Donations of Stuff - Reposted

[CarolA]

I am copying a post I made on the CB. I read today that shelters near Atlanta are overwhelmed with STUFF when what they need is food/water/medicine. They still don't seem to be able to deal with stuff. Please keep that in mind as you donate..


EDITED 9/6. It appears some places are now ready to accept this type of "stuff" However, if you get the chance and are working with a group please help guide the "stuff" donations LOL! (See the Salvation Army post below... I stilll find it hard to believe that folks donate used undies. Mine hit the trash, they don't go to Goodwill!!! YUCK!!!)


" have read several posts today where folks want to donate toys, clothes, etc...

I know that DISers have huge hearts and their feelings are hurt when the agencies don't want this stuff so I am going to try and tell my story...

I was on the first plane into S. Florida after Andrew. We worked "admin" for a hosptial for a few days. Then we went to the West Palm Beach Fairgrounds and for two nights from 9 PM to 8 AM I sorted stuff that was arriving by the truckload to help victims...

The first night I just sorted. What we did was as the boxes came off the trucks we had a converer belt that we slid them on. Each of us had an area, baby food, water, canned goods, cleaning supplies, feminie supplies, diapers etc.. and we grabbed our assigned stuff out of the boxes and shipped the boxes on. You will notice that toys, clothes, home decor and furnishings were NOT on the above list. Basically we did MUST haves. You can survive without a toy but not without water or food.

What was left in the boxes after the above operation was shoved to a warehouse in the back. This had been going on for about a week at this point...

On my second night I was promoted... to "warehouse" supervisor.. OMG!!! Bascially we had piles and piles of stuff.. At that point all we were trying to do was try to sort thru it and "reclassify" it... TRASH (a very large pile), Babies, Kids, Men, Women... you get the picture....It was months away from being useable and was overwhelming...

TRASH was my personal favorite. Yes, these folks lost everything. No, that does not mean they wanted DIRTY, RATTY underwear, heavy wool coats, ski suits etc?? (Had some of these donators ever been to Florida???)

I am willing to BET real money that most of those clothes, toys etc were ruined before they got to the victims. We did not have the logistical staff to sort much less TRANSPORT that stuff. If you want to help send a gift card to Walmart....

Keep in mind that Andrew was in a much more concentrated area so they were able to "corral" the trucks of stuff before it just got dumped into the streets which were already littered. In the current mess I think setting up a centralized place like that will be next to impossible.

I hurt when I read how upset folks are at being turned down, but having seen it in action I promise that it's really quite necessary to try to limit anything but essentials at this stage.....

There will be time later for your church, youth group etc. to adopt families and "outfit" them. Hang onto your stuff and wait.... PLEASE

I am crying as I type this. This has brought back so many memories good and bad and the hopelessness is so hard to deal with ... I am just as frustated as all of you!!!
__________________

[goin2disneyagain]

The company I work for has boxes in the lobby of clothing donations from employees that are going to the evacuees in Atlanta so that means they will have even more. They are requesting that we also donate water and juice as well.

[bicker]

I hurt when I read how upset folks are at being turned down, but having seen it in action I promise that it's really quite necessary to try to limit anything but essentials at this stage.Great point -- thanks for sharing your story.

[seashoreCM]

How many evacuees could mobilize and sort "stuff" to make the "stuff" ready to send to other evacuees?

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

At our PTA meeting this morning our principal said the Salvation Army is asking that NO MORE USED CLOTHING be donated. They need NEW clothing with the tags still on, new socks, new underwear.

She said the Salvation Army is at this point bundling used clothing and selling it by the pound for rags. Very little is actually usable.

I know DISD is in need of uniforms - white polo shirts and navy blue shorts, pants, skorts, or capris. Our own students had already depleted the uniforms on hand at our school so I took DS's outgrown things (only those items that are uniform appropriate) in with me this morning.

I think we all want to help. I also think we need to be conscientious about our donations so that we are targeting the needs, not just cleaning out our closets.

[AuntieM03]

We have a local company that is taking a truck of donations. We did however donate new clothing and new children's books. We marked the boxes as new, and hopefully they will find there way. I would hope at some point they will be gone through and somebody will find use for the items. If not, ingnorance is bliss.

[Hillbeans]

I think people's hearts are in the right place, but even if you're poor, do you really want used underwear? A new bra at Wal Mart can cost as little as $2.50 - a pair of underwear may be as cheap as $.50 or $1.00 - I bought a bunch of them last Friday to send down to LA, so I know the prices.

I wouldn't want to wear used underwear, and I don't expect many other people would want the same.
Thanks for the reminder!

[zurgswife]

My church and local community are sending down tractor trailers of mainly food, diapers, water, baby food, and lowes/home depot gift cards. In addition there are other donations. We are supplying 5 shelters that have requested specific items. While Clothing is not at the top of there list they are still lising Clothing/shoes etc.

If you haven't donated yet and want to know your donations are directly going to those in need....please visit this website.

www.charityinaction.org

Hopefully the need will slow down soon. But I don't think soo..

[SuBeat]

At our PTA meeting this morning our principal said the Salvation Army is asking that NO MORE USED CLOTHING be donated. They need NEW clothing with the tags still on, new socks, new underwear.

She said the Salvation Army is at this point bundling used clothing and selling it by the pound for rags. Very little is actually usable.

I know DISD is in need of uniforms - white polo shirts and navy blue shorts, pants, skorts, or capris. Our own students had already depleted the uniforms on hand at our school so I took DS's outgrown things (only those items that are uniform appropriate) in with me this morning.

I think we all want to help. I also think we need to be conscientious about our donations so that we are targeting the needs, not just cleaning out our closets.

I spent most of Sunday afternoon and evening sorting used clothing donations at the Salvation Army camp just outside of our small town that is serving as a shelter for up to 500 people. After sorting, the clothing was loaded on trucks and taken to a location on the grounds where evacuees could look through it and take what they needed.

There were many nice, wearable items, but there were also many things that ended up in the "trash" pile. However, I was told that used underwear was to be left with the wearable items as some of those people had none and there hadn't been enough new underwear donated at that time. Personally, I think I would just do without under those circumstances, but I did what I was told to do.

I do think this was a special situation, primarily the members of the local community turning out to show their support in any way they could. While they were happy to take those donations at the time, they are no longer accepting them due to the overwhelming response.

[goin2disneyagain]

I think people's hearts are in the right place, but even if you're poor, do you really want used underwear? A new bra at Wal Mart can cost as little as $2.50 - a pair of underwear may be as cheap as $.50 or $1.00 - I bought a bunch of them last Friday to send down to LA, so I know the prices.

I wouldn't want to wear used underwear, and I don't expect many other people would want the same.
Thanks for the reminder!
Do people actual donate used underwear?? I'm sorry but that's just gross!! :crazy2: :faint:

[DMRick]

We just got an updated note from Huston TX from a sister Church:

Spring Branch Church of the Nazarene
1001 Campbell Rd.
Houston, Tx *77055

Here is an updated list of things needed in Houston:
Pop Tarts Single serve snacks
Granola bars
Fruit bars
Energy bars
Packaged crackers
Packaged cookies
Peanut Butter
Toilet Paper
Wipes
Baby Oragel
Infant Tylenol
Baby Shampoo
Afro American hair &skin care items
Batteries of all sizes
School Supplies
Medical Kits
Feminine Supplies
Diapers
Small activities for kids and adults
Word Puzzles
small games (board games &card games)
Etch a Sketch
Travel MagnaDoodle
Jacks
Playing Cards
Work Gloves &rubber gloves for workers

The people of Houston and surrounding communities have donated an
abundance of clothing, shoes, etc. The displaced people in Houston are
still in such temporary situations that they cannot take more clothing
items than they can carry with them... no place to put it. That will
come later when they are situated a little better.

The Houston Food Bank lists bottled water in plastic SINGLE serve
containers ONLY as their MOST URGENT NEED. This will be an ongoing need
for the duration of housing evacuees.