by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

In the new year, a person’s fancy turns to thoughts of clean closets, garages, and attics. But after you’ve cleaned out that extra toaster, those dusty golf clubs, or winter coats, how can you put them in the hands of someone who could use them?

If you live in the Machias area, making that donation could mean taking a bit of a drive, but it all depends on what you have to donate.  

If you’re cleaning out your baby clothes, children’s books, and approved baby furniture, you won’t have to go far. The nonprofit We Care Baby Center in Machias collects clothes, books, diapers, and accessories for children, then making them available to families at low or no cost. They are currently open Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5 Water Street, Machias. Call 255-8903 with questions.

If you’re cleaning off your book shelves, Porter Memorial Library in Machias accepts most book donations for resale in their Last Page Honesty Bookstore, or at one of their spring and summer outdoor book sales. Proceeds from the sale of books go to support the nonprofit library’s annual operating budget. Call 255-3933 to arrange a time to bring in your donation.

Ready to part with bags of clothing, or boxes of household goods? You could drive off in a few different directions. Within Washington County, the nonprofit Lubec Community Outreach Center runs a thrift store and accepts donation on Wednesdays from noon to 3 p.m., and on Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. LCOC is located at 44 South Lubec Road, and can be reached by phone at 733-4735.

In Eastport, Christ Episcopal Church operates the New to You Thrift Store, which provides clothing and small household items for sale at reasonable prices. Items are also given freely to people in need and those who have suffered fires. Proceeds from the sale of thrift store items go to support the local food pantry, Labor of Love, and also provide emergency heating assistance. The New to You Thrift Store is located at 9 Brighton Avenue, Eastport, and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call 853-4222.

For those who have clothing to donate and prefer the drive to Ellsworth, the Community Closet, has reopened after a holiday hiatus. Located at 25 Eastward Lane, Suite 12, Ellsworth, the Community Closet is a nonprofit which gives each patron 10 free pieces of clothing, then charges only $1 per item for every piece after that. “Our goal is to never have anyone go without,” reads their website. “We feel no one should ever have to choose between clothes and food.” 

Like most thrift stores, the Community Closet is run entirely by volunteers, and any funds raised go to keep the doors open and the lights on. Cash donations are therefore gratefully accepted, too. The Community Closet accepts donations Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m.

For those with a variety of goods to donate, the Goodwill in Ellsworth is a convenient option, with curbside drop off most days of the week at their 15 Downeast Highway location. A list of acceptable items can be found on their website, www.goodwillne.org. Call 669-6321 with questions.