Thinking About Donating Items? Here's What Orange County Can and Can't Take

Orange County’s Emergency Operations Center became the latest group to begin food drives to help our members of the community struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. The county began collecting non-perishable food, sanitation supplies and childcare items last week.

While the outpouring of support has been helpful, though, county officials are ensuring people are not donating items that cannot be taken or are depleting such crucial items in stores.

Chair of the Board of Orange County Commissioners Penny Rich spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Aaron Keck about the donations being gathered through the county government. She said community members have recently been very generous by donating homemade face masks with the hope of them being passed along to emergency service workers and Sheriff’s officers.

But Rich encouraged the public to stop bringing them.

“They cannot use them,” she explained. “The PPE has to be certified for our frontline to use. There is so much coming from the heart, people are just dropping them off at all kinds of place. But we can’t use them, so share them with your friends and relatives.”

Rich also reminded county residents to not donate any other types of clothing or any homemade meals. Donation items are meant to be unopened, store-bought food and supplies. Orange County is also encouraging people to not buy these items directly from the store, but instead donating any items they may have extra of.

The current collection points for the Orange County Emergency Operations drive are at Carrboro Town Hall and Hillsborough Town Hall Annex on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Rich also reminded county residents to not drop off donations at other county locations where they’re typically taken.

“Someone has asked about our Giving Shed,” she said. “That is closed down, you cannot go and look for items. If you’re going to Waste and Recycling Centers, you are going there to just throw things away.”

Here is a breakdown of what items the Orange County government is asking for:

What CAN Be Donated

Non-perishable, unopened food (canned, boxed, bagged)
Unopened hand sanitizer
Pet supplies
- Clean leashes, collars, toys
- Unopened food – dry or canned
- Unopened, in-date flea/tick medications
Baby and child care items
- In-date, unopened baby formula and food
- Diaper packs. Prefer unopened packs.
- Unopened wet wipes

What CAN’T Be Donated

Clothing, including homemade face masks
Perishable, frozen or refrigerated food items
Homemade human or pet foods
Prescription or OTC drugs/supplements

When donating, residents are asked to not leave their vehicles. Instead, the donations should be put in the trunk or pickup bed and volunteers will take donations out. No distribution of the donated is allowed from these sites.

To learn more about the Orange County Emergency Operations donation drive, visit the county’s website.