB”. Then, leave your donations outside of your home by 7:30 a.m. for a BBGV driver to pick up between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Just like their communal donation bins, which are located across Greater Vancouver, and beyond from Squamish to Abbotsford, this donation service offers an even more efficient way for you to donate your gently used items and give them a second life through resale.
Apartment complex dwellers can also advocate for having Big Brothers donation bins placed in the recycling room of their building.
“We often work with building managers to arrange convenient locations for donation bins, making it easier for residents to contribute," Galimski says. "Once we're given access, we manage their entire process and ensure that the bins are serviced consistently.”
Through BBGV’s various donation collection initiatives, you can transform your unwanted items into resources that support kids in the community.
Make a lasting difference in the lives of children and youth in your neighbourhood by donating your pre-loved items to Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver. Book a free pick-up or find a donation bin near you today.
