Community Chat

[Plaid Pants2]

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@Oznell wrote:

When I was a volunteer at our church's "rummage rooms", my experience was very much like Wengirl42's.  We were able to route the appropriate items to the appropriate agency.  For example, If items like clothing were too torn or damaged, we sorted them and they were routed to a very grateful animal shelter always needing textiles and old blankets. Almost nothing was wasted.  

It was very cyclical-- sometimes we would get tons of donations, sometimes they seemed to trickle in.

The good thing is, since our church runs it, we can make announcesments during Sunday services about various needs.  Just before Christmas, it was announced that children's and teenaged clothing was especially needed.  The congregation, as well as the town, really are responsive and donations come rolling in.

Those who staff the store are allowed to purchase any of the items that come in, but of course ethically they must pay whatever a normal customer would.  

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That's only fair and right.

[Mz iMac]

Me & the Salvation Army are on a 1st name bases.  I moved 3 yrs ago & I am still downsizing.  

SA takes anything & everything.  What I love about them, is that I do not have to go to them.  They come to me! They also supply you w/the tax paperwork w/your name already filled in along w/your donation(s).

In my neck of the woods, the SA works alongside w/the RC especially when whole neighborhoods are burned out of their homes.  This occurs in rowhouse and/or garden type apt neighborhoods.

As for the employees taking the "good stuff," they would be fools not to.  There is more than enough to go around.

I am 3 1/2 yrs into a 5 yr downsize plan.  I am quite sure the SA employees took a lot of my stuff home.  They gonna be so sorry at the end of the 5th year.

[Mominohio]

Hi @house_cat

and Happy New Year.

I worked for Goodwill and Volunteers of America for about 18 years between the two, but I will admit I haven't worked there in about 17 years. I was in retail management, as well as production management and transportation services and client training.

My experience is that there are indeed a lot of things thrown away. 

First, people donate a lot of junk. Even the nicer things are given about a month on the sales floor then they have to go too. It is amazing how much does not sell, even in the busiest stores.

The clothing that doesn't sell is baled and sold by the pound. It is purchased by industry and shredded for packing material, or cut up for wiping rags, and some organizations buy it as well, for redistribution in third world countries. Some organizations will take the clothing from one of their stores that is saleable but doesn't sell in one location, and send it to others for a second chance before they bale it. They give it as much time as possible, usually a month on the sales floor.

When I worked for these agencies, metal, wood and glass that were substandard or didn't sell were simply put in the trash. I hear that many facilities are now recycling much of this, along with their cardboard. 

Different agencies do different things with their donations or the money made from them. I loved working for Goodwill, as the money made from the sale of the donations was used to train and employ people with barriers to employment. During my tenure that was mostly people with physical barriers and those with mental and emotional issues. We not only provided job training to work within the agency, but the main goal was to find outside employment and stay with them to maintain that employment. 

It was very rewarding to see the strides our clients made to become independent and contributing members of society. 

This can be a very high donation time of year in many locations, followed by heavy donations in the summer after garage sales. 

A good agency will take off season things, and store them for the season but I hear many are not doing that these days, instead putting it on the sales floor as donated. I feel that causes a lot of loss of good product and revenue, as most people aren't going looking for (or buying) winter coats in August, or Christmas decor in April. 

[Mominohio]

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@WenGirl42 wrote:

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@goldensrbest wrote:

What i have always wanted to know is do the people that work there ,take the things that are the nicest,best condition.

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Sometimes, sure, if it's their size or something they're looking for.  Perk of the job.  But they can't possibly take it all!

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I still have some connections to the two agencies I worked for, and most of them have instituted a 'no shopping' policy if you work there. At best, you can only shop on the sales floor (not from the backroom) and only on your day off. Some even prohibit employees from having their families come in and shop (like they call and tell family to come in and get things they see they want as they are stocked.).

Any business has some level of inside theft, but I think thrift stores are trying harder to combat this type of thing.

[SeaMaiden]

I am sure they receive a lot of junk along with all of the decent donations....it is THEiR CALL what they keep and what they dispose of. Once you drop it off as a donation why would you worry about what is done with it?  

[phoenixbrd]

I used to drive all my donations over to Goodwill....but for several years now, I've been donating to the Veterans of America.  I go online and pick a date that they will pick up and they leave a tax donation slip on the door.  You have a computer reference as to the items that were donated.  It couldn't be easier and it is going to a good cause...win/win.

[Snicks1]

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@phoenixbrd wrote:

I used to drive all my donations over to Goodwill....but for several years now, I've been donating to the Veterans of America.  I go online and pick a date that they will pick up and they leave a tax donation slip on the door.  You have a computer reference as to the items that were donated.  It couldn't be easier and it is going to a good cause...win/win.

I agree, very good cause. I tried it one time, and for some reason which I never learned the reason for, they didn't come to pick up. Since then, everything goes to the handicap place I mentioned earlier in this thread.

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[Snicks1]

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@Puzzle Piece wrote:

Lots of items are not re-sellable that are donated.  I volunteered in the past at the American Cancer Society Thrift Shop.  Some folks leave shredded clothing, one shoe, filthy clothing, etc.  We donated our unusable or un-saleable things to Good Will. 

Now, I must also mention that 'certain' managers and their buddies did take the finer items.  I've heard the same about the Good Will.  It's not the charity, it's the people. 

I'm sure there is lots donated that is not usable, I only donate usable items myself, in clean conditon. My town has a semi-annual spring and fall cleanup when you can put out anything and they will take it. That is where I dispose of unusable items. Once I donate or put out for the cleanup crew, I don't care what happens to it, from that point.

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[SunValley]

I know someone who worked at St Vincent's and she said the help had first dibs on items after they were priced. She had purchased Dooney and Coach bags for under $10. I know Goodwill actually sells nicer items on eBay. I took them some Polish pottery pieces, and the woman who took them said good pottery/china and newer working items were often sold that way. Tons of clothing is bundled and sold for rags or sent to the landfill.

[Noel7]

Goodwill has always been an important part of SF.  A lot of people here are very wealthy and donations and giving back is a big thing here.  Young people especially used to routinely buy good used and cleaned clothes there and now it's reached an art form.

There have been so many designer donations, there's now a special room, somewhat glamorized, for selling more expensive items of clothing, shoes and designer bags. 

Most of us know to routinely give clothes and household items to Goodwill in good condition, it's a community thing.