The Deerfield Park District Partners with the below-listed groups to provide community access and education to improve lives and the environment. We only accomplish this goal with the generous donations, support and participation of the Deerfield community. By providing accessible drop-off locations you and your family can assist other families, help save the environment while paving the way for a brighter future through giving back.
Donations of clothing and textiles can be made year-round and are picked up on an ongoing basis by the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO). SWALCO is a local agency that implements a waste management plan and works to identify, evaluate and disseminate information regarding techniques to reduce, reuse and recycle the amount of solid waste generated.
New, Gently Used and Worn – This is a full-circle program. Your donations will be reused. Even worn-out/stained items that are received will be turned into usable new products.
Permanent bins are located at:
Deerfield Golf Club: 1201 Saunders Road, Riverwoods
The bin is located on the northeast corner of the large parking lot.
Patty Turner Center: 375 Elm Street, Deerfield
The bin is located on the west side of the building and can be accessed from the parking lot.
Drop off your shoe donation at Sachs Recreation Center to keep shoes out of landfills. Shoes can be in any condition. Newer shoes will be donated to those in need. Older shoes will be repurposed and recycled into other useable materials. With the pursuit of sustainability in mind, SWALCO developed a program to reuse those shoes. Many tons of shoes have been collected through this program to date and these tons have all been recycled or reused.
This partnership began in June 2018 and over 1,000 pounds of shoes have been donated since we started!
www.swalco.org/182/Reuse-A-Shoe-Program
When: This program is ongoing.
Children’s items such as gently used coats, shoes, clothes, toys and books, are collected for Cradles to Crayons. Cradles to Crayons was founded in 2002, with the mission of providing children ages 0-12 some of the most important basics of life, free of charge.
When: Donations can be made year-round at bins located inside the Sachs Recreation Center, or at our seasonal events at Jewett Park Community Center.
Cradles to Crayons MLK Day of Service Collection Drive
Deerfield Park District has partnered with Trex Building Supply to help recycle plastic film and bags that are not recycled by most curbside recycling companies (grocery bags, Ziplocs, bread bags, water bottle overwrap, etc.).
There is a collection bin inside the downstairs foyer at the Jewett Park Community Center for clean, dry film/plastic. Not all plastic is accepted… a list is available here and more information is available in the video below.
When: This program is ongoing
Goal: To collect 500 pounds of plastic in 6 months and Trex Building Supply will donate a park bench made of recycled elements to the Deerfield Park District.
Update: As of March 2023 four benches have been received by the park district thanks to the community support of this program! Keep the plastic coming.
Deerfield Park District collects and donates children’s books to help support Bernie’s Book Bank’s mission. Bernie’s Book Bank sources, processes and distributes quality new and gently used children’s books to significantly increase book ownership among under-served infants, toddlers and school-age children throughout Chicagoland.
To learn more, please visit www.berniesbookbank.org
Donate new or gently used books, board games, eyeglasses, cell phones, stuffed animals and plush toys, clothing, bedding, linens, towels and shoes. Items will be donated to local agencies including: SWALCO, Bernie’s Book Bank, Cradles to Crayons, Lions Club
When: Once a year at Sachs Recreation Center. June 10, 2023
Check back in 2023 for a complete list of accepted items on deerfieldparks.org/events
The Rotary Club of Deerfield collects coats, hats and gloves through their “Coat Off Your Back” program. This program is typically held during the months of October – December. Cold weather items can be new or gently used condition. Hundreds of coats are collected each year and donated to PADS Lake County.
The collection locations include:
- Jewett Park Community Center (drop off bin is in the west entrance vestibule)
- Sachs Recreation Center
- Deerfield Bank & Trust (660 Deerfield Rd Deerfield IL)
- Deerfield Car Wash
- Deerfield High School
- Deerfield Fire Station
- South Park Elementary School
When: Through December 2022. Check back in October 2023 for drop-off dates and locations.