Empower Community: Support Omaha's first Creative Reuse Center
Join us to foster sustainability through creativity in Omaha and surrounding areas.
Our Mission
At Creative Reuse Omaha, our mission is to promote sustainability, environmental stewardship, and education through creative reuse initiatives. We aim to reduce waste and inspire the creative community by providing resources for teachers and local creative projects. We collect gently used arts and craft supplies and divert them to our local creative community.
New items arriving weekly at the shop! Come by and see what we have! We offer drop-in workshops in crochet, jewelry and more!
Join the recycle movement!
Support Creative Reuse Omaha Today!
Help us make a difference by making a donation to Creative Reuse Omaha. Supporting sustainability through creativity.
Volunteer Info
Stop by our donation warehouse at Clover 24 Omaha to help us sort donations Saturdays or Sundays: 11-3 pm February 7th, 2026 through December, 2026. Drop-ins welcome, must be 16 or accompanied by adult. Student/Community Volunteer hours approved. 2200 S. 24th St/ North Warehouse at Clover 24 Omaha.
About Creative Reuse Omaha, Inc.
Our Vision
Volunteers and Cohorts
Our Approach
At Creative Reuse Omaha, Inc., our vision is to create a community where creativity is a top priority and individuals can access the resources they need without cost barriers. We want our city to be more sustainable when it comes to waste! We are a resource destination for creatives and educators to divert arts and craft supplies.
Our Approach
Volunteers and Cohorts
Our Approach
We take a "boots on the ground" approach to collecting donations. We spend hours sorting through donations and send them to our shopping areas for the general public to re-home/reuse/repurpose. We participate in local community events to share our mission. We pop up where anyone will listen and promote sustainable activities that support waste diversion.
Community Impact
Volunteers and Cohorts
Volunteers and Cohorts
We are scrappy and happy that way! Since 2023 we have diverted over 4 tons of difficult to recycle arts and craft supplies headed to landfill. We have raised funds for educators in the area who have few resources. We support a sustainable approach to using what is already available in all of our shop activities, pop-ups, events, workshops, and we love to collaborate.
Volunteers and Cohorts
Volunteers and Cohorts
Volunteers and Cohorts
We are proud to have the support of other creative individuals and organizations in our community who share our commitment to our mission. Our volunteers are vital in our work to sustain the mission every day. Since our arrival in 2025 to Clover 24 Omaha our project continues to expand.
What donations do we accept?
Donate to Creative Reuse Omaha
Creative Reuse Omaha diverts materials that are destined for landfills by collecting and re-distributing them to people who can use it for education, art, and inspiration. Community members and local businesses can reduce waste and also help enrich education and the arts.
We offer receipts for your tax-deductible donations.
Our whole mission is repurposing your leftover art and craft supplies. Your donation will help us to continue our mission of supporting our creative community. Every dollar counts and will make a difference in the lives of those we serve.
What to bring?
We accept donations of clean and usable art and craft supplies. Drop off your donations during business hours or use text to set up a time to drop off/ DM us on our Instagram @creativereuseomahainc if you have questions. We kindly ask that you organize your materials in advance. We have a volunteer that has a van and will pick up within a reasonable mileage from Omaha, NE. text us to share details like address and time.
The following list is by no means comprehensive. If you do not see an item on this list, don’t hesitate to text us at 323-445-6596 with info about your donation, or leave a phone message.
List of things we can use:
FINE ART SUPPLIES
[we will basically take any fine art supplies in reasonable condition] all mediums
PAPER
Drawing or painting paper • Colored papers-origami, construction & cover stock • Rolls of paper • Newsprint- unprinted • Tablets • Computer paper • Gift wrap • Graph paper • Maps • Stickers • Posters • Photos • Postcards • Greeting cards • Mat board • Chip board • Foam core • Vintage collage materials
CRAFTY ITEMS
• Craft tools • Stained glass & supplies • Wicks • Wax • Corks • Pipe Cleaners • Foam blocks • Ribbons
NATURAL MATERIALS
• Feathers • Shells*Glass*Sand
MISCELLANEOUS
• Miniature Toys • Marbles • Musical instruments • Hand tools for construction • Sandpaper Educational materials • String • Chopsticks • Costumes • Costume Jewelry • Tennis balls • Cork • Peg board• Drafting boards & tables
FABRICS & NOTIONS
• Fabric • Printed cottons • Upholstery • Corduroy • Muslin • Canvas • Denim • Fleece • Knits • Felt • Burlap • Leather • Elastic • Lace • Fur • Batting: fiberfill, cotton, fiber • Piping & cording • Yarn • Needlepoint canvas • Sequins • Buttons • Beads • Glitter • Needles & pins • Patterns • Sewing Notions: thimbles, rulers, pincushions, machines, etc. • Webbing • Zippers• sewing machines [must be in good working order]
WOOD
Stretcher bars • Veneer • Blocks • Poles & posts • Boards • Boxes • Dowels • Frames
METAL
• Wire • Sheet metal • Jewelry parts • Film reels • Nails & screws
OFFICE SUPPLIES
Tape • Glue • Rubber bands • Crayons • Rubber stamps & stamp pads • Drafting templates • Clip boards • Scissors • Erasers • Chalk & chalk boards • Cork boards
PLASTICS
• Mylar • Film canisters • Slide frames • Tubing • Flowers
PHOTOGRAPHY• photo paper • equipment • tripods • expired film/film • some frames
Items we cannot accept after trying:
- Clothing, curtains; Household goods (e.g. kitchen wares); Black or white plastic; Computers, printers, ink cartridges; Food containers; Medication bottles; Styrofoam or packing peanuts
Broken glass, ceramics, dishes; Three-ring binders; File folders; Magazines (craft, fashion or other)- we will only accept vintage collage materials; knick-knacks, tchotkes & souvenirs; Items in poor condition due to dirt or age
*Please note: We currently have a limited capacity for large quantities of the same materials.
Save Some for Others!
Courtesy Matters: while shopping our donation floor, we ask that you kindly save some for others! We want everyone to feel welcome and we are focused on community impact so kindly respect this policy!
Creative Reuse Omaha Past Events
Hot Shops Art Center
We offered hand-made sustainably created gifts at Hotshops Art Center Winter Open house in 2024.
Thrifty Artist Yard Sale at Westside Community Center
We participate in Thrifty Artist Yard Sale bi-annually. We host a booth for educators to stock up on low cost classroom supplies for their classrooms.
Second Friday on Vinton
Artist Led Mending Workshop at Creative Reuse
We popped up on Vinton Street for Second Friday opening at the Rybin Room featuring hand tools for sale celebrating the local trade unions in Omaha.
Artist Led Mending Workshop at Creative Reuse
Over Under Community Weaving Event at Riverfront Omaha
Artist Led Mending Workshop at Creative Reuse
Artist/Designer Valerie St. Pierre Smith led a hand mending workshop where we utilized reclaimed fabric, thread, interfacing, and more to brush up on hand stitching techniques.
Over Under Community Weaving Event at Riverfront Omaha
Over Under Community Weaving Event at Riverfront Omaha
Over Under Community Weaving Event at Riverfront Omaha
In 2025 we donated reclaimed yarn to be utilized in a community weaving project that took place at Omaha Riverfront. Community members learned basic weaving creative techniques. The artworks made were exhibited at Millwork Commons LALA gallery the same year.
Collage Meetup at BFF Gallery
Over Under Community Weaving Event at Riverfront Omaha
Over Under Community Weaving Event at Riverfront Omaha
Creative Reuse Omaha brought our vintage trailer stocked up with reclaimed collage materials to BFF Gallery for a Collage Meetup hosted by Nash Bellows. Attendees worked all afternoon making original collage works repurposing magazines, vintage calendars, and more.