Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a tax receipt?
As a 501(c)(19) charitable veterans service organization, items donated to the VVA are tax deductible.   If you made a donation and did not receive your tax receipt, please enter your zip code below and we will link you to a tax receipt.

What is my donation worth?
As of 8/17/06, clothing and household items donated to charity must be in good used condition or better in order to be tax deductible.  It is the donor’s responsibility to keep a written record of the itemized list of the donation and the value. The VVA does not determine the fair market value of items donated, as our staff members do not list or confirm each individual donation. According to the IRS, these items should be valued at fair market value for a deduction.  For information and guidelines on valuing your donation, consult IRS publication 561.

How do I prepare my donation for pick-up?
Please click here for directions. Donation Pickup Instructions.

When will the truck come?
Our trucks start their routes at 7:00 a.m., and drive all day (sometimes until dark), so your stop could be any time of day.

How do I cancel a scheduled pick-up?
Please complete the Cancel a Pickup form.

What types of items do you accept?
Please click here for more information.

Do you pickup in bad weather?
We pick up in all types of weather including rain and light snow. If driving conditions are unsafe due to harsh weather, we will cancel our pickups. If you scheduled a pickup with us and left us your phone or email information, we will contact you to reschedule as quickly as possible.  You can also follow this link for additional information.

What do I do if my donation didn’t get picked up and it is after 5pm?
Although we strive not to miss any pickups, it does occasionally happen. Please see our section on missed pickups to contact us and arrange for a pickup.

What does VVA/VetsConnect do with the donations?
We sell your donations in bulk to various operators across the country. Your donations might be purchased by thrift operators and resold in second hand stores or shipped to developing nations to provide affordable clothing for others. We do not run our own thrift stores, nor do we match donated merchandise with needy veterans.

How to schedule your next pickup.....
Pickup Service provided by Charity Pickup Service.  You can schedule your next charitable donation pickup online at VVADonation.com or with CharityPickupService.com  Thank you for thinking of us when you have donations of clothing, shoes, and household items!

Where should I place my donations?

Whatever location will be clearly visible to our driver from the street is most preferred. Depending on your neighborhood or street, this could be curbside, by the front door, on the front porch or on the driveway.  Also be sure to label each item with the name of the charity and have your donations available for pickup by 7 a.m. on the scheduled pickup day.  Note: please know we cannot enter residences (homes; enclosed porches; garages) to make pickups; items need to be placed outside.