I am a very conservative person and don't throw away much. I do try to find appropriate places for the fabrics, quilt tops, quilts, etc. that come my way with someone saying, "Can you do something with this?"
However, I am quite discriminating when it comes to putting my time into reworking or making something out of a partially finished item. In addition to feeling that my time is valuable (to me at least), I also find that some projects are damaging to the psyche. That can either be because I am resentful of the time they are taking or because the drabness, ugliness, workmanship, or you name it, drag me down. Sometimes it is just the weight of having the item take up space in the house and making me feel guilty for not attending to it.
I think it is best to develop a good network of friends and find out what type of items they welcome. Also, find out what charities or work groups welcome what type of supplies. That way you are more likely to find a place that will get or make some good out of these items.