Small Business Spotlight: Just Porch It

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — A local business is making it easy to declutter your home with their pickup service. Instead of sorting through potential donations and trash, you can “Just Porch It.”

President and co-owner Jene D’Ambrosio says, “Our motto is Don’t be Trashy. It just makes sense keep it out of the landfills.”

The team at “Just Porch It” operates like a well-oiled machine.

Filling a shipping container is only part of a day’s work at their downtown Fresno Warehouse.

“At this location, there are 2.3 to 2.5 million pounds that are recycled a month,” explains D’Ambrosio

It all stays out of our landfills. The company only contracts with buyers and vendors who are also closed loop, meaning the product is guaranteed to stay out of any landfill, not just local ones.

“That product that’s being shipped is going to be upcycled into carpet pad, insulation and underlay or its product that’s going to be reused,” says D’Ambrosio.

Each bag is filled with items collected through the free Just Porch It home pickup service.

“It’s for any unwanted textiles, so clothing, bedding, shoes, towels, soft goods, anything stuffed animals. Anything along those lines,” says D’Ambrosio.

There’s no minimum or maximum number of bags for pickup. It’s as simple as bagging up your items and scheduling a pickup.

“Throw it all into the same bag. It doesn’t matter if it’s brand new with tags; maybe it’s a little worn that your kids don’t use anymore, or maybe it is something 20 years old. All those items go into the same bag, and they do not have to be sorted,” says D’Ambrosio.

Once you get your confirmation text or email, leave the bags on your porch, and they’ll handle the rest.

“In the Fresno/Clovis area, it’s typically the next day for business days. If it’s out of the area, we will tell you the days we are in your area, and you just confirm yes or no,” says D’Ambrosio.

Local organizations are considered first before shipping.

“For example, if a local nonprofit says, ‘Hey, we’re short on donations, can you bring me 500 pounds?’ We bring it to them for free and they go through what’s usable and unusable because everyone has a different need,” says D’Ambrosio.

Everything that they can’t use is picked up and upcycled or reused.

President and co-owner Jene D’Ambrosio says she and her husband, Daren, started the business in their garage.

“80% of textiles end up in landfills, and most of that product does not decompose because it’s made of a lot of synthetic materials,” says D’Ambrosio.

15 years later, the free pickup service is now in 10 states. In addition to helping the environment, Just Porch It has partnered with more than 300 nonprofits, schools and churches to help them generate revenue.

“We don’t charge for partnerships, and we don’t charge for placing the donation bins,” says D’Ambrosio.

Each organization gets a unique URL with its logo, mission statement, and imagery that tracks everything picked up in its name.

They can choose whether they want to partner with Just Porch It by hosting a donation bin, home pickups or both.

“At the end of the month, we cut out checks to them based on how many home pickups and poundage, and they also get a sustainability report,” says D’Ambrosio.

The Fresno natives say this is how they can support their community in a sustainable way.

“Give back to who gave to you, and I feel like the Central Valley always embraces that anyways. It’s small communities. We all lean on each other, and we’re stronger together,” says D’Ambrosio.

If you want to schedule a pickup or sign up your organization to get involved, visit justporchit.com.

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