Why only new donations?

[magicfan]

I was just curious as to why I keep hearing (mostly on the radio) that "they" would like people to donate new clothes and supplies? I can understand wanting new undergarments, and of course, everyone would probably prefer new everything over used, but there are a lot of nice "used" clothes and shoes out there that can be donated to help the Katrina survivors. Even my church was asking for new items. I guess I don't understand. Even my kids will wear seconds that are in good condition.

 

[janette]

New clothes and supplies are easier to store & distribute, sizes are easy to find and they are already packaged. Everyone has a different opinion as to what used clothes are okay, someone else has to sort and try to get them ready to distribute. Think about having a garage sale and how much work it is to get the clothes sorted and ready for people to go through. Times that trouble but the several 1000 that would be donating and therein is the problem. Just hard to do the logistics.

If you can find somewhere that is taking the clothes directly to the people that need them they often are able to better handle donations of used goods.

 

[magicfan]

That makes sense. I'm sure there will be a time when anything is welcome and I would love to contribute.

 

[CarolA]

Having worked donations for Hurrican Andrew, I can tell you that they received WAY WAY too much JUNKE! People used this as a chance to clean out thier closets...sending moth eaten wools to S. Florida for example.

The relief effort was bogged down by big piles of unsorted clothes often shipped dirty and in NO shape to be worn... I have seen street poeople in better clothes...

 

[PatsGirl]

Yep,they are also requesting only "new" clothing here at Camp Edward. I've heard this is because so many people were dropping off clothes in garbage bags and the manpower to sort through these drops wasn't worth the time or effort in the end. I can certainly understand this. Maybe they should limit used clothing to winter coats and boots, that sort of thing so that it is limited but assures collection of the more costly items.

I hate to say it but everyone's idea of "slightly-worn" is different. While I'm not sure that we can clothe every evacuee in the "finest", they are hopefully not destined to wear stained clothing or clothes with holes, etc. Personally, I throw these types of clothing away and donate only decent-looking clothing to the Salvation Army on my regular fall/spring clean-outs. But, like I said, everyone's idea of "hand-me-downs" are different -- I've had friends give me clothes for my kids I wouldn't let them wear in my backyard .

Brenda

 

[JimMIA]

Having worked donations for Hurrican Andrew, I can tell you that they received WAY WAY too much JUNKE! People used this as a chance to clean out thier closets...sending moth eaten wools to S. Florida for example.

The relief effort was bogged down by big piles of unsorted clothes often shipped dirty and in NO shape to be worn... I have seen street poeople in better clothes...

I can personally verify that from Andrew. Not only way too much junk...too much stuff period. We got to the point that we just turned the trucks around and sent them back, no matter what was in them.

People mean well, and a lot of people prefer to give "things" because it's more personal to them, or whatever, but good old CASH is what works best.

From the donor end, you don't see the other end of the pipeline. Somebody has to receive all that stuff. Somebody has to inventory it. They have to have someplace to store it. They have to transport it to wherever they are going to distribute it. And then, they have the distribution problem itself. And...what do we do with the tons of stuff left over?

Unless you are collecting and sending items in response to a specific request, from a specific recipient (i.e. a particular shelter, church group, etc.) I would strongly recommend NOT sending material things.

Wanna really help? Send cash.

 

[Meezers]

I know anything my Mom donates to anyplace is clean and packed well.

I bet you anything though....some people are donating clothes that aren't even clean...yep...thinking new in this case is a good idea.

 

[TallyLassie]

I have heard that my local Goodwill has to pay a large amount of fees each month to dispose of goods that people donate in un-sellable condition. I heard that after the Tsumani winter clothes were donated for a tropical climate. I guess that they don't have the time or resources to deal with used items.

 

[Saphire]

I agree with what everyone else has said. I am surprised when we take donations of food for our food pantry how many people give expired goods. And 'used' clothing is often stained or in poor condition. Really, some people just clear out their closets and dump all their stuff at the shelters thinking "someone can use it". Then all those things have to be sorted by someone, because it simply is not all usable. Just because someone is poor and needy does not mean they have to eat expired food and wear undesirable clothing. I think new items are a good idea.

 

[HaleyB]

I work in my local clothes closet and can echo the replies- too much worthless junk comes in.

Today we set up a new clothes closet at my elementary school because we have 50-60 kids who will be here next week, plus their families. We put out an email and sent a letter home asking for donations (we can't take cash, so we were asking for stuff). We got a fair response as far as donations go, but there were exactly three of us who showed up to sort and set up. It took us the better part of the day. We ended up with three bags to dispose of, pure junk. One bag of things we didn't need at all (ok, guess what, these people do not need knick knacks right now). And we had another big pile of stuff to wash.

So donate cash if possible, well sorted and clean clothing if asked for, and time if you can. The Red Cross was over run by volenteers here in Austin but our local food pantry really needs help and the clothes closet (the main one for our area) really needs more help too.

 

[Michie]

I volunteer at a Hospice thrift store about once a month. You would not believe some of the stuff people drop off. Junk, junk, junk. Clothes that are ripped, stained. I don't find fault at all regarding the request for new things. Even though these people have lost everything, they still should be treated with dignity and pride.

 

[ducklite]

Just as an FYI, Dress For Success is working on figuring something out to help women get some business clothes to be able to interview and return to the workforce. I had inquired on this last week, and they just got back to me. Keep an eye on their web site for details. This is one case where "used" clothes will work--as the type of clothes they will accept and distribute are very specific, and very expensive to replace.

Anne

 

[froglady]

Just as an FYI, Dress For Success is working on figuring something out to help women get some business clothes to be able to interview and return to the workforce. I had inquired on this last week, and they just got back to me. Keep an eye on their web site for details. This is one case where "used" clothes will work--as the type of clothes they will accept and distribute are very specific, and very expensive to replace.

Anne

When I lost my 40 pounds, I donated some nice suits/blouses to them. Talbot's, Land's End, that sort of thing.

 

[CarolA]

Thanks for the info on Dress for Success. I am getting ready to have a closet cleaning party and I have some nice suits that I never wear... I am sure someone would like them for interviews etc...

 

[magicfan]

I understand now. That's a real shame that people donate unusable junk. And that other people have to waste time weeding through all the junk.
I was just thinking that there are a lot of people that have gently used things that are in very good condition, and it would help someone else out. I know that I have had to donate things that my kids only wore maybe once or twice, then outgrew them. Or, even new things that I have bought them that they never wore because it bugged them in some way. Or, things that others have bought us that we really have no use for, but are in perfect condition.

I did learn recently that Mervyns was giving people a 15% discount if they brought in used clothes to be donated to the Katrina victims. Maybe they are paying someone to weed through the things before it's donated. I hope that some of the stuff can be used.

 

[EpcotKilterFan]

Having worked donations for Hurrican Andrew, I can tell you that they received WAY WAY too much JUNKE! People used this as a chance to clean out thier closets...sending moth eaten wools to S. Florida for example.

The relief effort was bogged down by big piles of unsorted clothes often shipped dirty and in NO shape to be worn... I have seen street poeople in better clothes...

Ahhhh yes... the used prom dresses and fur coats in Miami in August. I remember the piles well.

We do not accept clothing for all of the reasons listed in this thread. The amount of labor it takes to go through used clothing is huge. People do clean out their closets. Last week we got a donation for the Hurricane, it consisted of centerpieces from an anniversary party and the favors to go with it along with vases and Easter decorations and all of them with the price tags still on them from the garage sale.

This is picture is from the tsunami, but I have seen similar scenes on other disasters

Debbie

 

[MrsPiglet]

I truly understand. If I lost everything, like they did I would want new things for my daughter. I would not want to pilfer thru old clothes to send my daughter to a new school. Or looking for a job I would not want rags like people donate.

I also agree with whoever said that about giving expired food to the poor. If I would not eat it I would not send it.

These people are Americans, not trash.

 

[Saphire]

Last week we got a donation for the Hurricane, it consisted of centerpieces from an anniversary party and the favors to go with it along with vases and Easter decorations and all of them with the price tags still on them from the garage sale.Debbie

Here is the thing. If you can't use it, someone else probably can (as in the business suits mentioned in previous post). If you don't want it, no one else will either. If people remembered this, then we could accept used donations. But unfortunately too many people give away their "don't want it" stuff.

 

[poohandwendy]

Why? Probably because they heard about my mother. My mother throws NOTHING away. Seriously. She 'donates' this junk to her children. There is not a time that my mom comes to my house without a bag of clothing, knick-knacks, samples, tupperware lids, cool whip containers...YOU NAME IT.

My mother once brought over a bag ("just thought you could look through this stuff and see if you or the kids could use any of it") that consisted of:

-A puke colored feathered-neck sweater (size- hugeungous- could fit my entire family)

-A butt-ugly plaid wool men's suit coat- probably a relic of the 1930's

-4 used (but clean) grannie-panties...does ANY self respecting and sexually active woman wear these?

-3 industrial strength bras (huge)- seriously, the underwires could be mistaken as part of the leaf-springs from a car

-A few dozen almost completely empty complementary hotel sample-sized toiletries (really, what am I going to do with a 1/8 oz of really cheap shampoo?)- including tons of 'shower caps' packaged in those cute little cardboard boxes.

-a square tupperware lid- warped and spaghetti sauce stained (but clean)

(the big mystery is WHERE on earth did she get this stuff, she would NEVER wear any of it)



Seriously, she means well...but come on! Throw your junk away.

***PS to any donation site workers- if you received stuff from my mom, my most sincere apologies. She really does think she is ''helping''...and she does donate money too***

 

[magicfan]

Why? Probably because they heard about my mother. My mother throws NOTHING away. Seriously. She 'donates' this junk to her children. There is not a time that my mom comes to my house without a bag of clothing, knick-knacks, samples, tupperware lids, cool whip containers...YOU NAME IT.

My mother once brought over a bag ("just thought you could look through this stuff and see if you or the kids could use any of it") that consisted of:

-A puke colored feathered-neck sweater (size- hugeungous- could fit my entire family)

-A butt-ugly plaid wool men's suit coat- probably a relic of the 1930's

-4 used (but clean) grannie-panties...does ANY self respecting and sexually active woman wear these?

-3 industrial strength bras (huge)- seriously, the underwires could be mistaken as part of the leaf-springs from a car

-A few dozen almost completely empty complementary hotel sample-sized toiletries (really, what am I going to do with a 1/8 oz of really cheap shampoo?)- including tons of 'shower caps' packaged in those cute little cardboard boxes.

-a square tupperware lid- warped and spaghetti sauce stained (but clean)

(the big mystery is WHERE on earth did she get this stuff, she would NEVER wear any of it)



Seriously, she means well...but come on! Throw your junk away.

***PS to any donation site workers- if you received stuff from my mom, my most sincere apologies. She really does think she is ''helping''...and she does donate money too***

Oh my!

Wow--maybe she thinks that one persons trash is another persons treasure!