Young woman with curly hair taking a photograph with a vintage camera, smiling with partly visible eyes, against a white background.

Give your old digital camera new life

Repurpose your old cameras and camera gear by donating it to Urban Ventures. Through a partnership with Recycle Your Camera For Kids, old cameras will be refurbished and used to teach the next generation of shutterbugs.

Urban Ventures kids will learn the basics of photography, take their own photos, and, thanks to you, they get to take home their very own personal camera.

It costs $35, on average, to refurbish a camera for students to use.

Will you help us get these cameras ready?

Donate Today

Donate any camera

We can use any camera (or camera gear) for the program. Simply drop off or ship your camera to:

Urban Ventures
Attn: Camera Class
2924 Fourth Ave S
Minneapolis MN 55408

We’ll take ANY still photography camera. Not sure if it works? Won’t turn on? Lost the charger? Don’t have a memory card? No problem! We’ll take it.

The cameras are refurbished, used for the class, and then at the end of the class the kids get to keep the camera! Don’t let your older photography end up in a landfill - let it end up in the hands of a young, aspiring photographer instead.

Please note, we are not able to utilize video cameras, camcorders, or any other recording device that is not still photography.

Question? Send us an email
A young girl with curly hair taking a photo with a camera.

Donate to the class.

In addition to cameras, you can help cover the cost of refurbishing. It costs around $35 per camera to get a camera in shape for class. Every kid gets a “camera kit” with everything they need to keep shooting photos (camera, charger, memory card, reader).

Include “Camera Class” in the comments to ensure your donation is used for upcoming classes.

Make a Donation
Collection of various digital cameras in different colors and models arranged on a light surface.

Questions? Reach out to donate@urbanventures.org

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Yep. Any still camera. Digital or film. Working or broken. Pristine or dusty. We’ll sort out what we can use.

    We do our best to put them in the hands of students. But some cameras become visual aids and some may be sold to help fund the program.

  • Please send your camera to

    Urban Ventures
    Attn: Camera Class
    2924 Fourth Ave S
    Minneapolis MN 55407

  • Cameras have arrived safely form the US Postal Service, FedEx, UPS, DHL, and nearly any other delivery service.

  • Most cameras arrive with batteries and it has not caused any issues.

  • Because learning to look for beauty in the world is an important skill.

    And, it is empowering to give a student the knowledge and tools to show how they see the world.

    Plus, along the way students often learn about science, leadership, responsibility, and other countless skills.

  • Absolutely. Please include a note with your name, address, and how you’d like your receipt delivered (email or printed and mailed).

Another question? Reach out to donate@urbanventures.org