We will give notice of any site closures here as well as on our social media accounts (@recaresoakland). In general, we only close around major holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Each of our locations has its own phone number where you can leave a voicemail. You can find that information on our locations page.
For organizations, feel free to email us at admin@recares.org.
Please check out our locations page for information about each site.
Everything we receive is donated to us, and everything is freely distributed in turn. We ask that you do not attempt to sell or profit from the items we distribute. If you no longer need an item, we ask that you return it to us so we can pass it along to someone else.
While we receive our inventory for free, we still have operational costs to cover, such as rent for our sites. If you are able to, please consider donating to offset our costs. Without financial support, we are unable to continue our work. You can donate through PayPal/credit card here or by cash/check at our sites.
We don’t ask for insurance, ID, proof of income, or other paperwork. We do ask you to sign a liability waiver upon receiving an item. Everyone is welcome to our services; there are no citizenship, income, residency, or other requirements.
Our inventory constantly changes, and we have very limited availability to return calls. Even if we have an item when you call, we cannot guarantee that we will still have it when you arrive. Therefore, it is best to ask what is available onsite.
If you'd like to get advice from our volunteers at our sites, please try to come during a less busy time. For our Oakland site, we recommend coming between 2-4pm. We've also compiled supply recommendations for various conditions and needs. Check out our supply recommendations here.
We do not take appointments and we cannot reserve items. Everything is distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. We receive donations throughout our open hours; therefore, there is just as good a chance of finding what you need at the end of the day as there is at the beginning.
We recognize that it can be difficult for people to visit our sites due to work, mobility limitations, or other obligations. However, we do not have the capacity to deliver items. You are welcome to send someone on your behalf to pick up an item and bring it to you if you cannot do so yourself.
We are unable to store larger items like hospital beds, electric wheelchairs, and patient lifts at our sites. To receive one of these items, please list it on our Large DME Referral System.
We recognize that it can be difficult for people to visit our sites due to work, mobility limitations, or other obligations. However, we do not have the capacity to pick up items. You are welcome to send someone on your behalf to pick up an item if you cannot do so yourself.
We are unable to store larger items like hospital beds, electric wheelchairs, and patient lifts at our sites. To donate one of these items, please list it on our Large DME Referral System.
We can only accept donations during each site's open hours. Leaving anything at any other time is considered dumping. Dumping at our site jeopardizes our lease and negatively impacts our operation. If you cannot bring your donation in during the appropriate times, you can ask a neighbor, friend, or family member to bring it on your behalf during our open hours. If that is not possible, please find another outlet to dispose of it properly.
Check out our list of other places to donate.