Painting and drawing supplies
What items can we take?
We can take clean materials that are gently used or new. Please ensure there is some life left in them for reuse! For loose items of the same type, please bundle them together or put them in a ziploc bag.
Artistic paints
Acrylic, water color, oil. Please put in a bag to prevent leakage!
Paintbrushes
Must be clean and reusable!
Calligraphy nibs and pens
Must be clean
Pastels, drawing charcoal, and drawing pencils
Please place in a ziploc bag inside your Ridwell bag
Unused poster board
Unused construction paper
Sketch pads
Colored pencils
What isn’t in this category?
We can't accept heavily used or damaged art supplies.
Heavily used or used up supplies
Pencil stubs, dried or used up markers, etc.
House paint
Chalk
Clay or Playdough
Canvases and easels
Glitter
Corks
We can take these in our corks category!
Binders
Yarn
Knitting and crochet supplies
Paper scraps
Painting and drawing supplies.
Art is good for the mind and soul, but sometimes projects don't quite get finished... or are never started to begin with (oops!). If you're anything like us, you might have a stash of paints from when you were definitely going to take up watercolor painting, or a collection of colored pencils collecting dust. Luckily, we've got a creative solution for your leftover supplies!
Our partners will put your supplies into the hands of community members looking to let their imaginations soar. Don't let your markers dry out or your pastels get dusty - let them paint a brighter, more creative future instead!
Partnering with Reclaim It!
Cracked Pots is a 501(c)3 environmental art nonprofit dedicated to waste reduction through creative reuse. Volunteers visit the Transfer Station to rescue items already thrown away, prevent them from ending up in the landfill, and then clean and repair them to be returned to the community through the nonprofit’s retail store, ReClaim It.
At ReClaim It, they are always finding new ways to use saved materials to reuse, repair, and reimagine. Each week, volunteers rescue an average of 3,000 pounds of reusable materials that were thrown away and headed to the landfill!
Partnering with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary
Dr. MLK Jr. Elementary is a Title I School situated in the historic Albina neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. They serve 350 students grades PK-5 with a diverse student population. The school is a Black Legacy school, and also home to a Mandarin Immersion Program. Items provided by Ridwell offer school prizes, school supplies, and clothes to students.
Partnering with Schoolhouse Supplies
Since opening their doors in 1999, the Schoolhouse Supplies mission remains the same: to support public education in the Portland area by providing free school supplies to students in need. They believe that every child deserves school supplies and has the right to a quality education regardless of their family’s income or racial/ethnic identity. Their ultimate goal is to level the playing field so every child has access to the tools that allow them to achieve academic success and feel confident. The program delivery model achieves additional goals through community engagement and by keeping supplies out of the waste stream.
Partnering with Clackamas Service Center
Clackamas Service Center (CSC) is the largest food pantry based in Clackamas County and a "one-stop-shop" catering to the needs of unhoused and low-income community members, serving a total of over 8,000 people each month. People experiencing hunger and poverty can meet their basic food, health, and hygiene needs, and connect with supportive services to help them take their next steps toward stability.
As a hub for services, CSC integrates food relief, clothing, showers, and more to expand their impact in the community. With trauma-informed care at the core of their values, CSC seeks to break down barriers to services while centering the inherent dignity and worth of every human being.
Partnering with SCRAP
SCRAP is a creative reuse 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides education and affordable materials to inspire artistic freedom through material and monetary donations. Our program diverts thousands of pounds of usable items from the waste stream to creative souls every month.
Partnering with Portland Child Art Studio
Portland Child Art Studio supports children’s perceptual development through process-based art making. We are a creative reuse space, working primarily with donated and recycled materials that children transform into unique works of imagination. By placing emphasis on exploration over outcome, we empower young artists to build confidence, independence, and a creative voice. Our programs serve children across Portland, including those living in the low-income housing complex where our studio is located, ensuring access to high-quality art experiences regardless of financial circumstance. Through this combination of sustainability and inclusivity, we cultivate a studio culture where every child’s creative process is valued and celebrated. Items donated by Ridwell members help support PCAS many programs.
Join the movement to build a future without waste.
