@terri I collect old cell phones and tablets and distribute them through a day shelter attached to a local food shelf. There is limitless demand even for 10+ year old phones as they are constantly damaging or losing them (often by theft). Most of the work is helping people do a factory reset. I get some chargers and cables but also buy those in bulk for around $4.50 per set. Phones = access to housing, jobs, benefits, health care, family

@terri I thought of another thing that is helpful in shelters and can often be found as free swag: headphones. In a shelter environment people are forced into close contact and have to entertain themselves for hours. I collected unopened packages of free headphones from airlines and asked friends to do the same. But I don't fly much and numbers were small. I bought bulk earbuds on eBay for $.25-$.50/ea and delivered over 100 to our local day shelter. They are popular and it helps keep the peace.