DONATION GUIDELINES
The Easiest Way to Shop
Looking for a quick way to support survivors of domestic violence? Rainbow House now has online wish lists, so you can shop from home and have items shipped directly to us:
Click here for our Amazon Wish List
Click here for our Walmart Registry
Prefer to drop off in person? We welcome that, too. Please review the guidelines below before bringing items to the shelter.
Most Helpful: Cash & Gift Cards
Gift cards give us the flexibility to meet survivors’ specific needs as they arise. We especially appreciate cards to Walmart, Amazon, Aldi, and local gas stations.
Wish List
These are the items we are most in need of right now:
Cleaning Supplies
Laundry soap, fabric softener and dryer sheets, dish soap, bathroom and toilet cleaners, kitchen cleaner, Windex, paper towels, brooms with dust pans, mops and mop buckets, pails and buckets, garbage cans, garbage bags (13 and 30 gallon).
Kitchen Items
New toaster, can openers, pizza pans, ice cube trays, new plastic dish sets (family of four), kitchen dish cloth sets, gallon freezer bags, gallon zip-lock bags, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, paper plates.
Personal Care
Body wash, shaving cream (men’s and women’s), razors (men’s and women’s), shower curtains and rings, Kleenex, Band-Aids, one-ply toilet paper.
Pantry & Food Items
Coffee and coffee creamer, cereal, instant oatmeal, mac & cheese, ramen noodles, granola bars, tuna, chunky soups, hamburger and Hamburger Helper, hot dogs, butter (sticks or tubs), ketchup, jelly or jam, pudding cups, baking supplies.
Frozen Foods
Frozen chicken tenders or nuggets, frozen pizzas.
Office Supplies
Copy paper, postage stamps.
Other Items We Can Accept
- New cosmetics and toiletries (we are currently well stocked on shampoo)
- Canned or boxed food with current “use by” dates
- Records and DVDs
- Games, toys, and sports equipment (no stuffed animals, please)
- Housewares: dishes, glassware, kitchen utensils, lamps, and small appliances
- New or gently used wooden and metal furniture (dressers, tables, and similar)
- Hand tools and small power tools
- New linens, curtains, blankets, and other domestics
- Cell phones (restored to factory settings, charger included)
To help you determine your donation’s fair market value, Rainbow House is happy to provide a Value Guide with average thrift store prices for items in good condition.
Drop-Off & Larger Items
Please call us first at (715) 735-6656 to arrange a time. Staff are typically available Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., but a quick call ahead ensures someone is available to receive your donation.
We are not able to offer home pick-up at this time.
Items We Cannot Accept
It is hard to say “no thank you” to a donation when those gifts help support our programs. Unfortunately, some items have to be refused because they are non-recyclable, contain hazardous materials, or cost more to transport, repair, or dispose of than they are worth. Our staff are trained to help guide you toward other community options for items we cannot use.
Clothing & Bedding
Clothing (new or used, we simply do not have the storage space); used bedding; mattresses and box springs, including waterbed mattresses and frames.
Food & Personal Care
Food that has been opened or is past its expiration date; used or opened personal care items (shampoo, conditioner, nail polish remover, shaving cream, hairspray, shavers, curling irons); used or opened fragrances or cosmetics.
Children’s Items
Stuffed animals, cribs, and car seats.
Furniture & Household
Sofas and chairs, carpet and carpet padding, plumbing fixtures, and building materials.
Books & Media
Books (at this time), CRT televisions, and CRT computer monitors.
Large Appliances
Refrigerators, freezers, stoves and ovens, washers and dryers, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, furnaces, microwaves, trash compactors, water heaters, console stereos, and freon-based appliances.
Hazardous Materials
Household chemicals (pesticides, paint, paint thinner, drain cleaner, oven cleaner, aerosols); automotive hazardous waste (tires, lead-acid batteries, additives, gasoline, oils, antifreeze); weapons of any kind, including guns, ammunition, bows and arrows, and hunting knives.
Recyclables
Traditional recyclables such as glass, newsprint, office paper, cardboard, plastics, and magazines.
Thank you for your generosity and for helping us put donations to their best possible use in supporting survivors and their families.
