A donated item is sorted, then either given directly to a family through the Family Support Program or sold through The Goodwill Shop to fund the charity’s work. Either way it stays in use, which is the point. Reuse keeps an item doing its job instead of becoming waste.
The journey of a donated item
- Arrival. Items come into the Revesby warehouse.
- Sorting. Volunteers assess condition and separate by type, size and season. This is the single biggest use of volunteer time.
- The decision. Is this something a family on our referral list needs right now, or is it better sold to fund the program?
- Distribution or sale. Items either go out on a delivery run or into The Goodwill Shop.
- Impact. A family receives what they need, or the sale funds a fridge for someone else.
Why reuse beats recycling
Recycling is good. Reuse is better. Recycling breaks an item down and spends energy rebuilding it into something else. Reuse skips that entirely: the jacket stays a jacket, the fridge stays a fridge, and no new manufacturing is required.
This matters especially for textiles, which are difficult and energy-intensive to recycle properly. A wearable garment passed to someone who needs it is by far the best outcome available.
The double benefit of whitegoods
A working fridge or washing machine that gets rehomed avoids two problems at once. It keeps a large, materially complex appliance out of waste, and it saves a family the cost of buying new at exactly the moment they cannot afford it. Few donations do that much work.
Why condition matters so much
Here is the part donors rarely see. Items too damaged to use still have to be handled, sorted and disposed of, which costs volunteer hours and landfill fees. Money raised to help families ends up paying to throw things away.
So sorting before you donate is genuinely part of the donation. Our guide on donating preloved clothes sets out what we can and cannot accept.
Frequently asked questions
What happens to items I donate to House of Sadaqa?
They are sorted at our Revesby warehouse, then either given directly to families through the Family Support Program or sold through The Goodwill Shop, with proceeds funding the charity’s work.
Is reuse better than recycling?
Yes. Recycling breaks an item down and uses energy to remake it, while reuse keeps the item doing its original job with no new manufacturing required.
Why do charities refuse damaged items?
Because unusable donations still have to be handled, sorted and disposed of, which costs volunteer time and landfill fees, drawing money away from the actual charitable work.
Can I donate a fridge or washing machine?
Working whitegoods are among the most valuable donations, since they keep complex appliances out of waste and save a family a major cost. Contact us first so we can arrange collection or drop-off.
What should I do with items too worn to donate?
Look into textile recycling through your local council or participating retailers, rather than including them in a charity donation.
Support the work behind this article
House of Sadaqa is a registered Australian charity helping local families in crisis with household essentials, whitegoods and emergency relief. There are three direct ways to be part of it:
- Donate, with donations over $2 tax-deductible
- Volunteer your time in the warehouse, on outreach runs, or at events
- Clear a NSW fine through a Work and Development Order
You can also support us without donating a cent, simply by choosing one of our social enterprises. Each one puts its profits back into supporting families:
- Goodwill Connect, NBN internet for Greater Sydney
- Panda Paper, premium bamboo toilet paper delivered to your door
- The Goodwill Laundry, self-serve laundry in Bankstown
- The Goodwill Shop, our op-shops in Revesby and Bankstown