Welcome to L.A. SHARES

Since 1991, thanks to the generosity of both the local business community and civic minded individuals, L.A. SHARES has redistributed more than $80,000,000.00 worth of goods and materials to over 2,500 local organizations.

L.A. SHARES would like to help your organization as well.

In order to participate in the L.A. SHARES program, you must first carefully read this entire page and, once you are familiar with how L.A. SHARES operates, then complete your organization's online registration.

This online registration should take you no more than 10 minutes to complete, and for that 10 minute investment, your organization will gain access to millions of dollars worth of free goods, materials, and supplies through L.A. SHARES. That's time well spent.

If you are ready to become a member of the L.A. SHARES family, then read on.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN L.A. SHARES?

• Non-profit organizations exempt from taxation under IRS Section 501(c)3 that are headquartered in the County of Los Angeles and operate programs that directly benefit the residents of the County of Los Angeles.



• Elementary through High Schools (both public and private) licensed and located in the County of Los Angeles.

Only one registration per non-profit or school allowed.

Please click here to see if your non-profit or school is already registered with L.A. SHARES.

HOW DOES L.A. SHARES AWARD DONATIONS?

L.A. SHARES redistributes donations three ways:

• Direct Match
• Lotteries
• Warehouse "Shopping" Appointments

A Direct Match uses our relational database to cross match the items on your organization's Wish List with incoming and existing donations. When a donation matches your organization's Wish List, we will contact your organization via e-mail to arrange for a pick-up. That's a Direct Match.

However, this method works best if we have enough of a donation to accommodate all of the organizations requesting it. If not, then - in the interest of fairness and equitability - we use the following additional criteria to further determine the best Direct Match:

1.

Appropriateness of Need: Does your organization have a "primary" need for the item in question; a need central to your mission? If not, then the item will go to an organization whose mission it better matches. For example, a donated piano will go to a music group before it goes to a wildlife shelter because a music group has a "primary" need for a piano.

2.

Urgency of Need: "Top 20" Most Needed Items: Did your organization indicate the item in question as one of your "Top 20" most needed items? Your organization's list of its "Top 20" most needed items allows us to gauge the urgency of your need for an item. For example, if the item in question is #5 on your organization's list of "Top 20" most needed items and #7 on another organization's list, then your organization will be awarded the item based on your organization's "urgency of need." You can change your organization's "Top 20" most needed items at any time since you will have access to your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In fact, we ask you to update your organization's Wish List and "Top 20" most needed items on a regular basis to reflect your organization's current needs.

3.

Length of Time You Have Waited: How long has your organization waited to receive the item in question? The longer your organization's wait for an item, the more likely your organization is to receive it. For example, if your organization has been waiting two months for an item, your organization will be awarded that item over a similarly qualified organization that has only waited two weeks. You may want to keep this in mind when changing your organization's Wish List items; especially your organization's list of "Top 20" most needed items.

4.

Have We Helped You Recently: When did we last award you a donation? If your organization has not received a donation from us recently, your organization is more likely to be in line for the proposed donation. For example, if your organization and another similarly qualified organization have both requested the item in question (but your organization has been waiting longer) then your organization will be awarded the donation.

And, in a continuous effort to better share the wealth of donations we receive, L.A. SHARES also uses the following methods to award even more donations:

Lotteries

• Standard Lottery
  Often, with specialty or highly desirable items, we will use the lottery method for awarding donations. In the event of a lottery, selected non-profits or schools registered with L.A. SHARES receive an e-mail notification, including a description of the lottery item and a time for when the lottery will close. If you respond to this e-mail indicating an interest in the lottery item, your organization's name will be included in the lottery drawing.
  
  If your organization is the "winner" of the lottery, L.A. SHARES will contact you, via e-mail, to arrange for a pick-up.
  
  
  
  
• First Come/First Served Lottery
  We also use the first come/first served method to award items; especially for items whose demand are uncertain. In this scenario, your organization will receive an e-mail notification of an item's availability, along with how many there are, and we'll inform your organization that "the first (X) number of organizations who respond can have the item."
  
  If your organization is the "winner" of the lottery, L.A. SHARES will contact you, via e-mail, to arrange for a pick-up.
  
  

This year L.A. SHARES is offering 1,500 "shopping" appointments. Due to this limited number, "shopping" appointments are by invitation only. You must be registered with L.A. SHARES in order to be eligible for an invitation.

"Shopping" appointments allow selected groups the opportunity to come to our warehouse, examine firsthand our extensive inventory of hundreds of different items, and take what they would like on the spot, FREE-OF-CHARGE, of course.

Items available at our Griffith Park warehouse include calculators, paper, pens, desk top accessories, staplers, tape, stationary supplies, books, envelopes, chalkboards, labels, file folders, scissors, sheet protectors, binders, bags, cleaning supplies, light bulbs, paperclips, glue sticks, and personal care products, plus many more valuable supplies.

1,000 of these warehouse "shopping" appointments have been exclusively reserved for non-profits and schools that are headquartered and operating within the City of Los Angeles. These appointments are made available through a partnership with the City of Los Angeles, Department of Public Works, Bureau of Sanitation, Solid Resources Citywide Recycling Division.

Click here to see photographs of our Griffith Park warehouse.

An additional 500 warehouse "shopping" appointments are made available to other L.A. SHARES members via Standard Lotteries.

To be eligible for these "shopping" appointments (and the rest of the L.A. SHARES program), you must complete your registration.

WHAT WE EXPECT OF YOU - RECIPIENT RESPONSIBILITIES

• Be On Time
  Always be on time to any scheduled pick-up, so as not to inconvenience our donors.
  
  Failure to make a scheduled pick-up will result in the immediate termination of your organization from the program.
  
  
• Write Your Thank You Letters
  Write thank you letters to the business(es) and individual(s) that donated the goods and materials that your organization has received and send a copy to L.A. SHARES within 10 days of receiving the donation. We will provide your organization with the necessary contact information for the thank you letters.
  
  Failure to write thank you letters in a timely manner will result in the immediate termination of your organization from the program.
  
  Thank you letters are the lifeblood of our program and keep the businesses and individuals, our generous donors, giving to you.
  
  
• Don't Call Us - We'll Contact You
  All communication with L.A. SHARES is via e-mail to admin@lashares.org.
  
  However, we ask that you review our FAQs first before e-mailing us.
  
  L.A. SHARES works with thousands of organizations and because of this, our small staff is unable to accept phone calls from recipients (or potential recipients).
  
  Please do not contact L.A. SHARES to inquire about your organization's donation requests. When we have what you need, we'll contact you.

HOW TO REGISTER?

Here's a Step-by-Step Guide on How to Register:

STEP 1: Fill out your Organizational Profile.

Click here to see an example of a completed Organizational Profile.

For your convenience, items are offered in the following 5 key categories:
• Office Furniture
  (Wish List Screen #1 of 5)
  
  
• Office Equipment
  (Wish List Screen #2 of 5)
  
  
• Office Supplies
  (Wish List Screen #3 of 5)
  
  
• Arts & Crafts Materials
  (Wish List Screen #4 of 5)
  
  
• Personal Care Products
  (Wish List Screen #5 of 5)

Click here to see an example of a completed Wish List screen.

Remember, there are 4 additional categories of items to choose from.

Your organization's list of its "Top 20" most needed items allows us to gauge the urgency of your need for an item. For example, if the item in question is #5 on your organization's list of "Top 20" most needed items and #7 on another organization's list, then your organization will be awarded the item based on your organization's "urgency of need."

Click here to see an example of a completed list of "Top 20" most needed items.

Click here to see an example of the screen with the special address.

Once we receive your organization's proof in the mail, we'll immediately activate your organization's account, send your representative an e-mail notification of such, and begin to help your organization.

READY TO REGISTER?

• Who is Eligible to Participate in L.A. SHARES?

• How Does L.A. SHARES Award Donations?

• Warehouse "Shopping" Appointments

• What We Expect of You - Recipient Responsibilities

• How to Register?
  

Begin the registration process now by clicking on either the "Non-Profit" or "School" button below.

Welcome to the L.A. SHARES family.

Is your organization non-profit or a school?