I know it isn’t meant to work that way. It’s supposed to begin at home and spread out into the world, yes? Well, today it stayed home.
A few days ago, we had not one, but two of the little plastic packets containing charity collection sacks posted through our letterbox, on two separate occasions. Here’s the way it works. You sort out some old clothes, books, bric-a-brac, shoes, anything saleable (though some will only take clothes), and you fill the sack, tie it up at the top, and put it outside your gate on the designated day. It so happens that the designated day on both of these packets was today – Monday – as you can see in the picture below.
So OH and I spent some time sorting through our clothes and we found enough stuff to fill both of these sacks, and despite having an early appointment today, I made sure that they were out at the pavement in good time (before nine am, as requested).
Apart from that appointment, and the morning dog walk, I haven’t needed to go out again today, so it wasn’t until our evening dog walk that we went outside, just after nine pm, and noticed that neither of the sacks had been collected.
This annoys me. It annoys me because I actually have a very sore shoulder at the moment and can do without heaving sacks of clothing about, and it annoys me because it shows a very cavalier attitude to people you’re asking a favour from, and it also annoys me because next time a charity sack comes through the door, people are likely to decide not to bother because ‘they won’t get collected anyway’. Before you tell me I’m over-reacting on the basis of one bad experience, I have to tell you that this has happened on at least two previous occasions. On the first one, I rang the number on the bag, as invited by the text, to arrange collection, and the person on the other end said they’d get right on it, and guess what? They never rang back.
The two charities involved this time were two I like to support. One is Sense, which caters for deaf-blind people, and in fact it is to a Sense educational centre that I take the Princess as a PAT (therapy) dog. The other is for the Make A Wish Foundation – a charity for seriously ill children. The problem is that the collections are often left to a commercial company which sells the items and donates between 75% and 90% of the profits to the designated charities, and I’m guessing that if for some reason it doesn’t seem worthwhile one day, they just cut their losses and don’t come out. Or maybe they’re just disorganised, I don’t know.
Unfortunately, most people won’t even realise that it isn’t directly in the hands of the charity itself, but it’s the charity which will get the bad name.
That is really unfortunate. You’re right–those are two deserving charities.
Maybe you should let the charities know the people they’ve hired are giving them a bad name.
Ruth Hull Chatliens last blog post..That Which is Not Bread
I’ve had similar things happen. Now I ignore those bags that get distributed and I just take things directly to the Goodwill location (where I can also get a printed receipt).
Peace – D
RiverPoets last blog post..Reading in Espanol
Ruth & River made a excellent points suggestions.
meleah rebeccahs last blog post..Unanswered Prayers
We once put a fridge to be picked up by a charity place. They never did and we got a ticket from our suburb. We had to wheel back into the garage and then have them call us when they were going to be picking it up. I agree with the people above, sometimes the charities aren’t aware of what’s going on.
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Two things…one, I agree. It gives them a bad name when they don’t come back to pick things up, whether intentional or accidental, it makes it appear as if they don’t REALLY need your donations.
Secondly…if they went to all that trouble to deliver those bags…why not just swing through and pick them back up?
However, good for you and OH for taking the time to go through and find stuff TO donate! More people should do things like that!
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I have seen this happen as well, and you might want to contact the regional or corporate office of the charity in question, give them the name of the company that is responsible for the collections, and explain what is going on. The last thing a not-for-profit charity wants to hear is bad news, especially when you tell them you will no longer donate to them if this is the kind of service you can expect from their contractors. (Even if you don’t mean it.)
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Ruth – I know. *Sigh* I’m thinking also, I could save the stuff for the Air Ambulance people. They are also very deserving, and have never failed to collect.
RiverPoet – I do that sometimes. We do have charity shops around here, just different ones. Although I noticed yesterday that the one I favour (because it has a drop-off area at the bag and you can get right to the door) has closed up and gone.
Meleah – They did. See? I knew I could rely on you all!
Bee – Oh, that’s so much worse than not picking up a bag! You got fined!! I’m so sorry.
Angi – I actually like it when they drop bags off at the house because it saves me putting the stuff in the car and driving it to a shop. You can never park anyway.
Mr N – Yes, I’m thinking I might do that. I’d like to get this stuff to where it’s going. You see, I’m funny like that, once it’s in the bags, I consider it belongs to them. I’d feel bad about giving it to someone else and I have no idea where the nearest charity shop is for either of them!
Jay, out here we have “Good Samaritan” or “Smith Family” bins, huge containers where you can take unwanted clothes. On another point, it’s always a bug bear of mine as to who to point your charity towards and only recently I’ve given up on over the phone donations where 30% of the donation actually reaches the charity. Clearly they pay someone to drop off and pick up the bags . .you’re better off giving directly.
And incidentally my Labrador’s nickname is “Princess” due to the priviledged life she leads and I’ve often dreamed that when I retire I’d like to have PET dog . .she’d be perfect!
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Wow, that is very bad; here you go to all the trouble and for naught. They should be more respectful of your generosity.
I spent the weekend beginning “The Great Purge 0f 2008″ (ie. cleaning out the basement) of clothes, toys, bric a brac and other things I haven’t used in years.
I already have 10 sacks/boxes of stuff for Goodwill. They usually call each month, but I think I need to call them; I’m only 1/4 through the work and my garage is filled up with those and garbage.
But it feels so good once it’s done.
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Baino – Good thinking! There is a clothes bank at the supermarket car park. If I can’t get these people to collect their stuff, I’ll take it up there!
Maureen – Oh, yes, it does feel good! I still need to do more purging. I get tired halfway through, and then it gets left … I really need to get on with it though, and reclaim our spare room!
Freecycle. Maybe that’s the way to go.
We tried to donate stuff to the SPCA the other day – unfortunately they didn’t want it because they had enough stuff already and had no more space. What bugs me a lot are people that just “dump” stuff on the side of the road – sofas, matresses etc. I am not sure why they do, since they can phone many charities that will come and pick up the stuff for free.
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I love Freecycle, but if I can manage it I’d rather take things to the charity shops. I suspect that market traders or professional car booters hoover up things from Freecycle and then sell them. Luckily there are heaps of charity shops where I live.
I put stuff on Freecycle that charity shops wouldn’t be interested in, or won’t take, like electrical things: someone actually wanted our old brass light switches when we changed to more modern-looking ones. I also found someone who wanted the huge cardboard tube that our curtains came in, for Art or something!
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Not good! It’s hard work sorting through old clothes.
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See, that is why people just simply stop donating etc ….. and that is such a shame when we all have so much to give …
DBM – Yep, I hate that too. Fly tipping is illegal here and if they can find who did it, they’ll hit them with a heavy fine. Someone round here got fined just this week. Ha!
Lola – I know what you mean. I usually just put stuff on Freecycle that I can’t sensibly get rid of any other way, or I just want out of the way quickly. There are genuine people out there, though, and I’ll often respond to the ‘wants’.
Jenny – No kidding! I hate sorting through old clothes.
Moon – My point exactly. It’s a shame, indeed.
I have often packed sacks up and taken them to various charity shops, only to have each shop refuse them. I had to dispose of them all!
We did get one of these sacks just last week, and dutifully filled it up. It was picked up and I was very glad about that. I would have been inclined to not bother in future, had it not been.
Babs – beetles last blog post..What not to do in church!
unfortunate but it surely happens. I told a group after my yard sale itf it isn’t picked up -its gone – that may be crass but gas prices?? sandy
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Hi Jay,
That is an unfortunate situation, and like you said, the charity is the one that gets the bad name. If those who are organizing the “drive” can’t do their part, they should have never passed out the “bags” in the first place.
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I mean this is annoying. In the first lace you are trying to help and this is the kind of incompetence shown from the other end. River Poet put it well, go and donate it yourself at your own convenience.
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Babs – It’s hard to understand charity shops refusing donations, isn’t it? I guess they have space constraints, but even so, it feels insulting.
Sandy – Well done – yes, gas prices have a bearing on the matter, don’t they? I don’t want to drive into town especially to deliver to someone.
Barbara – My feelings exactly. Once the bags are delivered, there’s a commitment.
Scratch – Looks like I’m going to have to do it myself. Still no sign of collection!
Darn those people, they should come pick up whatever people are donating right away.
I have two bags sitting by the door now. thanks for the reminder to set up the call. They do come and get them..I use Vietnam Veterans of America.
The VA sells the clothing I give away. I would rather have them given away, but I like that they pick up and I don’t have to drop off. Lazy Princess.
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Valerie – Yes, I’m lazy too, but these days I have a good excuse. It’s much greener if someone comes for them if they already have a run to do, than if I get my own car out to drive several miles especially to take them to a drop-off point.
Ah well. If they don’t come for them soon, I shall assume they don’t want them. I guess it’s OK then to redistribute.