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Mother's Day FREE Market
MAY 9, 2026 | 12-4PM,
Emory United Methodist Church, 6100 Georgia Ave
Join Petworth Peanuts and Ward 4 Mutual Aid for the 2026 Mother’s Day FREE Market! We will be collecting 30-50,000 gently used maternity, baby, and kids items - including clothes, strollers, toys, gear, furniture, feeding supplies, and more - to give away completely free to over 1,000 families in our community. Huge thanks also to Parenting in Community for their support and awesome volunteers!
Interested in helping make this amazing, impactful event possible? Join our amazing team of volunteers!
Donation collections will be starting in April and can be dropped off:
On Partcipating Ward 4 Porches:
Starting on a TBD day in April (stay tuned!) through Wednesday, May 6 at 8:30 pm. To sign up as a porch drop location, click here!
Directly at Emory Church (back alley):
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Thursday, May 7 - 9:30 am to 8:30 pm
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Friday, May 8 - 9:30 am to 4:30 pm
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Saturday, May 9 - before the market begins at noon
We also need cash donations! Market expenses are substantial and will include venue fees ($1,500 alone), van rental, storage, security costs, signage, volunteer supplies, etc. Any amount helps! Donate here and please indicate "Mother's Day Market" or "MDM" to earmark the funds.
PORCH DONATION INFORMATION:
We will start accepting donations on area porches April 18.
Approximately 25+ porches throughout Ward 4 will be available for donation drop through May 6. After May 6th, donations should be brough directly to Emory Church, see above.
Check back soon for more information + an updated, interactive porch map!
This map is an example from last year! Want to join the porch collection crew? Sign up here!
Peanut volunteers help shoppers try on baby carriers.
Can you help make the
Market possible?
The Mother’s Day Free Market is
100% powered by donations and volunteers, and
we need about 150 volunteers to make this event possible!
There are many ways to help, with a critical need for:
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Donation collection points (covered porches)
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Postering and community outreach
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Sorting and organizing donations
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Day-of logistics and staffing
View porch and volunteer opportunities here,
or contact us at events@petworthpeanuts.com
How to Prep your Donations
All items should be in good used condition, with no holes or missing parts.
Please do not donate items that are stained, damaged, expired, or incomplete.
To help our volunteers process donations, please:
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Bag and label all clothing by size
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Bag or tie shoes together in pairs
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Bag and label pumps with all parts included
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Securely box or bag toys and games with all pieces
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Bag and label loose diapers by size
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Bag stroller, crib, or gear accessories and tape them to the main item
Note that we cannot accept loose pump parts. Pump sets must be complete.
These simple steps save hundreds of volunteer hours and significantly reduce waste!
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Emory United Church
Drop-Offs
Donations will be accepted directly at Emory United Methodist Church (6100 Georgia Avenue NW) on Thursday (5/7) between 9:30 am and 8:30 pm, Friday (5/8) between 9:30 am and 4:30 pm or before the market begins on Saturday, May 9 (between 9:30 am - 12 pm). Please do not bring donations to the church after 12pm on May 9th, as the market will be in full swing! To drop off your donations, use the back alley entrance - driving to the double doors in the alleyat the rear of the church.
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The alley is accessed from Quackenbos St NW between 13th St NW and Georgia Ave NW
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Enter 1051 Quackenbos St NW into your GPS
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Park briefly on Quackenbos with flashers on
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Volunteers will help unload your car
⚠️ Do not park on Georgia Avenue in the bus lane. You will be ticketed.
Some Market items may also be set up in the grassy area across the street from the church on the day of the event, and similar items (toys, furniture, etc) may be dropped there in the appropriate section(s).
Frequently Asked Questions
ABOUT THE MOTHER'S DAY FREE MARKET
What items can I donate?
Baby/child clothing (newborn - 6T), maternity clothing/accessories, feeding/pumping supplies, and children's toys, books, games, and gear (strollers, carriers, play gyms, bath tubs, unexpired car seats, etc). Anything in good condition / non-expired that is related to babies and children is welcomed. Please do not donate adult clothing or accessories unrelated to maternity or nursing. All donations should be in good functional condition without stains, rips, or missing pieces. See the guidance above about how to prep your items for donation.
What size clothes are you accepting?
Newborn to ~6T, plus any maternity or postpartum/nursing clothing and accessories. We do not accept adult clothing unless it is maternity / nursing wear.
When can I start dropping off donations?
We are accepting donations at the above porch locations starting in April through Wednesday, May 6th. Starting Thursday, May 7th all donations should be brought directly to the church on Thursday between 9:30 am and 8:30 pm, Friday (5/9) between 9:30 am and 4:30 pm or before the market begins on Saturday, May 9, between 9:30 am - 12 pm.
Who can come to the market?
The market is open to everyone and all are welcome. It is 100% free.
¿Hablan español?
¡Sí! Habrá voluntarios que hablan español disponibles durante el evento para ayudar con preguntas, donaciones y para encontrar artículos. Todas las familias son bienvenidas. Haga clic aquí para ver nuestra página en español.
How can I help!?
This event runs on 100% volunteer power! We need around ~150(!!) volunteers to make the market possible: porch collection points, flyer distributors / community outreach leads, donation sorters, day-of staffers, security patrols, marketers/graphic designers, clean up crew, onward donation coordinators, volunteer food / supply coordinators, and so much more. Click here to help us make a difference! No time to volunteer? 100% of all cash donations to the MDM directly contribute to Market operations. Donate here and note "MDM" in your donation.
If I donate, can you give me a donation receipt?
Yes! We'll have donation booklets at the Church on May 7th - 9th; if you porch drop your donations, just email hello@petworthpeanuts.com for with a item inventory/approximately value to receive a receipt.
Can I bring stuff directly to the church?
Yes, Items may also be dropped off directly at the church via the back alley door (see above map) on Thursday (5/7) between 9:30 am and 8:30 pm, Friday (5/8) between 9:30 am and 4:30 pm or before the market begins on Saturday, May 9 (between 9:30 am - 12 pm).
Can I donate opened diapers?
Yes, but please bag and label the diapers by size.
Can I donate opened formula if there's a lot left?
Please do not donate any opened or expired formula or any other food items.
Do you accept pump parts/accessories without the pump?
No, loose pump parts cannot be donated. All donated pumps must be a complete, labeled set with the pump included. If you have loose pump parts, you can find another donor with the relevant pump and include them in as a kit.
Can you come pick up my donation?
Unless specifically arranged with Petworth Peanuts or Ward 4 Mutual Aid due to special circumstances or a very significant donation, we cannot pick up individual donations. Please note the many drop off locations above.
How did the market begin?
The very first Mother's Day Free Market was started by two community moms in a small backyard in 2021. By 2023, Peanuts was thrilled to join as official partner (supporting donation collection, logistics, marketing, staffing, web dev, procurement and more) and the growth has been truly exponential each year! This year, in coordination with Ward 4 Mutual Aid and other community partners, we anticipate recieving, sorting, and redistributing 30,000-50,000 items back to the community.
More questions? Contact us at events@petworthpeanuts.com!