Wednesday, August 5, 2009

So much for helping the needy

Last week I mentioned another 4-5 carloads of stuff I got to haul out. 99% of this was baby items, clothes (LOTS!), strollers, toys, carseats, etc. I set up a yard sale on Friday and Saturday and made a grand total of $40. Again, not worth the effort.

I decided to do something good with all of this, and started looking up phone numbers to shelters. Battered women, homeless, all of them.........and not a single one had a way to come get them, and the battered womens shelter only wanted NEW clothing in the packages. I tried explaining that this stuff all looked like new,and some even still had the tags on them. Nope, no can do. "We don't want used", "We can't pick them up", " Just bring them here" is what I got. I told them ALL that this was a 4x8 trailer stacked 3 feet tall FULL of things, and I had no way to get it there. We share one vehicle now and Lisa has it to work. Of course, after she gets off work at 5, all of their donation windows or areas are closed. How is someone that actually works supposed to get it there anyway?????


I didn't know what to expect, but this wasn't it. I don't expect these places to all have big box trucks to spend gas and time picking things up, but maybe a volunteer with a pickup truck. I didn't expect to me made to feel like a nuicance because I had no way of delivering them free stuff. The one homeless shelter in Akron is the size of a large high school, yet has no way of picking up donations. I'm angry, dissapointed, and pretty disgusted with the way these places work. If it weren't for the internet and Freecycle, this stuff would probably end up at the street for the garbage man. Apparantly it's only charity if I take it to you.

Freecycle has become just as dissapointing. I posted this all yesterday morning and got over 40 responses. I handed out my address like it was candy, and FIVE have shown up, FIVE. Some have asked what brands they were,(are you serious???) some asked me to sort out all the certain sizes, one asked if I could hang onto everything till the weekend, and one (sorry but I found this funny) asked if I could hold everything till after 5 when her husband got off work. Not because she didn't have a car, not because she was watching the kids, but because she couldn't leave the house with the house-arrest ankle bracelet on. WHY would you tell a stranger that???? Was it some ploy to make me feel sorry for her???? I have no idea, but found it rather humorous.

After this dealing, I'll probably drop out of Freecycle. The no-shows are a pain in the ass, and the constant questions are annoying. I don't want to sit here all day and sort this stuff and make arrangements in my schedule so it's convienent for you, just come get the stuff, it's FREE. Their wanted posts get more rediculous by the day, I have seen them for cars, big screen tv's, laptops, newer furniture, lawnmowers...all kinds of things. Maybe it's the area, I dunno, but all of this just gives me more reason to lose faith in people in general. People, groups, charities, all of them.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's the "entitlement" mentality. They want you to bring it to them on a silver platter and beg them to take it. They never heard of "Beggars can't be choosers". The illegals will take it all in a minute if they think they're stealing it.
YeOldFurt

Barb said...

The no-shows are a pain. It's FREE! Can't you at least come & get it when you say you will? I do end up getting some things I need though from it. Seem like after & give away a couple items, something comes up that I want. Keep the faith. There are good people out there :-)

Anonymous said...

I offered a buntiful grape hearvest to a womens's shelter if they would come and pick it from the vine. They have a bountiful crop of heafty woman always walking around and they could have put them to work. No one came even 'though they said they would. Next time I will give my extra harvest to The Little Sisters of the Poor. They are glad to have whatever you can donate.

Anonymous said...

"Vietnam vets" comes to you. The drawback is that "forever after" they call if they are going to be in your area and I think they sell their list to others. They usually call at dinner time for their next day. Ive soured on most all of the other organizations. Tho' the Salvation Army is still getting good ratings from the vets I know for what they do for servicemen.
Durn; if you were in the springfield twp I originally thought you were in you could use my old F250 anytime. Cinncy is a bit of a strech tho'.
Fabric as clothes seldom leaves my house; "She who must be obeyed" quilts allatime; shop rags, liquid filters; plant ties, waste oil soaked fire starters, paint dabbers; Tiki torches; levis cut and sewn at legs for tool pouches, slip covers for tractor seat; braided rugs; covers for mud buckets to collect rain water but keep pesky skeeters out. yada yada yada
c57 whaaa? apology if this double posts

Chris W said...

I know that Amvets will pick up, but they were a real hassle last time, like anon said, they called CONSTANTLY.

Salvation army did the last I checked, but I refuse to deal with them. A few years ago, I still had a massive collection of KISS memorabelia. I had always managed to find things at Goodwill, but never at the SA store. One day I was curious and asked, and was told that they throw away anything KISS!!! Why??? They still believe in that whole rediculous "kids in satans service" b.s. that went around in the 70's. It's actually policy to toss any of this stuff.
Of course, me being me, I told the girl "ummm, you DO know that they're JEWISH right??" (well at least 2 of them) I was told they had the origional meiko dolls IN THE BOX and tossed them in the dumpster. At the time, they were selling for $125 and up....EACH!

I refuse to deal with any organation that follows such a rediculous policy based on religion. It's insane, based on nothing but speculation and ignorance, and a waste of something that could easily be sold. I'd rather burn something than donate it to SA.

Anonymous said...

How about Good Will or Salvation Army. Good Will has trucks and will come pick stuff up - at least around here they will - might call and see. It is amazing that people or org. are so lazy...debbie

Anonymous said...

I've had similar experiences, but have had good luck with three groups: Purple Heart, National Lupus Foundation, and Vietnam Veterans.

Salvation Army can be very picky about what it takes.

Anonymous said...

Yep, Americans are a part of the entitlement generation. Even our poor and needy are stuck-up (no, not all). The Old Testament makes reference to farmers leaving behind the gleanings for the poor when they harvested their crops. Here's the catch... the poor had to go and pick it up themselves! Yes, the poor had to get up off their duff and work to get the free food. Today we have organization after organization, 501c3 corporations including churches who think they're doing a wonderful thing giving away free stuff to the poor in the end making the poor dependent on them while they collect gubmint grant dollars.
The Goodwill in my area has become basically an exclusive thrift store - their prices are way high.
Denise

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