Locations, Contacts and Hours

Jennifer Merchant, Executive Director, 831-479-1055, jennifer@greybears.org

Matthew Lyles, Operations Director, 831-479-1055 ext 262, matthew@greybears.org

Maria Marsilio, Human Resources, 831-479-1055 ext 241, hr@greybears.org

Lisa Noble, Accounting Manager, 831-479-1055 ext 222, accounting@greybears.org

Michael Jimenez, Accounting Specialist, 831-479-1055 ext 254, michael@greybears.org

Sybille Waiyaki, Bookkeeping Assistant, 831-479-1055 ext 251, sybille@greybears.org

Kayla Traber, Development Manager, 831-479-1055 ext 226, kayla@greybears.org

Kelly Murray, Volunteer Coordinator, 831-479-1055 ext 261, kelly@greybears.org

Danielle Wong, Healthy Food Program Director, 831-479-1055 ext 227, danielle@greybears.org

Sacramento Calderon, Warehouse Food Coordinator, 831-479-1055 ext 227

Sandy Johnson-Dexel, Executive Chef/Kitchen Manager, 831-419-6627, sandy@greybears.org

Sharon Gross, Office Manager, 831-479-1055 ext 223, sharon@greybears.org

Josh Baldwin, Assistant Thrift Store Manager, 831-479-1055 ext 233, josh@greybears.org

Items we always appreciate:

• Clothing, shoes and accessories including belts, scarves, purses, wigs and other accessories (no undergarments). We only accept 1 bag (30 gallon bag) of clothes per customer, per day.
• Textiles of all kinds
• Housewares, glassware, pots and pans, china, ceramics, linens and knick-knacks
• Jewelry
• Luggage – carry on sizes only
• Furniture – indoor, outdoor, lamps, antiques and art, outdoor heaters, patio furniture, etc.
• Wheelchairs, walkers, shower chairs, crutches, canes and medical equipment
• Bicycles, exercise machines, sports gear
• Plants, ceramic pots and garden accessories
• Books, books-on-tape/CD, CDs, DVDs, LPs/vinyl, videos, puzzles and games. We only accept 1 grocery store bag of books per customer, per day.
• Pet supplies (beds, collars, leashes, scratch trees, dog/cat kennels)
• Cars, bicycles, scooters, motorcycles, boats
• Hardware, tools, good condition building supplies, garden tools
• Electronics including computers, laptops, tablets, iPods, cell phones, TVs, monitors, VCR/DVD/CD players, amplifiers, speakers (no particle board or non-working wood speakers), turntables, microphones, test equipment, printers, copiers, etc. (please drop at our e-waste center, 7:30am – 3:30pm)
• Small kitchen appliances such as toasters, toaster ovens, blenders, Cuisinarts, (must be in working order) and working shop vacs and some vacuums (e.g. working repairable Dysons).

Items we cannot accept:

Appliances such as refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers, trash compactors. Water soaked or moldy items, mattresses, bed pillows, particle board items, older wood entertainment centers, car seats, cribs, pianos, organs, chemicals or paint, or any other items not approved by the donations staff or that are not recyclable.

Donation questions

For donations questions email: thrift@greybears.org, or call 831-479-1055 ext 233.

We accept the following items which correspond to bin locations as you enter our recycling drop off area.

• Brown and red glass bottles.
• Green, amber, yellow and blue glass bottles.
• Clear glass bottles
• #2 CRV Color Plastic containers, such as laundry detergent jugs (look for number in triangle).
• #2 CRV Natural Plastic containers, such as milk jugs (look for number in triangle).
• #1 Plastic CRV bottles – clear bottles (46 oz. or less), look for number in triangle.
• Aluminum cans – no pet food cans or other aluminum.
• Scrap aluminum – aluminum lawn chairs, screen doors, siding, aluminum foil and pie plates.
• Scrap metal – aerosol cans and propane containers, (valves must be removed or 1″ holes drilled in either end), tin cans and pet food cans. Gas and oil must be drained in all engines. No hazardous material containers accepted).
• Books, vinyl and disks – including commercial music CDs and DVDs, VHS commercial movies in good condition only, books on CD or cassette.
• Thrift Store Donations – Click here for a list of items we accept every day at our donations station in the recycling drive thru, last entrance.

* Grey Bears Recycling Program no longer accepts Mixed Paper, Styrofoam, Cardboard, Appliances, or any commercial loads at its Chanticleer location.

WE CANNOT ACCEPT: Colored plastic bags, non-CRV plastic and food containers #1-7, hard plastics (play structures, patio furniture, storage bins, nursery pots, buckets, bottles, tubs and trays, empty plastic motor oil containers); aseptic containers (e.g. soy milk cartons), plastic tarps, wood, tissue paper, paper towels, binders; non-working (non-Dyson) vacuum cleaners, appliances, water heaters, and mattresses.

The following items should be taken to Buena Vista Landfill / household hazardous materials drop-off: Motor oil, anti-freeze, transmission fluid or any other automotive fluid, hazardous material containers even if drained, toxic materials or liquids, small alkaline batteries, paint or fluorescent bulbs.

E-Waste accepted (working or not) – Drop off at the blue e-waste building, first entrance (pictured below). We accept the following free of charge:

• Electronics – computers and peripherals, printers, TVs, monitors, cell phones, audio and video components, amplifiers, speakers (non-particle board), VHS/DVD/CD players, microphones, mixers, etc. NOTE: due to market conditions we may not be able to accept home plastic telephone systems and other mostly plastic items.
• Batteries – We accept lead/acid car batteries, computer backup/UPS, laptop batteries, and lithium-ion batteries. We can not accept household alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9-volt), which may be recycled at O’Reilly Auto Parts (411 May Ave), Outdoor World (136 River St), City of Santa Cruz Public Works, 809 Center St Rm 201, SC Municipal Utilities, 212 Locust St, Louden Nelson Center (301 Center St), Buena Vista Resource Recovery Center (Mon-Sat, 7:30-3:30), and SC Resource Recovery at Dimeo Lane (Mon-Sat, 7:30-3:30).
• We accept all Non-Ferrous metals – including copper, lead, nickel, tin, titanium and zinc, and alloys such as brass.

NOTE: Books and Disks – Please take to Chanticleer: books, DVDs, working VHS movies, books on tape/CD, LPs/vinyl.

• #2 CRV Color Plastic containers, such as laundry detergent jugs (look for number in triangle).
• #2 CRV Natural Plastic containers, such as milk jugs (look for number in triangle).
• #1 plastic CRV bottles – clear bottles (46 oz. or less), look for number in triangle.
• Cans – Sorted aluminum and tin cans.
• Brown and red glass bottles.
• Green, amber, yellow and blue glass bottles.
• Clear glass bottles.
• Styrofoam (PS6) – Please take this material to our Chanticleer site; polystyrene #6 only (look for “PS6”), clean and dry, no food containers or contamination.
• Office Paper – White office paper, colored office paper, shredded paper only. No glossy brochures, mailers, magazines, wrapping paper, padded, plastic or Tyvek envelopes, binders, telephone books. Please ask staff for assistance.
• Cardboard – Cardboard only. NO waxed cardboard, cereal and six-pack boxes, aseptic containers (e.g. soy milk cartons), napkins and paper cups, plats or towels,.
  • Please flatten cardboard boxes.
• Batteries – All household alkaline and auto and lithium ion batteries.
• Non-ferrous metals – scrap aluminum, brass, copper etc. Aluminum lawn chairs, screen doors, siding, aluminum foil and pie plates, electrical wire and microwaves.
• Electronic Waste – Scrap household electronic products, computers and peripherals, audio and video components, cell phones,  telephone equipment.
• All metals – and motors/engines with oil removed.
• Aluminum foil and pie plates, electrical wire and microwaves.
• Household hazardous waste must be taken to HAZMAT at each site, located near the recycling areas at Buena Vista Landfill and Ben Lomond. Note: Ben Lomond Hazmat is open on Thursdays only.
• HAZMAT Items accepted: fluorescent light bulbs, ballasts, paints, stains, solvents, pesticides, herbicides, automotive products, cleaning products, aerosols and pool care chemicals. (Used motor oil, oil jugs and drained oil filters, transmission fluid and anti-freeze may be dropped at Auto Zone, O’Reilly’s or Kragen Auto Supply. Call stores for details.) Buena Vista HAZMAT is open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 7:30am – 3:30pm. Call 831.454-2606 for additional information.