Looking for handouts?

[tnmt]

It looks like an "angel" from the Dis helped her with some stuff for Christmas last year.

 

[kaseyC]

It looks like an "angel" from the Dis helped her with some stuff for Christmas last year.

That's the reason I suspect she started her threads on the BB... to get help from some new "angels" this year.

 

[tlbwriter]

A little off topic....this weekend, I cleaned out all the closets. As my in-laws love to spend $$$, my kids have many clothes, worn once, twice, not at all with tags. So, instead of taking to goodwill, I decide to call the women and children shelter. They will not take it. I explain that these are almost brand new, many with tags that can be used for Christmas gifts etc. They tell me no storage space.

Now, I am shocked. These families are in critical situations and they don't have a storage closet to give warm, clean clothes to them.......

In my community, agencies like the women's shelter can't keep large stores of clothing on hand either, so they have worked out a system with the local Goodwill and thrift/charity shops - they will refer families to these vendors and they get free clothes and toys. So at least around here, donating your items to Goodwill and the like still results in those families getting free clothing.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

I have never sent anyone money before but there is someone from another board that I have been posting with for years and I know things aren't always good with them $$ wise. I did one time buy her daughter new shoes but she didn't even come asking for on the board we had a anonymous section where you could just post what you were feeling and she posted she felt like a sucky mom becasue her daughter had been wearing shoes that had been to tight for a while but becasue of the many other things happening with them she didn't want to upset her mom. SO I read it and felt so sad and then posted if someone here neeeded something just ask I am sure someone has what she was asking for. BUT then I ended up buying her brand new ones she sounds like such a good kid she deserved them.

 

[snowywhite89]

In my community, agencies like the women's shelter can't keep large stores of clothing on hand either, so they have worked out a system with the local Goodwill and thrift/charity shops - they will refer families to these vendors and they get free clothes and toys. So at least around here, donating your items to Goodwill and the like still results in those families getting free clothing.

I know our local BWS will take decorations (Christmas ornaments), holiday specific items (candy for Easter or Halloween) and toiletries (hotel sizes preferred).

 

[tlbwriter]

WOW I saw it earlier but I didn't pay much attention. I know that our christmas is not going to be that great but I've already talked to the kids and they understand. You can talk to your kids about it and most will get it. They will all be getting one big gift and a few little ones and that is it! There is no need to try to go all out every year if you can't. I don't understand why some seem to think that if they don't or can't spend so much on each kid that ity is the end of the world?

Oh, but remember the 12 year old still believes in Santa and we can't let a lack of money ruin the magic...

 

[browneyes106]

A little off topic....this weekend, I cleaned out all the closets. As my in-laws love to spend $$$, my kids have many clothes, worn once, twice, not at all with tags. So, instead of taking to goodwill, I decide to call the women and children shelter. They will not take it. I explain that these are almost brand new, many with tags that can be used for Christmas gifts etc. They tell me no storage space.

Now, I am shocked. These families are in critical situations and they don't have a storage closet to give warm, clean clothes to them.......

This happened to me. When my DD was born to say we were excited is an understatement. We had 2 stores here shutting down and they had HUGE sales so I bought wayyy to much stuff. After her first birthday I went thru the closet and found many clothes, toys and other essentials she had never used. I called the domestic violence place where I live to donate them and they told me they could take no toys or the spare highchair, carseat, pack and play and items such as that due to recalls (i get that but these were never used) and for the clothing I could drive them 2 hours to the main office if I wanted to donate them. I couldnt beleive it. There were a ton of brandnew clothes the only place that would take my donations was the Childrens Hospital took ALL her stuffed animals that we had.

In my community, agencies like the women's shelter can't keep large stores of clothing on hand either, so they have worked out a system with the local Goodwill and thrift/charity shops - they will refer families to these vendors and they get free clothes and toys. So at least around here, donating your items to Goodwill and the like still results in those families getting free clothing.

I know some shelters that worked out a sytem with Goodwill like tlbwriter mentioned. There is a women's shelter that my aunt volunteers at and is on the advisory board. I have done some volunteer work at the place over the past five years. This shelter has their storage unit right behind their main building to store clothing and various items. Two years ago I had some clothes that I didn't need and told my aunt. She said the shelter's storage unit was filled up with clothes and they probably wouldn't be taking clothing items like pants and shirts for awhile. She said that sometimes families who leave their abusers often take clothes and other items with them so when they arrive at the shelter they don't have a need to get clothes from the donations unit. Other factors that happen with shelters is that sometimes families don't stay long and sometimes they opt to stay with relatives or friends so again some don't need to get clothing or other things from the donation unit. My aunt said that the families that end up spending six months to a year in the shelter are the usually the ones that tend to get clothing from the unit more than some of the families that spend 1 week to 2 months in the shelter.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Oh, but remember the 12 year old still believes in Santa and we can't let a lack of money ruin the magic...

That is the red flag that she is lying about her situation imo.

Anyway, when we had hard times we told the kids we are having hard times and then they got 1 or 2 gifts from us. Problem solved.

If I was in 6 figure debt, I would not even celebrate Christmas with gifts. I think that is disgusting personally.

 

[browneyes106]

Oh, but remember the 12 year old still believes in Santa and we can't let a lack of money ruin the magic...

I have hard time beliving that a 12 year old would still believe that. I was around 9 when I found receipts for gifts that I "asked" Santa for in my dad's den. I pretended to believe for a couple of more years. I think I was 11 when i told my parents that I knew Santa wasn't real. That Christmas I still got a present from Santa and it was replica necklace of one that grandma had. It was pretty fun when I saw the label but that was the last year I got a Santa gift. I have looked at the thread on the budget board and I think the woman definitely needs to explain the finance situation to the kids. My family struggled at times when I was growing up but my parents always explained that in life you aren't going to face some financial problems at least once and that sometimes you just deal with not being able to have certain things.

I also noticed that this poster made threads about how she couldn't shop on Black Friday or Cyber Monday and one poster who defended her said that maybe she was sad because she had to see threads about people talking about getting or looking for deals on various items. The budget board and many other online message boards are dedicated people trying to find the best deals for certain items. If I was in that woman's position I would avoid looking at those threads and try to find other ways to give the kids a Christmas in the best way.

 

[Donaldswife]

That is the red flag that she is lying about her situation imo.

Anyway, when we had hard times we told the kids we are having hard times and then they got 1 or 2 gifts from us. Problem solved.

If I was in 6 figure debt, I would not even celebrate Christmas with gifts. I think that is disgusting personally.

Well, she is not in 6 figure debt anymore, they declared bankruptcy! I don't normally go looking for the bad in people, but her shooting down EVERY suggestion as to why they can't help themselves just got to me! I grew up "working poor" and while I am not anymore you can be sure I would be working my tail off to have Christmas for my kids, just like my parents did. 14 & 15 year olds CAN get jobs, even if just babysitting. My parents didn't pay for my extracurriculars once I turned 15, I had to get a job and pay it myself. I'm lucky my life is not like that now, but I know if I got stuck in a similar situation I could get through it. She needs to quit posting on message boards and get a part time job like the rest of us to make Christmas happen for her kids.

Sorry, I have a friend who is like this and that kind of behavior and laziness just REALLY gets to me!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Well, she is not in 6 figure debt anymore, they declared bankruptcy! I don't normally go looking for the bad in people, but her shooting down EVERY suggestion as to why they can't help themselves just got to me! I grew up "working poor" and while I am not anymore you can be sure I would be working my tail off to have Christmas for my kids, just like my parents did. 14 & 15 year olds CAN get jobs, even if just babysitting. My parents didn't pay for my extracurriculars once I turned 15, I had to get a job and pay it myself. I'm lucky my life is not like that now, but I know if I got stuck in a similar situation I could get through it. She needs to quit posting on message boards and get a part time job like the rest of us to make Christmas happen for her kids.

Sorry, I have a friend who is like this and that kind of behavior and laziness just REALLY gets to me!

We did the same thing growing up except we were paying for food and electricity. My brothers were working the paper route at 8 and 9yos and we were babysitting.

Oh and why? Because my parents are like the ones in the post. They spend money until they are broke. In fact they are in their 70's now and are broke again.

SO yea, my sympathy meter is zero on that front.

 

[Tinkermommy]

In my community, agencies like the women's shelter can't keep large stores of clothing on hand either, so they have worked out a system with the local Goodwill and thrift/charity shops - they will refer families to these vendors and they get free clothes and toys. So at least around here, donating your items to Goodwill and the like still results in those families getting free clothing.

This is good info to know. It also seems to make sense from a resource perspective.

There is another charity I give all my old suits and nice work clothes to, it's called Dress for Success. They give career clothes and help to women reentering the workforce that have previously been on assistance.

 

[allison443]

That is the red flag that she is lying about her situation imo.

Anyway, when we had hard times we told the kids we are having hard times and then they got 1 or 2 gifts from us. Problem solved.

If I was in 6 figure debt, I would not even celebrate Christmas with gifts. I think that is disgusting personally.

Three of her kids are in high school and their school marching band has an upcoming spring trip to NYC that the mom wants them to attend...the trip is at least $550 each....she posted that her 16 year old stated that the NYC trip could be his Christmas and birthday gift...

it just seems like something is off with that because she also said the kids receive free lunch at school, and she couldn't afford $15 to replace a stained toilet seat, but her 16 year old thinks a $550 gift is possible?? A 16 year old would understand what his family is going through and would know that is not realistic.

That doesn't really go along with the dire straits she portrays.

 

[Donaldswife]

We did the same thing growing up except we were paying for food and electricity. My brothers were working the paper route at 8 and 9yos and we were babysitting.

Oh and why? Because my parents are like the ones in the post. They spend money until they are broke. In fact they are in their 70's now and are broke again.

SO yea, my sympathy meter is zero on that front.[/QUOTE

Your parents sound like my inlaws! I'm sorry you had to work to pay the bills, my parents both worked (sometimes two jobs each) to make sure bills were paid and Christmas was nice (not big, but I always had a few nice presents!) Now that I am older and can look back I see how much work they had to do and I am very appreciative! I'm like you though, they got themselves into the mess they will have to dig out. My sympathy meter is right there with yours! That poster sounds like the people in the show Downsized, I have no sympathy for them what-so-ever!

 

[C.Ann]

This thread has turned out to be extremely sad - and the other one has turned downright ugly.. If there was any "exposing" needed to be done, that's been accomplished..

I'll be backing away from both threads now..

 

[tiggger1]

Wasn't there a huge thread a couple years ago where many people sent things and later found out it was a big scam. I don't remember the details-maybe a house fire or something .

I have to agree with others, if you are really in need, posting on a Disney chat board is really not the best place to get help . I won't donate to anything like that.

yes, I was scammed here.. I as well as many others donated stuff to a woman who claimed she was looking for donations because her sister was pregnant with triplets and there was a fire. I didnt see that thread but at the same time she had started a baby swap and in her email it was niece pregnant with twins and the husband left her so she could get some stuff for her. She put her name is 3-4 times, wanted Pirates of the Carribean baby stuff ( was very specific) and but then sent her swap people crap ( I got used baby clothes all stained and gross) while all the stuff we sent her ended up on ebay. She claims it was a coincidence but I accidentally sent the wrong hat with the outfit which was in the picture on ebay! When I called her out on it, she sent me nasty emails threatening me and then we found out she was also asking for old refillable mugs for her disabled daughter's collection and all of those were on ebay also! She didnt stop threatening me until I had our lawyer send her a letter threatening taking her to court!

 

[Metsfan520]

The DISboards has been scammed many times. If I am donating, it will be local in my community or a charity that I am familiar with.

I am a cynic at heart so I just can't believe over the internet. Just how it is.

My thoughts exactly. I have no problem donating to someone but I don't give to strangers on the internet.

 

[Trixieplus2]

The budget board person seems to be begging again. I guess another AG doll needs to arrive this year.

Send me one too then those dolls are cute but way too expensive.

 

[Hannathy]

We did the same thing growing up except we were paying for food and electricity. My brothers were working the paper route at 8 and 9yos and we were babysitting.

Oh and why? Because my parents are like the ones in the post. They spend money until they are broke. In fact they are in their 70's now and are broke again.

SO yea, my sympathy meter is zero on that front.[/QUOTE

Your parents sound like my inlaws! I'm sorry you had to work to pay the bills, my parents both worked (sometimes two jobs each) to make sure bills were paid and Christmas was nice (not big, but I always had a few nice presents!) Now that I am older and can look back I see how much work they had to do and I am very appreciative! I'm like you though, they got themselves into the mess they will have to dig out. My sympathy meter is right there with yours! That poster sounds like the people in the show Downsized, I have no sympathy for them what-so-ever!

yeah my sympathy meter is with yours.

wonder if the person this post has become about has got rid of her DH's Mercedes yet?
always a nice touch when you are getting free lunches.

 

[snowywhite89]

Well, she is not in 6 figure debt anymore, they declared bankruptcy! I don't normally go looking for the bad in people, but her shooting down EVERY suggestion as to why they can't help themselves just got to me! I grew up "working poor" and while I am not anymore you can be sure I would be working my tail off to have Christmas for my kids, just like my parents did. 14 & 15 year olds CAN get jobs, even if just babysitting. My parents didn't pay for my extracurriculars once I turned 15, I had to get a job and pay it myself. I'm lucky my life is not like that now, but I know if I got stuck in a similar situation I could get through it. She needs to quit posting on message boards and get a part time job like the rest of us to make Christmas happen for her kids.

Sorry, I have a friend who is like this and that kind of behavior and laziness just REALLY gets to me!

BK is on hold until they can put the law suit they are expecting. The lawyer burst her bubble when she found out she had to do chapter 13 with an almost $3K repayment rather than the chapter 7 she wanted. She is waiting until she qualifies for chapter 7. If she keeps this up she will certain make it happen.