What We Do
L.A. SHARES is a non-profit materials reuse program, which takes donations from the local business community of reusable goods and materials (both new and used) and redistributes these items FREE-OF-CHARGE to non-profits and schools throughout Los Angeles County.

How We Do It
Through this interactive website, interested schools and non-profits create an online profile of their organization, including a "Wish List" and "Top 20 List" of needed items. This profile is then entered into our unique, relational database, which proactively identifies each organization's needs and continuously seeks to match those needs with the donated items on record.

When a need is matched, the recipient is notified, via e-mail, to come to one of our two area warehouses to retrieve their items or instructed to go directly to the donor for pick-up. Either way, this state-of-the-art system is designed to help schools and non-profits obtain needed items quickly.

Who's Involved
The success of L.A. SHARES is a true collaboration between an outstanding Board of Directors and a host of extremely generous financial supporters, "material" donors and in-kind partners.

Our Background
Created in 1991, L.A. SHARES was formerly a pilot program for the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department known as Materials For The Arts. In 1994, in an effort to expand beyond the Los Angeles city limits and service even more non-profit groups and schools, L.A. SHARES became an independent, non-profit organization.

Since 1991, L.A. SHARES has worked with 1,000+ local companies to give away more than $80,000,000.00 worth of goods and materials to over 2,500 organizations throughout Los Angeles County.

Our key partner in 2005/2006 is the City of Los Angeles, Department of Public Works, Bureau of Sanitation, Solid Resources Citywide Recycling Division.

Together, we have made a commitment to increase the amount of reuse opportunities available to the citizens of Los Angeles, in an effort to reduce the amount of goods and materials being sent unnecessarily to our already overburdened landfills.

Program Benefits
In addition to L.A. SHARES' obvious benefit to recipients, donors receive tax deductions for items contributed and save on the disposal cost of unwanted items.

L.A. SHARES will immediately arrange for a school or non-profit to quickly pick up your donation.

We have done this thousands of times in our 14 plus year history. L.A. SHARES will not let you down.

Of course, donors can also drop off their donation to one of our two, local warehouses.

By utilizing L.A. SHARES, California businesses adhere to Assembly Bill 939, which requires them to reduce their landfill-bound waste. Last year, L.A. SHARES helped companies divert more than 1,000 tons of useful goods and materials from needlessly entering local landfills.

Our Achievements
L.A. SHARES has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, The White House Task Force on Recycling, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the City of Los Angeles for its outstanding environmental achievement. Consequently, L.A. SHARES is now used as a "model" program for similar materials reuse efforts throughout the country.

L.A. SHARES has helped more than 2,500 organizations and schools throughout Los Angeles County including: Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Organization for the Needs of the Elderly, Habitat for the Humanity, Inner City Cultural Center, Union Rescue Mission, Angeles Girl Scout Council, the San Fernando Valley Child Guidance Clinic, John Marshall High School, Canoga Park Elementary School, Los Angeles Family School, and hundreds more.

Moreover, over the last 14 plus years, L.A. SHARES has partnered with the local business community to become the largest single donor of goods and materials to the Los Angeles Unified School District, the Arts community, After School Enrichment Programs, the Recreation and Parks community, the Theater community and the Alcohol and Drug Recovery community, among others.

Where to Find Out More
See our Become A Donor section for more information about donating, or see our Become a Recipient for more information about obtaining needed goods and materials through L.A. SHARES. You may also want to review our FAQ's if you have further questions.