Mission of Deeds maintains a secure database of each client we have serviced. We cross-check each new referral against this database to see if we have had previous experience with the individual or family. Our firm policy is that service at Mission of Deeds is one-time only. We do not make exceptions for any reason due to the demand for our service.

Almost anything could be the most important, depending on the client’s particular needs, which vary from household to household. Overall, though, we feel that the bed is the most important item. Imagine trying to rebuild your life, or do well in school, after spending the night sleeping on the floor. Many of our clients would be in exactly that position without our assistance.

In another sense, the most important thing of all may be the open, friendly, non-judgmental way we treat our clients. People in need, so used to dealing with bureaucracy, often find our personal touch to be a breath of fresh air. We love this quote from Maya Angelou:

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

We apply that philosophy to everyone with whom we interact – clients, donors, and volunteers. We want everyone to be happy that they dealt with Mission of Deeds.

We can only pick up in the following towns:  Burlington, Lexington, Lynnfield, Melrose, North Reading, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield, Wilmington, Winchester, and Woburn. Pickup is free! We will not enter a home to pick up donations as our volunteers are not professional movers.  Items must be in an accessible outside area (garage, driveway, curb etc.).

We also encourage donors to bring items to our facility in Reading. No appointment needed to drop-off. We are open Monday – Friday from 9 to 3 PM. No drop-offs after hours. Please consult our guidelines

To treat our clients with dignity and respect, we cannot accept items that are stained, worn out, torn, scratched, chipped, broken, missing parts or have pet fur.  We can only accept furniture that will fit in a small apartment and can be carried up a narrow staircase.  Disposing of items comes at a cost that takes away from our ability to serve clients.  We will inspect items before accepting and reserve the right to decline anything that would not suit our clients.

This is one of the most difficult parts of our work. We are grateful for every donation offered, but timing can be an issue. We pick up many furniture donations every week but sometimes backlogs still develop.

Volunteers and staff who can move heavy furniture are in limited supply and we are fortunate that we receive many phone calls offering items for donation.  If you can bring your items to our facility, we will do everything possible to accommodate your schedule.

We have found it important to focus on items that are most needed by our clients that few organizations in this area supply. Clothing is a specialized field that other charities handle. Toys are another specialized area with recall and safety issues. Electronics, such as televisions and computers, present issues of expensive disposal for items that do not work. By focusing on the large array of beds, furniture, and household goods that is our specialty, Mission of Deeds has developed expertise in an area where the formerly homeless and many others.