Introduction

Donating books and other items is a meaningful way to give back to the community in Singapore. By decluttering your home and sharing what you no longer need, you can support various organizations and initiatives that benefit underprivileged families, promote education, and foster environmental sustainability. Here’s a guide to 9 places where you can donate books and more, making a positive impact in your community.

1. Sony’s South Africa Mobile Library Project (SAMLP)

The Sony Group in Singapore organizes SAMLP to positively impact South African children’s education. Donated books are sent to South Africa and distributed in mobile libraries to local schools, giving students and teachers an opportunity to borrow the books. Now in its 14th edition, this year’s donation fortnight starts on Monday!

Donate English language books suitable for children and youth up to 15 years old, not including encyclopedias, reference books, assessment books, textbooks, and magazines.

Where/How to Drop your books off at the Sony Store located at #02-28/37, 313@Somerset, from 18 September to 1 October 2023, 11 am to 9 pm daily. Visit their website for more information.

2. Declutter & Donate by Peace of Art

Peace of Art is a group of volunteers dedicated to raising funds for the Singapore Red Cross (SRC) Young Hearts program. This 100% charity initiative leads up to the year’s most exciting preloved bazaar event in November. But right now, they need your help. Declutter your home and empower underprivileged children from public rental housing.

Donate Children’s books, kidswear, toys, luxury goods, and stylish fashion in good condition. Brand new items are welcome too.

Where/How to Drop off your items at the SRC office located at #02-08, YWCA Singapore from now till 30 September, and at the SRC drop-off at #07-23, 51 Cuppage Road from 1 to 15 October. The collection points are open from 10 am to 4 pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.

3. FairPrice Share-A-Textbook Project

Since 1983, NTUC FairPrice has been dedicated to supporting needy families by aiding their children’s education, promoting recycling, and fostering thriftiness. The initiative has assisted over 280,000 needy students by collecting over 6.8 million textbooks. Stay tuned for updates on this year’s donation drive, held every November.

Donate gently used school textbooks that are still in good condition. Do check the approved textbook list beforehand to find out if your textbooks are still part of the current syllabus. Assessment books, storybooks, and encyclopedias are also welcome.

Where/How to Drop off at all FairPrice stores islandwide, including FairPrice Finest, FairPrice Xtra, Warehouse Club, FairPrice supermarkets, and FairPrice Xpress stores at Esso service stations. Visit their website for more details.

4. Marymount Youth Network Book Donation Drive

Marymount Youth Network invites you to share the joy of knowledge by donating books in good condition. They conduct book donation drives once or twice a year, with the most recent one in July 2023.

Donate Children’s fiction, textbooks, and SingLit are some of the themes that may change from event to event.

Where/How to Drop off at the Marymount Community Club office at 191 Sin Ming Avenue. Visit their Facebook page for updates on their next event.

5. Singapore Really Really Free Market (SRRFM)

The SRRFM is a pop-up market where everything is really, really free. It aims to build community through the sharing of resources. If you have any items, services, or skills that would benefit your local community — which you don’t mind giving away for free — you’re welcome to set up a stall.

Donate Items like books, toys, or clothing. You can also offer your skills or services to others (like massages, tarot readings, yoga lessons, etc).

Where/How Different locations throughout Singapore take place once every month or two. The last SRRFM was on 9 August. Check their Facebook page for the next event and to learn more.

6. Books Beyond Borders

While challenging himself to solo backpacking through Nepal in 2017, Randall discovered a world far from the comforts he knew growing up in Singapore. On his return, he was inspired to start Books Beyond Borders. The idea was to sell gently-read books to raise funds for educational projects in rural places needing a literacy boost.

Donate Old and new English books for children and adults (fiction and non-fiction) that are still in good condition. Check their website for what they do and don’t accept, which changes from time to time.

Where/How Pack your preloved books into a recycled box and arrange a pick-up. Alternatively, make an appointment to drop them off at #03-01E, Kong Beng Industrial Building, 41 Jalan Pemimpin. You can also help by shopping at their bookstore, located at #01-08, 33 Erskine Road.

7. Dignity Mama

An initiative by social enterprise Project Dignity, Dignity Mama stalls sell secondhand books, managed by young adults with special needs and their parents. The project equips special needs youth with the skills and confidence to run a business and supports their caregivers too.

Donate English books for adults and children (fiction and non-fiction), magazines like Reader’s Digest, National Geographic, and Young Scientists, comics, educational toys, and flashcards.

Where/How Dignity Mama kiosks are located at Changi General Hospital, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (above), National University Hospital, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, and Sengkang General Hospital.

8. MINDS Shop

The Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS) runs four thrift stores named MINDS Shop. It offers its intellectually disabled clients pre-vocational training and employment in retail and customer service. Each store carries carefully selected preloved items that deserve a new lease of life.

Donate Books, baby equipment (high chairs, car seats, etc), electronic gadgets, clothes, accessories, furniture, kitchenware, collectibles, sporting gear, musical instruments, and tools.

Where/How You can donate preloved goods — and shop — at MINDS Shops located at 800 Margaret Drive and 30 Woodlands Ring Road. (The outlet at 29 Rosyth Road is currently closed for maintenance.) You can also shop at MINDS Shop Plus at #01-29, 71 Redhill Road, and online at the MINDS eShop.

9. One Bag One Book

Award-winning poet Zakir Hossain Khokan, himself a Bangladeshi migrant worker, created a book-sharing initiative for his fellow foreign workers. As its name suggests, his aim for One Bag One Book is to put a book in every worker’s bag. Through this, he hopes to offer his peers a source of comfort — and improved literacy — while far from home.

Donate Books in English, Bahasa Indonesia, Bengali, Hindi, Tamil, Singhalese, and other South Asian languages. Preferably novels, poetry, history, and motivational books.

Where/How To donate books, email onebagonebook@gmail.com. Alternatively, stay tuned to their Facebook page for updates on book drives.