i have four giant walmart bags, 2 huge shopping bags and 2 boxes of clothes. all of which don't fit or i just don't wear. i was contemplating donating them to the local ywca. does anyone know of a better place or are they about the same? maybe a place that donations go towards families of burned homes.

suggestions anyone?

if you want families of burned homes just walk around the fort handing shit out :/

Goodwill and the Salvation Army are both good places to donate, although I do not know what has gone on with the Salvation Army lately.

The last I heard (today), Salvation Army does not distribute the clothes to the needy, but sells them. Goodwill will distribute them to people who need them. However, that info came from a shelter director and not from Goodwill or SA themselves.

mafiaman wrote:Goodwill and the Salvation Army are both good places to donate, although I do not know what has gone on with the Salvation Army lately.

Salvation Army just opened their new thrift store a week or two ago. (The old store burned down earlier this year). So, i would imagine that they would be very appreciative of any donations.

If you are looking for a specific cause to donate to it might be a good idea to call the United Way's info. line. They would have more up to date info. on what charities are out there and where the donations go to, and be able to get you the contact info. for various places.

Or even start with the thread I posted earlier.

JaNell wrote:The last I heard (today), Salvation Army does not distribute the clothes to the needy, but sells them, and Goodwill will distribute them. However, that info came from a shelter director and not from Goodwill or SA themselves.

Salvation army will distribute, although they are MUCH stricter on who they give stuff away to. You usually need to have a valid voucher from a social worker to be able to get stuff from them. Even with that, you will typically get less given to you than from other charities.

Most of their items do go to their thrift store. However, the fact that they sell the items is not a bad thing. The money that they raise from the sales through their thrift store goes directly to the operating costs of their other programs such as their homeless shelter. i have worked in the past at a couple of shelter programs in the area, and trust me.... you can help alot more people with the money from selling the item than the one person that would get help from the item if you gave it away. i remember many times while working at a shelter having a basement and a separate storage facility filled with clothes that i couldn't fit any of my clients into, while at the same time having constant funding woes for things like food, transportation costs, and medical expenses for the clients. Would have been nice to have had a thrift store at that shelter as well so that we could get things for people that they actually needed.

This info was taken from this thead.

JaNell wrote:Oak Ridge

BATTERED WOMEN’S SUPPORT GROUP
Chris Scriver
1660 Oak Ridge Turnpike
Oak Ridge, TN 37830
PHONE: 482-9922, 482-0005 FAX: 482-8097

Call first for directions to drop off.


Knoxville

KENT C. WITHERS FAMILY CRISIS CENTER
Child and Family Services, Inc.
Kathy Hatfield, M.Ed.
901 E. Summit Hill Dr.
Knoxville, TN 37915
PHONE: 637-8000 (24 hour hotline), 800-445-6538 (toll free), 673-3066 (business phone)
EMAIL: cfsknox@child-family.org
WEB: http://www.child-family.org

NEED: xtra large women's, baby & children's, toiletries, soap, personal hygiene, underwear (new), bras, detergent.
No teenage male clothing; older boys are housed elsewhere.

Call first for directions to drop off.

~o~

Child & Family Tennessee Runaway Shelter
523-2689
12-18 males & females
LOW ON CLOTHING.
Need: toiletries, new underwear, seasonal (coats, hats, gloves).

Call first for directions to drop off.

thanks all

jenna wrote:

JaNell wrote:The last I heard (today), Salvation Army does not distribute the clothes to the needy, but sells them, and Goodwill will distribute them. However, that info came from a shelter director and not from Goodwill or SA themselves.

Salvation army will distribute, although they are MUCH stricter on who they give stuff away to. You usually need to have a valid voucher from a social worker to be able to get stuff from them. Even with that, you will typically get less given to you than from other charities.

Most of their items do go to their thrift store. However, the fact that they sell the items is not a bad thing. The money that they raise from the sales through their thrift store goes directly to the operating costs of their other programs such as their homeless shelter. i have worked in the past at a couple of shelter programs in the area, and trust me.... you can help alot more people with the money from selling the item than the one person that would get help from the item if you gave it away. i remember many times while working at a shelter having a basement and a separate storage facility filled with clothes that i couldn't fit any of my clients into, while at the same time having constant funding woes for things like food, transportation costs, and medical expenses for the clients. Would have been nice to have had a thrift store at that shelter as well so that we could get things for people that they actually needed.

Actually, I was adressing gwenhyfar's desire that the clothes go directly to those in need.

JaNell wrote: Actually, I was adressing gwenhyfar's desire that the clothes go directly to those in need.

And in doing so you posted information that was somewhere between poorly informed, over-generalized, and just plain wrong about a charity that helps a lot of people.

i was simply correcting that.

thanks for all the info, I have lots to donate as well! I guess I am not the only one who is a bit late on her spring cleaning. lol

jenna wrote:

JaNell wrote: Actually, I was adressing gwenhyfar's desire that the clothes go directly to those in need.

And in doing so you posted information that was somewhere between poorly informed, over-generalized, and just plain wrong about a charity that helps a lot of people.

i was simply correcting that.

Hence the wording...

"The last I heard (today), Salvation Army does not distribute the clothes to the needy, but sells them. Goodwill will distribute them to people who need them. However, that info came from a shelter director and not from Goodwill or SA themselves."

I don't see a need to be hostile, but, whatever.

I cant beleive this conversation is happening.

Mistress Eve(L) wrote:I cant beleive this conversation is happening.

Of course you can, look at who's involved.

Buttercup wrote:

Mistress Eve(L) wrote:I cant beleive this conversation is happening.

Of course you can, look at who's involved.

Yes, what a surprise that you showed up to contribute something positive.

It isn't a conversation, its a dilemma. Obviously simple, polite exchanges of information aren't possible.
It's sad really.

ms.tangledwebs wrote:thanks for all the info, I have lots to donate as well! I guess I am not the only one who is a bit late on her spring cleaning. lol

no no no, its a new year darling. technically, we are doing our spring cleaning early

TheSym wrote:Yes, what a surprise that you showed up to contribute something positive.

It isn't a conversation, its a dilemma. Obviously simple, polite exchanges of information aren't possible.
It's sad really.

Well, if I tried to contribute or do something positive, I'd be out of character! I only do positive things to make up for being such a bad evOl person remember?? And I haven't killed any kittens lately, so I gotta keep up the mean old Morgan act. Are there any special ed kids I can poke fun of?! Babies to pinch? Christmas's to steal??

I personally, never sensed any hostility, only a correction from someone knowledgeable about donation locales (she probaby has to redeem herself too), then someone claiming there was hostility.

And I do hope most all know that any attack I have made is simply a counter attack.

Buttercup wrote: Are there any special ed kids I can poke fun of?!

*raises hand*
You can make fun of me, I don't mind.

Buttercup wrote:Well, if I tried to contribute or do something positive, I'd be out of character! I only do positive things to make up for being such a bad evOl person remember?? And I haven't killed any kittens lately, so I gotta keep up the mean old Morgan act. Are there any special ed kids I can poke fun of?! Babies to pinch? Christmas's to steal??

Ah yes the tired "I'm so naughty but I'm so cute that you just can't help but to love me" little girl schtick. At some point in the past you must have gotten away with this kind of thing, but it doesn't wash with me and I it doesn't excuse your behavior.

I personally, never sensed any hostility, only a correction from someone knowledgeable about donation locales (she probaby has to redeem herself too), then someone claiming there was hostility.

And I do hope most all know that any attack I have made is simply a counter attack.

So we have a different take on this. No big surprise. I thought JaNell handled a not so gentle correction very calmly. There were no personal attacks involved until you came in and insinuated that she always starts this kind of thing. Well she didn't.

You Did.