ToniOnThrifting

ToniOnThrifting – Thrift Shopping Made Simple

The Turnover Shop in Wilton, Connecticut – I can’t wait to go back! — March 29, 2023

The Turnover Shop in Wilton, Connecticut – I can’t wait to go back!

What makes The Turnover Shop different from other thrift shops is that they consign clothes as well as sell donated clothes. This makes The Turnover Shop a well-visited destination for thrift shop lovers. Located in the center of Wilton, CT, and open six days a week, Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 4 PM and Saturday from 10 AM to 1 PM, it continually gains popularity and has a high turnover rate. They carry a full line of women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing, shoes, antiques, housewares, games, books, jewelry, and small furnishings.

I went through racks and racks of clothing and found a beautiful sweater, jacket, and a couple of other household items, and I spent at most $30. They also happened to have a phenomenal sale, which made it easy. The shoe selection alone was too tempting, not to mention the jewelry and accessories. I know I was not alone because the store was crowded during my visit.

I had the pleasure of speaking to Sharon Sobel, the President of the Turnover Shop. She told me that what makes the Turnover Shop special is that customers who consign can donate the proceeds of their sales to a non-profit of their choice if that organization opens a consignment account to receive the funds. It is a great way to support a favorite local charity.  The Turnover Shop donates proceeds from their store sales to many organizations, such as the PTA of Wilton, Visiting Nurse & Hospice, CT Humane Society, and ABC House, to name a few. All the volunteers love working at the Turnover Shop and look forward to their shifts there. I had a lovely visit with Sharon and saw the store. You can see that they have a very loyal customer base, and people are happy to shop there and are friendly with the staff.

Here is some history from their website: Founded over 75 years ago by a group of volunteers dedicated to serving the community’s needs, The Turnover has kept that tradition of service and generosity alive as we have evolved to help each generation. Our hard work reflects every lifestyle and fashion, and our current team of over 130 volunteers remains committed to the prospect of always being creative and innovative. Thousands of satisfied customers continue to validate their hard work.

A visit to the Turnover Shop should be on your must-see thrift shop list.

The Turnover Shop

98 Old Ridgefield Road 

Wilton, CT 06897

Phone: 203.762.3160

Monday – Friday – 10 AM to 4 PM

Saturday –  10 AM to 1 PM

West Coast Thrifting – Let’s Visit Beacon House Thrift Shop in San Pedro, California. Shop More, Spend Less, Save Lives! — December 9, 2021

West Coast Thrifting – Let’s Visit Beacon House Thrift Shop in San Pedro, California. Shop More, Spend Less, Save Lives!

I thought it would be nice to see where our West Coast thrifters are shopping. Thanks to Zach at Thrift Store Communications of Beacon House Thrift Shop, we can visit Beacon House Thrift Shop in San Pedro, California.

Beacon House Thrift Shop is a social enterprise program of the Beacon House Association of San Pedro, a state-certified, residential substance abuse recovery program for men and a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Beacon Thrift Shop Volunteers

Residents of the Beacon House are provided with food, shelter, counseling, peer group support, educational opportunities, and career training through our social enterprise programs, including working at the Beacon House Thrift Shop. This allows the men to develop the life, career, and social skills they need to build a foundation in recovery while preparing them for a vital reintegration into the job market and a bright future when they return to their family, home, and community.

Beacon House Thrift Store pricing is quite competitive with their East Coast counterparts. Jeans range from $7.99 to $19.99, and tops range from $4.99 to $14.99. Dresses are priced from $7.99 to $19.99 and suits from $9.99 – $24.99.

Depending on the quality and brand, the prices may be higher on a specific item.
Red tags are considered higher quality items and tend to be the best bang for your buck.
They have weekly color sales. For example, yellow 25%, blue 50%, and green 75%, while orange is full price. On Sundays, this rotates.

There are sales every weekend where when you buy a minimum of $50, you get 25% off your entire transaction. This is on top of all the color sales. That is pretty amazing and well worth visiting if you are in the area.

Beacon House Thrift carries a wide variety of electronics, household, hardware, tools, sports equipment, and memorabilia.


Follow Beacon Hose Thrift Shop on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/beaconhousethrift/

The Long Beach store has 13,000 square feet. It is located at 3220 E Anaheim St Unit 3240 in the Belmont Center, Long Beach, CA 90804. Both stores have abundant inventory.

I would highly recommend visiting both locations when you are in these areas in California. You are not only getting great buys but helping a phenomenal cause.

Beacon House Thrift Shop

812 S Pacific Ave

San Pedro, CA 90731

Both stores are open daily from 11AM – 7PM and closed on all major holidays.

Until next time, Happy Thrifting!!!!!

My Sister’s Place in Ansonia, CT – so much to tell and it’s all great! — August 15, 2018

My Sister’s Place in Ansonia, CT – so much to tell and it’s all great!

When I first walked in to My Sister’s Place in Ansonia, Connecticut it reminded me of just how much I love thrift shopping especially when it benefits those desperately in need. My Sister’s Place is not only a top-notch thrift store that has a GREAT selection of merchandise;  the best part is that all proceeds support BHcare’s The Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services.

There is so much to tell you about. First, the store.  All the merchandise is meticulously laid out which in itself is quite impressive. They have a wide variety of stock and it is all in size order which makes it even easier to shop and that much more enjoyable browsing. They have men, women, children’s clothing, and shoes. Also, they carry appliances, housewares, furniture, toys, and other items at more than fair prices. All merchandise is in new or nearly new condition. They carry both regular and high-end merchandise.  I did not see one item that I thought was overpriced and all pricing was in line for what the better thrift stores are charging.

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I hope that my pictures tell the story of what a great shop this is.

 

I was able to score two brand new One World tops with tags on for $12 each plus a brand spanking new Talbot’s sundress with tags on for ONLY $22 (retail tag was $129). Also, A long beige cardigan (new) for $10 and a couple other miscellaneous items, all at excellent prices. Now I don’t know about you, but we thrifters consider that a great haul!

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And you MUST check out their online store. https://supportumbrella.org/.  They have quite the selection. Never underestimate online thrift stores, there are always good surprises especially for collectors! They are on Ebay too at ebay.com/usr/mysistersplace203

And now for the fun info:

My Sister’s Place is having Flea Market Flip on October 14, 2018 where you can meet Mark DeVito, Master Craftsman from HGTV’s Flea Market Flip!

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My Sister’s Place Flea Market Flip is a fun, creative twist on recycling or upcycling similar to the HGTV show with the same name, Flea Market Flip. Proceeds from each item will be benefit The Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services. Individual participants or teams of two must purchase their flip item(s) at MSP for $50 or less by September 30. Registration forms are available at the store and must be completed at the time of purchase. No more than $50 may be spent on repurposing/upcycling the item(s). Receipts must be shown when submitting the repurposed item. The Flea Market Flip Rules are on their website at http://bhcare.org/page/29568.
October 14, 2018
11:00 am to 4:00 pm
Ansonia Armory
25 N Cliff Street
Ansonia, CT

The proceeds from My Sister’s Place go to The Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services (UCDVS) which is dedicated to increasing awareness of domestic violence and its effect on the community, empowering those victimized by providing advocacy and safe and effective services, and to working for social change to eliminate domestic violence. UCDVS provides services for victims and their children at two sites located in Ansonia and East Haven. All services offered are free of charge and confidential. Services support 170 different languages 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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PLEASE — when you are in the Ansonia area, you must stop in, I promise it will be worth it and I hope you enjoy your visit as much as I enjoyed mine. The staff is phenomenal — all volunteers and for such a worthy cause.

My Sister’s Place is located at 380 Main Street, Ansonia, CT.
Phone:
203-734-2960
Store Hours:
Mon., Tues., Wed., Thurs., Fri. & Sat – 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Sun. – 9:00 am to 2:00 pm
Here is the website which has even more information – http://bhcare.org/page/16633

If you enjoyed this blog, please like my Facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/tonionthrifting/

Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!!

Yorktown Love In Action – 10,000 square feet of thrifting and so much more…. — March 14, 2018

Yorktown Love In Action – 10,000 square feet of thrifting and so much more….

I am excited to tell you about my visit to Yorktown Love in Action. Let’s start with the 10,000 square feet of thrifting heaven – if you have patience, like in all thrift shopping, there are plenty of deals to be found here. The first floor holds furniture, household, collectibles and LOTS of it. The second floor has men, women and children’s clothing and shoes. Also on the second floor are tools, seasonal décor, and linens to name a few. They have separate rooms for the holiday décor and tools. The  majority of their clothing are name brands and the selections endless. What won me over is that some tags are labeled “MD” which means that the ticketed price is the suggested minimum donation. This is helpful for those struggling financially so that they are able to shop at affordable prices. That is quite impressive.  I am finding out that YLIA always thinks of others.

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YLIA is definitely worth a trip not just to browse through the 10,000 square feet but to also help a phenomenal organization. They even have a sitting room where you can rest up and then continue shopping 🙂

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YLIA’s  mission is to help members of Westchester and Putnam communities who need temporary assistance due to unforeseen life events.   I am sure they help more individuals and families than we will ever know about because YLIA does so with grace and dignity.  They value and maintain the privacy of those they help and I admire YLIA for that. THANK YOU YLIA!

Donations are needed for YLIA – check out the YLIA website for donation information and look over what is or isn’t accepted.  YLIA is looking for volunteers as well so if you live in the Westchester/ Putnam area, this is a great place to volunteer. If interested, you can also become an individual or business sponsor.

I respect  YLIA and what they do. I will be heading back with a backseat full of donations that will hopefully help. I want to be able to say thank you for all they do for others.

This is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

Yorktown Love In Action

1736 Front Street

Yorktown Heights, NY 10598

Telephone – 914.490.3966

Email – info@yorktownliveinaction.com

Check out their Facebook page as well!

Store Hours:

Sunday                                 12 pm – 5 pm

Monday – Saturday        10 am – 6 pm

Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!

 

 

 

Housing Works Bookstore Cafe and Thrift Shop in SoHo — November 21, 2017

Housing Works Bookstore Cafe and Thrift Shop in SoHo

One thing that you can count on with Housing Works is that they always carry above average merchandise. But what makes this Housing Works on Crosby Street in SoHo even better than most (if not the best) is the Housing Works Bookstore Café next door. If you have never been to the Housing Works Bookstore Café, I strongly suggest that you check it out. It is an absolutely wonderful bookstore with a great vibe. It is such a popular spot in SoHo but for all the right reasons – atmosphere – the books – the beauty of the mahogany walls – and of course, the café. They serve coffee, snacks and some light alcohol. The café won me over with the vegetarian options. Well done! If you are lucky enough to get a table (more often than not, you will)), you can sit back and flip through one of the thousands of mostly pristine condition books that they carry. They have a book special the first weekend of the month where books are 30% off which is a steal considering the books are already reasonably priced. And if you are a Housing Works member, you can add on another 10% off – who could ask for anything more.  Did I mention that the staff is phenomenal – welcoming, helpful and overflowing with graciousness and professionalism! I can’t say enough about this bookstore including the fact that all proceeds benefit the homeless and those affected by HIV/AIDS in NYC.

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Now for the Housing Works Thrift Store, I think they carry an above average variety of merchandise. The store is well organized and the displays are always nicely done. The staff is amazingly friendly and helpful. Also, the staff is honest when you ask opinions which I appreciate. I enjoyed looking through the selections and they do carry an array of sizes. My only wish is that they had more selections the day I was in but I figure they just sell out merchandise as soon as they stock it because of the popularity and location of this store.

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When it comes to accessories, in my humble opinion, I find that Housing Works carries the best jewelry. I have found some amazing pieces on my visits to various Housing Works. Not too long ago I found a pair of Elsa Perretti Tiffany sterling silver teardrop earrings that were an ABSOLUTE steal at $75 and a gorgeous choker for $10.00 at the Ninth Ave Housing Works. On this visit to SoHo, I found fun sparkly earrings 🙂 in a $2 basket that have become one of my favorites. I believe all merchandise in the windows is sold through online auctions.

The bottom line is that Housing Works may be a bit more expensive but it is worth it if you find something you love of good quality.

In case you are interested, here is the information on a membership with Housing Works:

https://www.housingworks.org/donate/membership

Housing  Works Bookstore Cafe
126 Crosby Street
New York, NY
(212) 334-3324
Monday – Friday  – 10 am – 9 pm
Saturday – Sunday – 10 am – 5 pm

Housing Works Thrift Shop
130 Crosby Street
New York, NY
(646) 786-1200
Monday – Saturday – 11 am – 7 pm
Sunday – 11 am – 5 pm

Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!

 

TWIGS Thriftree Thrift Shop in Mount Kisco — October 19, 2017

TWIGS Thriftree Thrift Shop in Mount Kisco

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If you are a serious thrift shopper, you will notice a trend where hospital thrift shops have higher pricing than the standard thrift shop. On the upside of this, the merchandise most often consists of designer clothing and accessories. Such is the case for TWIGS Thriftree Thrift Shop in Mount Kisco which benefits Northern Westchester Hospital. I was impressed looking through the racks with clothing that you would see in Saks, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s or pricey boutiques. They carry men, women and children’s clothing and accessories. While they carry limited small home décor/housewares, what they do have is quality.

If you want to take a peek inside the boutique, please visit their website at https://www.twigsofnwh.org/take-a-peek-inside-the-boutique.

I can’t emphasize this enough, if you are looking for trendy/expensive clothing, you will pay higher prices – plus you will have to frequent the better thrift shops in trendy neighborhoods (Like St. Luke’s on Hudson Street in NYC) and those thrift shops associated with hospitals. Memorial Sloan Kettering Society Boutique was a perfect example as they carried the finest designer clothing and accessories. This even goes for furniture – the Society Boutique always, always had fabulous furniture that flew out the door as quickly as it came in. (Sadly, the Society Boutique closed last year.) I will say that every time I was there, there was someone obviously affluent going through the racks and more often than not, purchasing merchandise. It is something you see more and more when thrift shopping; everyone on every financial level is looking for that great find or unbelievable bargain.

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In addition, I find that hospital thrift shops carry quality evening wear and more formal than the standards. A good rule of thumb is do NOT wait until last minute before you have a special occasion, start looking a month or two beforehand and you may get very lucky.

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FYI – All profits from the Thriftree benefit the hospital. Volunteers also create layettes and make comfort pillows for patients. Donations are gratefully accepted, by appointment.

TWIGS

449 Lexington Avenue

Mount Kisco, NY 10549

(914) 666-6557 info@twigsofnwh.org

https://www.twigsofnwh.org/take-a-peek-inside-the-boutique

Hours:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday – 9:30 am to 4 pm

Wednesday and Saturday – 10 am to 1 pm.

Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

Steinway Thrift Shop – a little patience goes a long way — September 12, 2017

Steinway Thrift Shop – a little patience goes a long way

Steinway Thrift Shop looks like your run of the mill thrift shop but what makes it stand out is that if you have the patience, you can walk out with some real gems here. I noticed a few designer samples pieces which were pretty cool. Maybe I am just an eternal optimist but I always find something that makes me fall in love with thrifting all over again. I found a Neiman Marcus sweater for $9.99 which I swooped up.

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What I do find in this instance is that if you go through the racks of items that interest you, there is more of a shot of finding something that you like. The day I went, I decided I was only going to look through the sweaters because it has been chilly in the office and I ended up finding the ideal sweater. But of course, if you have oodles of time and you can go through all the racks, then have fun :).  I briefly checked out the men’s department and it was not bad at all, lots of Dockers, Banana Republic, Gap and all the usual men’s labels.

Steinway Thrift carries some vintage, lots of shoes, pants, suits and dresses for women and I think the store is in a very hipster area and perfect for the people who want to carve out their own style. You can have a blast with the vintage or near vintage and even throw in some preppy pieces.

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The window displays show all the antiques and some unique decor that you just might like!

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If you are in the neighborhood, I suggest you stop in, you just never know what you might find.

Steinway Thrift Shop

2588 Steinway Street

Astoria, NY 11103

718.204.0310

Monday thru Saturday 10 am – 8 pm

Closed on Sundays.

Until next time, Happy Shopping!!

Hudson Street in the West Village has one of NYC’s best thrift shops! — August 29, 2017

Hudson Street in the West Village has one of NYC’s best thrift shops!

Tucked away on Hudson Street in the West Village is by far, one of the best thrift shops in New York City. I feel exceptionally confident making this statement. This place is PHENOMENAL – the selections are top-notch and high quality. The prices may be higher than some other thrift shops but I can assure you, you are getting exceptional merchandise. They have a section called the “Posh Tree” where they have top designer merchandise for women  – the great thing about this section is that they rotate onto the “regular” racks after a certain amount of time so you will see some pretty cool offerings in both sections.  The men’s section is well above average and there is definitely a great selection of suits and shirts. The household items and home décor are placed all around the store and are pretty standard for thrift shops with a very good amount of standouts. The jewelry selection is very eclectic and fun to go through. The accessories are extraordinary and not to be missed even if just browsing. Tom Ford. Louis Vuitton, Gucci are just a few names I came across.

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On the Saturday when I went, it was half off clothing so I was able to get a Michael Kors poncho top for $12, a bedazzled tunic for $9 and a gorgeous scarf for $9. Now I see on their Facebook page that on Saturday, September 9th they are having their End of Season Bag Sale. Fill a bag with clothing, shoes, handbags, belts, hats….all for $25. PLUS SPECIAL ONE DAY ONLY : ALL JEWELRY HALF PRICE – this is one sale that I promise I will not miss.  Filling a bag with this kind of merchandise will be an absolute pleasure and one of the reasons why I love thrift shopping.

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Overall, this is definitely in my top five thrift shops of all time.

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All proceeds from purchases at St. Luke’s Thrift Shop help to support St. Luke’s community service programs.  Please read about St. Luke’s rich history on the website. www.stlukeinthefields.org

St. Luke’s Thrift Shop

The Church of Saint Luke in the Fields

487 Hudson Street

New York, NY 10014

(212) 924-9364

Hours:

Monday – Friday              11am – 6pm

Saturday                              10am – 6pm

Sunday                                 CLOSED

Until next time, Happy Shopping!!

St. Thomas’ Church Thrift Shop and Mamaroneck Farmers Market — April 13, 2017

St. Thomas’ Church Thrift Shop and Mamaroneck Farmers Market

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I thoroughly enjoy my trips to St. Thomas’ Church Thrift Shop not just for the plentiful thrift shop but also for the Farmers Market. Let’s start with the thrift shop; it is a treasure trove of clothing, books and tons of household. There are a lot a fabulous finds —- if you practice one of the golden rules of thrifting which is patience. I found my most favorite sweater there – J Crew and for $5.00!! They have tables piled high with all top brand sweaters like Ralph Lauren, Talbots, Banana Republic and more. In the men’s department I have seen Brooks Brothers sweaters. They have pants, jeans, tops, polos, jackets, suits, etc. The fabulous volunteers are always restocking the merchandise when I am there. I must say, it seems to get better and better. The prices are exceptionally reasonable. I have not seen anything that I would consider overpriced or even close to it.

I bought my favorite glassware there ($1.00 each). The bedding seems to be very popular from what I have seen on the checkout line. I think the housewares/household section gets some very nice items but they fly off the shelves (like all good thrift stores). I know that when I found my glasses, they had just put them out so I was exceptionally lucky.

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The book section is abundant with every book imaginable. The coffee table books are above average. I was able to buy my brother two coffee table books on trains (his passion) for $5.00 each during the book sale. I consider that reasonable for coffee table books considering the books were in excellent condition and retailed for $65 plus. Their selection of art books was impressive as well as their cookbooks selection.

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And for the finale, you must stop in the Farmers Market upstairs. While not extensive, it is incredible. They have excellent quality fruits and vegetables, the breads absolutely delish and the pies/cakes/muffins scrumptious. They have a dumpling station sells out of the vegetable dumplings quick (yummy).

One of the main reasons why I love this market is that they also carry my most favorite salad dressing of all time (yes, all time). Momo Ginger dressing made in Brooklyn. I just love it. The Momo reps are only there every other week so I have to time my visits. 🙂

There are a lot of reasons to go to this thrift shop – I suggest you go and don’t miss the Farmers Market.

St. Thomas Episcopal Church

168 West Boston Road

(at the corner of Mt. Pleasant Ave.)

Mamaroneck, NY 10543

914.698.0300

Wednesday  10am – 1 pm

Saturday        10am – 1 pm

Farmer’s Market on Saturday’s 9 am – 1 pm

Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

Scarsdale Congregational Church – Big Clothing Sale This Saturday! — March 9, 2017

Scarsdale Congregational Church – Big Clothing Sale This Saturday!

The Scarsdale Congregational Church is having a HUGE clothing sale this Saturday, March 11th starting at 9 am.  I can assure you that the line will start forming at 8 am if not sooner. I called to confirm because of the weather and it is happening!!! This sale is right up there with the Attic Sale (one of my most favorite sales of all time) – and in my humble opinion, not to be missed!!!   Unlike the May Garage Sale and the November Fair, there is no $5 entry fee. They absolutely could charge an entry fee if they wished, this sale is that good. There are fixed (and very low) prices on clothing by category (men, women and children). I can assure you there will be plenty of high end designer clothing in pristine condition and very reasonably priced! The lovely volunteers give you a large plastic bag to hold your findings until you go up to the front and check out. Everyone is wonderful and it makes for a very enjoyable and successful clothing sale for both buyers and seller. I thoroughly enjoyed my shopping experience last year and I am looking forward to Saturday! Run, don’t walk to this sale!

Future sales at The Scarsdale Congregational are:

Garage Sale    Saturday, May 6, 2017                                    9:00 am – 2:00 pm

Fair                    Saturday, November 4, 2017                       9:00 am – 3:00 pm

In case you live in the Scarsdale area and want to donate for future sales, here are the rules (taken from the website):

  • We gladly accept donations of art, furniture (by appointment), estate items, jewelry, house wares, books, clothing, toys, linens and electronics*.
  • Donations,  must be clean, working and in very good condition. Clothing must be in season for the coming sale, (i.e. we are currently accepting spring and summer clothing only).
  • Kindly place all donations behind the partition on our Office Building Porch at 1 Heathcote Rd., Scarsdale between mid-August through the end of October, & mid-February through the end of April.
  • We do NOT accept dated technology,* skis, children’s car seats, videotapes, textbooks,  magazines or encyclopedias.
  • Furniture is NOT accepted on the porch. Please contact contact Colin at colinnewyork@gmail.com . Jewelry is accepted in the church office year-round.
  • Pick up your signed tax receipt in the box  on the left side railing of the Office Building Porch,  after dropping off your donation.
  • Call the office at 723-2111, extension 204, or e-mail us .

Church volunteers and staff have had to spend a lot of time dealing with unwanted donations, and we very much appreciate your help in complying with these donation rules.

*     Technology donation rules:

Televisions: LCD or Plasma Flat screen only.
Fax machines or copiers: NOT accepted.
Computers: Windows based systems must be Windows 8 or 10. Mac computers must be flat-screen iMacs, Mac Pros, Mac Minis, Macbooks or Macbook Pros only.
Monitors:  LCD or plasma flat panel only.
Printers:  Laser printers in working condition. New ink jet printers only.
Scanners:  USB scanners only.

Scarsdale Congregational Church
One Heathcote Road
Scarsdale, NY 10583

Phone: 914-723-2111

Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!!!!!