i've written before about volunteering at the clothing distribution center at our local food pantry and today, with the cold weather knocking at our door, i wanted to share a little bit more.
yesterday i had a mom looking for winter coats for her and her daughter and our supply of winter items has already dwindled down to very limited sizes and it broke my heart that we didn't have what she needed. she said they had planned on looking for coats over the weekend, but instead had to put their dog down and all of their extra money had been used towards that.
last week, another mom needed footed sleepers for her son. a specific size obviously, but she didn't care if they were in a little girl's print, as she just needed to keep him warm. she told me they couldn't afford to turn their heat on.
i'm sharing this just to raise awareness to what donating can actually do. it can change someone's day. or their life. i'm guessing most of you already donate to goodwill or maybe saint vincent de paul, but if you can, try to find a local shelter or a local food pantry {that has a clothing center} to take your items to. the families who utilize food pantries have a very limited income {or no income at all} and need your help year round and even more so if you live in a colder climate.
i know there are probably many opinions out there regarding donations or donation centers, so all i'm saying is your help is greatly needed.
if this post gets just a few of you to empty out your closets with things that you no longer wear, pants that don't fit, shoes that were never quite "you" in the first place, then i've done what i wanted to do. like a PSA, i'm just trying to educate and motivate.
now, in regards to what you donate. if the clothing and shoes or the coats/hats/mittens/gloves/scarves look like someone wore them in a bar fight {and lost} they aren't acceptable. we receive ripped/torn/stained items all of the time and throw them away. if what you're donating isn't something you'd wear, then someone else isn't going to wear them either. i hope i'm not sounding mean, since donating comes from the heart, but you really just can't imagine how horrible some of the things are that come into our center.
okay, i'm jumping down off my platform now and heading to the kitchen. a hot bowl of soup is calling my name.
ps...fall continues to amaze me this year for some reason, but slowly, she's packing her bags and i can't tell you how much she'll be missed.
I donate to Goodwill and St. Vincent's on a pretty regular basis. Volunteering at a shelter or similar would break my heart, but sometimes I feel a strong tug to do so. I admire you for doing what you do.
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, yes! Thank you for sharing this. Many of our "extras" could be someone's essentials.
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DeleteSorry for the deletions - which will probably end up in your email box anyway :-) Let me simplify what I was trying to say in this third attempt! This was a wonderful post and I thank you for the good work you do.
ReplyDeleteYep I'm a Goodwill/St. Vincent gal but the shelter sounds like a better solution. Thank you for the share sweet lady.
ReplyDeleteYep I'm a Goodwill/St. Vincent gal but the shelter sounds like a better solution. Thank you for the share sweet lady.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to imagine being a parent and having nothing to give your child when they need it. Great post and a very important message.
ReplyDeletedomestic abuse shelters are another option I favor <3
ReplyDeleteWe donate everything - I never throw out anything, unless, like you say, its in bad shape. Good Will, Salvation Army, our church, the library. Someplace, somewhere, will always take something. I always feel better when I do that too. I'd hate to throw anything away.
ReplyDeleteYou are so good to work in the place that gives out free clothing. We give nice clothes to several places and a check to a huge local church group, which has no overhead since everyone is a volunteer. They do Everything from helping with rent to giving clothes and gifts and Christmas trees. The stories you tell here make me want to give more! Bless your heart.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post, Beth. I've long donated to our food bank and as you mentioned, taken clothes to St. Vincents or Goodwill, but your point about the shelters is an excellent one and one to heed. I am in the process of starting "the purge" -- looking at all those things that don't fit (lots) or that I might not wear even if they did, but are in good shape. And yes, thanks for making the point about condition -- and clean. I remember reading the "Thrift Shop Saints" book and one of the points she made was how terrible or how dirty some things would arrive. I always hate doing the laundry but I just can't give them something I've worn without washing it. This is a splendid and excellent post -- thanks for putting it up.
ReplyDeleteThis comment will probably not be well received but there are a few things about donating that bother me.......one .....the things i donate i want to be donated to someone......in other words i don't want them to have to pay for it and some of these place charge crazy amounts for used items... i just want it to go to someone who needs it... two....i can totally see the employees of these places getting first 'dibs' on the items that come in. How do you know the items you donate actually get to the people that need them and not just greedy fingers....
ReplyDeleteThese things bother me , but it doesn't stop me from donating anyway. Anything is better than sending it to the dump.
The photos so wonderful and the words so true.
ReplyDeleteMy church has a program called Laundry Love.
Once a month we go to the laundromat and pay
for homeless to do their laundry. If we have canned
food we give that out. This past month I washed and cleaned
blankets that were still good, but we no longer wanted them
and donated those. If we just look at the surplus in our own
homes, there are things that can be used.
Bravo to you for all you do.
ReplyDeleteI'm a volunteer, donator type as well.
I can take your post one step further and recommend that rather than toss the "yucky" donations, find a way to donate them to someone who will take them and use them rather than have them end up in a landfill. I know there are places that take old clothes and fabric and reduce, reuse, recycle, up-cycle etc... I do believe Goodwill sends their rejects off somewhere. I looked it up for you and the first article I found was quite great!
Gave ideas of artists etc... to donate to. Read down to the bottom of the post for all the wonderful places that will use old fiber. Cool stuff!
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/rag-sorters-textile-recycling-187082
and again, thank you for being so generous in spirit Beth. You are as beautiful inside as you are out.
This breaks my heart. I donate all the time. Good stuff too! It makes me happy knowing it will good to a good home…but now I may look into a local shelter instead of Salvation Army… Thanks for posting always good to hear! xoxo
ReplyDeleteI've been trying to clear house. I've consigned some things b/c I need the money but I always give away pjs and especially the warm ones. I have sent some fairly stained things but I hate throwing them away b/c what if it could be used to keep someone warm or keep them from being naked. I never send anything not wearable at all, though. They place I take my things will sell them if their clients can't use and the money from the sales goes into the center.... It's a good thing.....
ReplyDeleteGreat that you bring this into the light Beth. You're doing a good job. Never ever do I trow something away, Always it ends up to the people who have less than us. Good job.
ReplyDeleteAnd hey fall is leaving you, do come over here, we still have plenty of it.
Hugs and keep warm. Dagmar
We have a bench outside at our library...little rural place. When I have clothing or food I put it on the bench with a little note saying take what you need and can use. Usually by the time I have my books checked out the things are gone by the time I get to my car....it makes me very happy. You are right....most people that really need things can't afford Goodwill even...This makes me think of another idea....sometimes I go to a garage sale and see really nice baby clothing that I have no need for but.....it so cheap and nice. I will buy it from now on to donate to the bench. It takes a village!
ReplyDeleteVery important words, Beth, I love when you get up on your platform and love all the beauty shared here.
ReplyDeleteWonderful reminders of how our simple giving can be so important for those who receive it.
ReplyDeleteIt is getting cold.
Fall is indeed packing her bags, and leaving behind a washed out kind of messy trail. Sighing...
Love to you, Beautiful ! Stay cozy !
Amen, sister. All of our outgrowns get donated to St. Vincent dePaul here in our town. There's a lot of heartache out there.
ReplyDeleteSista, you preach it because we all need to hear it over and over again....Thank you for taking your time to volunteer and then for reminding us to help others...I do donate on a regular basis but it still breaks my heart to know that a child needs a coat and doesn't have one....
ReplyDeleteKeep writing those reminders sweet Beth and regardless of how much we donate already it is always good to know how much it is needed. I love your writing for the Winter. Yes Autumn is starting to pack yet you captured her so soulfully xo
ReplyDeleteThis really is a good reminder Beth, thanks for that. I recently dropped off cloths at a local mission, run by the local catholic priest. What I saw was a dumpster like thing outside with a sign that said, "cloths", and it was so full, bursting at the seams. I went inside to a room packed full of cloths as people did whatever it is that they do with them,...it looked like a place where a hoarder lived. Obviously the system there is broke. Obviously the cloths aren't getting to the right people, or to anyone. Without thinking, I gave the girl my bags of cloths and left. I should have given mine to someone else...or stayed and helped them with their work. Thats something I'm going to think about...because of your post today.
ReplyDeleteOh Beth this has touched me deeply! I do donate lots of clothing but I need to make sure it is going to the right place. The volunteering you do is wonderful:)
ReplyDeleteI have to mention how much I adore these photos too....there is just something about nests...
As always your gorgeous images so wonderfully reflect the words in your post. Such true sentiments - and a good time of year to be Thankful for all that we have and remember others.
ReplyDeleteyou inspire, and touch the heartstrings of so many of us. Thank you Beth
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