I have made many donations here over several years. It has always been fast and easy. I have always been thanked.

When I arrived, I pulled up to the sign indicating where I should stop. Then I opened my door so that I could remove the containers with donations. Suddenly there's this lanky dude yelling at me from two cars over - can't make out what he was saying, but it was definitely in a combative tone. Someone else eventually helped with my drop-off. As I was about to climb back in my car, here comes lanky dude strolling past. So I step in front of him, and say excuse me, but I could not hear what you were yelling at me, so would you care to repeat it? He muttered something, wouldn't meet my eyes, and kinda shuffled away. That's what I thought, I called after him. Big man, that one. A hint: if people are making donations, don't raise your voice or act like they're an inconvenience to you. Be mindful of those you serve -- the eventual recipients of the donations, and any funds raised from sale of same. Leaving a similar review for their location on Mira Mesa. I will never drop another donation for Goodwill in San Diego. read more

I've been coming here for over 10 years. These complaining reviews made me sad because I have always had a lovely experience here. In the midst of a pandemic I think there can be some more patience and empathy given to the staff here- I came here a few times since 2020 to donate lots of clothes (along with everyone else) and the employees were nothing but friendly and kind. There was a long line when I came at the end of the day, but that is to be expected! I wanted to leave this review to let the staff working these donation bins know their hard work is appreciated. Thank you for always being a reliable spot for myself and my family to donate! read more

Carmel Valley Donation Center is the best donation drop off location I have ever experienced in nearby charity organizations. It is located in the Park-n-Ride which is under the freeway I-5 and 56. Staffs are friendly with good customer service manners, and their accepting speed is much faster, never exceeds 5 minutes as I can recall. They also always keep the location neat and clean. Their efforts are really appreciated. Charles read more

I'm reading these critical and really nasty commentaries about the wonderful staff at this location and thinking, "WTH is your self-entitled, ignorant, chastising, problem?" If you have to wait in line because there are others ahead of you, . . . . you complain. If you get turned away because you brought items they don't accept, . . . . . you complain. If you can't follow their process because of their COVID mandates, . . . . . you complain. It's NEVER your own fault that they are mandated to follow specific policies and processes and face consequences if they don't. And maybe their attitude is reflective of how the staff is treated by the self-entitled or the ones who expect the staff to bend the rules because you believe you are special, . . . . you know, the Carmel Valley attitude. I've had conversations with the staff about how they are treated and I have witnessed the nastiness by donors. I have been going to this location for years and the staff have always been absolutely wonderful. There's a wonderful woman there from Texas who always greets me with the kindest welcome! Their ability to accept goods is limited by the availability of the trucks to transport the donations to the center distribution facility. If they get lots of donations in a day and there are no more truck pick-ups from the central in-take facility, they can't accept more goods. The donation trailers is for the the housing of the EMPTY storage bins because of OSHA mandated safety rules that prevent them from being full in rolling around in the parking lots and possibly hitting one of your cars, . . . God-forbid!! read more

3 grown men yelling at a woman at 9am with a baby in her car because I wasn't moving out of the line fast enough for them when a car behind me just pulled up a second ago. I needed to scan the code. So rude! Treated like crap for just wanting to make a donation and do a good thing. Horrible read more

I have made my third and final trip to this donation center. Each time, I have been treated rudely (as have other reviewers) by the same man who always works there. Regardless of how early or late in the day (I have gone at varying times), he turns me away and says the location is closed. Each time, all of the signs have been posted that they are open, the donation trailer has been open and empty, and each time I am given the same rude treatment and response. We will not be returning. read more

I had no idea this drop-off location was located so close to my house! I typically look for a location close to where I'll be for the day without ever realizing this was so close. Located right off the freeway, you could exit the freeway, drop your goods off and get right back on the freeway in just minutes. It's just a drop-off location and not a building where you can search goods. I would agree with others who have noted the line for the cars isn't set up very well. They run it in a clockwise fashion when it should be run in a counter-clockwise fashion. It wouldn't take anything to have people drive in counter-clockwise keeping the backed up cars off the street and allowing for a simple exit after dropping off your goods. I've been to other Goodwill drop-off locations and this one is fairly simple in the process. The people working here are fairly helpful in unloading your goods and will of course provide you with a receipt if you so desire. It's a great location and quite easy to drop-off your goods. read more

This site used to be ok a few years ago. Since then however, the staff are just so rude. I had literally stood outside my car waiting while the attendant was playing on his phone, then when he finally looked up, he was mad that I didn't move the car 5 feet forward to be next to a bin where I had to lug my stuff into. Other times they pretty much just grunt at you. This is not a pandemic problem. I don't expect them to be fawning with appreciation. I just don't want to be treated poorly for trying to do the right thing and donate usable stuff. It's a poor customer service problem. I will take my stuff elsewhere. read more

Horrible!! I was dropping off 3 Bags of clothes. These lazy people weee just standing and watching me, not even tried to come to help carry the bags. There was no other customers. The reason they still had their job was because we were donating stuffs. I would definitely donate elsewhere next time. They were not worth my effort. read more

I've been going here since I moved here 5 years ago. It's always been easy in and out and the staff are always friendly and helpful. I even got an "Aloha" today! I have no idea what the negative reviewers have experienced as I've always had a great experience here. read more

I was called lazy when I only had two items to donate and I was mocked and laughed at by the attendant when I asked for a receipt as I did not know they had switched to a QR code process. Will not be returning after the encounter I just had. Doing a good deed and donating should not make you leave feeling disrespected and humiliated read more

I've lived in Del Mar area for more than ten years, and donate unused household items to Goodwill Carmel Valley. I am writing this review to appreciate the working staffs in this donation center for their friendly and kind services including accepting the donations or explaining in detail how to fill out the newly changed QR code receipt; And surprisingly enough, they even kindly explained some of the items Goodwill doesn't accept to my mom in Japanese because she does not speak English fluently. My family members really appreciate it, especially my mom!! - M. Larson read more

I've been using this donation site for a long time now. It is located by the 15 freeways in Mira Mesa behind Best Buy. They are open for drop offs on the weekend as well. They have taken everything that I've dropped off from clothing, toys and electronics. I usually get a receipt for tax purposes. They have two lanes for cars to drive up for drop off. The staff is nice about helping with pulling out heavy bags from my the trunk of my car. Weekends can get busy and the line is a little longer but they usually move pretty quickly getting everyone in and out. There is also a goodwill store down the road further into Mira Mesa as well. You might see your donations there! Overall this location has been very convenient for drop of donations from clothes to electronics. read more

There is something fishy going on at this Goodwill Drop Off Site. My experience is IDENTICAL to other reviewers. I arrived at 4:34 on Friday with the large blue bin wide open and two lazy workers sitting in chairs happy to tell me that they closed at 4:30 and no they couldn't take 2 boxes of clothes. 4 minutes late. Blue bin not closed up. No, we can't help you. Then I return today at 3:45 when they are supposed to be open and the same two lazy workers sitting in chairs doing nothing with a wide open mostly empty blue bin tell me "we've had some equipment problems and the donation bin is full" or some other BS like that, so even when they are open don't expect to be able to drop your stuff off. These workers are truly what's reprehensible about non-profit organizations or unionized organizations!! They do the bare minimum of what's required and are thrilled to tell you that they can't do any work for some ridiculous reason. Any for profit companies hiring out there? Stay away from hiring any Goodwill Workers because they aren't trained to function in a for profit environment. read more

Angry workers, rude, and somewhat confrontational. If they don't like working or volunteering then they need to leave.

Ok, if donating clothing but expect to wait in lines. They do not accept donations other than clothing and small household items.

Dude there is rude. And they dont take furniture. This is after following the road signs he made us get back in the car because we were going in the direction of the road lines, while they are set up to go the other way. Drive the car around, to take the furniture out for him to then say they dont accept furniture. Setting the tone for negativity while giving to the less fortunate seems wrong. read more

Wrong hours of operation listed on yelp and google, staff onsite when "closed" isn't the most friendly.

Bad service and attitude. Long lines in the afternoon. Takes about 30 mins to get things dropped off. read more

Goodwill Donation Center - New Hours sign posted on 7/18. Horrible service and attitude from the guy in the picture. He said his name is Freddie. - Donation Center Near Me - San Diego, California

2 stars, as I've found this otherwise-conveniently-located site the least-accommodating of all drop-off locations for Goodwill and other charities: Employees, here, simply aren't "nice." Other reviewers chastise negative reviewers for their attitude, but accepting and distributing charitable donations is a business: If donators don't receive a warm welcome, they simply won't come back and donate more. I learned two hard lessons, during my most recent visit: #1: This site does not accept furniture -- even when disassembled to simplify transport #2: If you're likely to arrive within 15 minutes of closing time: don't bother going. Details: I'd disassembled a new-condition game table and packaged all of its accessories (game paddles, pool queues and balls, etc.), for delivery, but I'd arrived 10 minutes before the site's 4:30pm closing time. While the site employee berated me for arriving so close to closing time -- literally walking along side me, as he instructed me to load his storage locker, as he needed to close things down, I loaded the gaming table accessories bag into the locker, and I then proceeded to take the disassembled table into the locker. The employee stopped me, saying he could not accept the table, as his site couldn't accept furniture. I dejectedly returned the table to my car, as he locked up the containers. Only then did I realize that the container held the accessories bag -- rendering the table, useless (and making the table-less bag equally-useless). Too late! The only option offered was to take the table 15 miles away to Goodwill's San Diego facility on Rosecrans Drive. Whereas I really wanted someone to enjoy this barely-used game table that originally sold for $250, I decided that I would not spend another $20 in gas and an hour's travel time to deliver a table that would likely never be rejoined with its accessories bag, anyway. I'm now planning to demolish the table and toss in in the garbage. Results: - I'm saddened that a barely-used toy I no longer need can't be enjoyed by someone else, and further disappointed that it has to go in our overflowing landfill - I'm soured on my Goodwill donation experience, and I will likely no longer donate to Goodwill Nobody wins! read more

Efficient, friendly and doing a great job both in terms of reusing stuff you don't need, and distributing it to those who do but can't afford it. You just pull up in your car and someone greets you, takes your stuff and submits a receipt. Simple as that. read more

I visited the site yesterday at 3:10pm, the container was open and had plenty of space to take in the 3 bags of clothes I wanted to drop off. These clothes btw were maternity wear, that I am sure are very hard to come by. As I go to get out of my car, the man working the location ( who is always there) named Bruno, came running up to tell me they were closed. I showed him the hours of operation and question he saying they were closed. As rude as he could he told me to leave and he would not be taking the clothes. I looked at him and said, "well how about I leave them here, so they can be picked up tomorrow." He yelled at me that if I did, he would call the police because that would be "dumping". As I laughed he walked away and said, "go now". Seriously, what is this guy's problem. Based on other reviews, how is he still working for Goodwill. What a bad representation of what Goodwill stands for. Not only will I not be returning, I will be going out of my way to let EVERYONE never to donate to Goodwill because of this individual. I will be calling corporate as soon as I finish this review. Bruno is a horrible person, who is a disgrace to the world of donations. read more

Because of Goodwill functional policy, there are more than 30 donation centers in San Diego. This simple, but powerful rule helps busy people like me to contribute to others and don't spend a lot of time on it. The kiosks are located on the spacious parking lot. People who work there are extremely helpful and attentive. By the way, they are open from 8:30 AM to 5 PM. If you have something which you don't really need and have kept for a while, please, make a step forward and help people who really need it. read more

There is no business signage. This donation center is a few trucks in a parking lot. Very quick and easy drop off with people to help you if needed. They do not accept computer related electronics (printer, computer, cords). Clothes, household furnishings (lamp, pillows), and kitchen items (keurig machine) are okay. read more

My mom recently went to this location about a month ago, her experience was nothing like all these other comments. They got entirely new workers and an even easier system of getting things done. Previously, when she went there about 10 months ago they had the aggressive and lazy worker full of entitlement. He would be angry and non responsive and stained this businesses reputation. Especially with how little he had to do. This is what all the other comments were talking about. Currently this business is a great donation center. You can definitely tell the managers/owners above hired fresh, and easy going people to make everyone's experience a lot more reliable and fun! Hope this helped! If any other comment is about lunch hours or their times... it's a donation center with workers trying to make a living. They probably work more hours than you at this site, and like every human being on the earth, you are entitled to a break, and also eating. So don't get triggered just by people literally living. You're life is probably a lot easier to wait 30 minutes for a donation than for them to get lunch or take a break. read more

Depending on who is there will determine your experience. When I dropped something off a couple of days ago the lady was pleasant and helpful. Today the guy was rude and did not take some of the stuff even though it was in great shape. Took it to another site and they gladly took it so beware. read more

i gave this place a 4-star rating for its proximity to my condo. they're open everyday so it's very convenient to drop off my donations. They help you get your stuff out of the car if its heavy or bulky. They're pretty nice most of the time. They also give you a tax deductible receipt which is handy come tax season. I would have given them a 5-star rating if it weren't for one occasion when i specifically asked if they took queen sized sofa beds and they said yes. When i came back with the bed one hour later, they said they would not take it anymore and it did not look like they were already too full to add it to the collection. Oh well. read more

Goodwill Donation Center - Donating center - Donation Center Near Me - San Diego, California

Obviously Bruno was "working" again this morning and in his same woefully poor customer service mode!!! I drove up to the checkpoint at 2 mins to 9am. 3 "workers" were just sitting around obviously waiting for the clock to strike 9 before they let me drop off. It just so happened I was leaving my car there and sharing a ride to another destination and so I thought I would park my car (closest spot to the drive-thru) and carry the items over for drop off. (2 bags of clothes). I was immediately yelled at and told I had to drive up to drop off. I said but you saw me waiting in line and then park my car! He would not listen and kept yelling at me that I had to drive through!! By this time another women had come through and was putting items in a different bin and said to him that surely I could drop the items. He yelled at her and put his hand up for her not to speak. I put the items back in my car and dropped them off (drive-thru style) when I returned later that morning. I could not believe how i was treated considering I was donating to Goodwill!!! This man really needs to be spoken to by a superior and told he has to change his attitude. I have a friend who was there the day before and took her husband with her to drop her items as she had experienced this horrible behavior previously. A woman should not feel threatened by a man like this at a charity station. Do not use this drop off location until this employee has been dealt with accordingly. read more

Almost always the people who take the time out of their days to work this center are friendly and nice. It doesn't hurt that this location is convenient for me and it warms my heart that I'm helping others who need it the most :) read more

Donation workers create chaos with their inability to manage the line of cars. Line of cars out onto the street instead of through the parking lot. Not very friendly either. Choose a different drop-off spot. read more