posted on September 29, 2005 08:30:13 PM
Yup, Inglewood Store on Vermont,,,,,they had NO idea what we even had to donate in my truck and a Woman came out yelling, we DON'T want it!!!!! but it's for the Katrina relief,,,,We don't Care ,we don't want it!!!!! We only want MONEY!!!!! It was Brand new bedding,,Mattreses and head boards,,,We began to ignore her YELLING! and began to pull out the stuff,She did act quite deranged,,,,then she YELLED, POLICE!!! O.k. O.k. Lady....sheeeesh,,,We took it all to the local dump...
posted on September 29, 2005 08:44:19 PM
Wow Jack. That's incredible!! I'm sure a local battered women's shelter or a rescue mission could have used that stuff. I've never had the local SA or Emergency Aid thrift store refuse a donation. Are you sure that was a Salvation Army volunteer or staff member? Sounds like a Goodwill spy infiltrated their system.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on September 29, 2005 08:58:10 PM
She was wearing a RED shirt,,,,she had a speech impediment,,,But POLICE,,,,Was Quite audiable,,,,she ment what she said,,,,,and she said it,,,,I only had so much time and GAS to drive around L.A. It's $60.00 Min to go to a DUMP in L.A. In O.C. it's $15.00 min....in other words if you want to dump a piece of paper it's $60.00!!!!!!!!!! insane!!!! I do not know L.A. like I know O.C. or I would have looked for other places. Now I know,,,,,,
posted on September 29, 2005 08:58:16 PM
Jack - try this number... 1-800-799-SAFE(7233).
That is a national domestic abuse hotline that has information regarding shelters. They should be able to direct you to a drop off point for a domestic abuse shelter in your area (see if you can get one for LA and one for OC and then you are covered in both areas in the future). They are generally small discreet commercial storefronts that wherehouse items like this. They either use them at the shelter directly or with household items and such, when a women is able to get out of the shelter they are sent there to pick up items for their new home. I have donated to these in two areas and they have always been extremely gracious and grateful to those that donate them.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~
An intelligent deaf-mute is better than an ignorant person who can speak.
[ edited by fenix03 on Sep 29, 2005 08:59 PM ]
posted on September 29, 2005 09:10:04 PM
fenix, I appreciate your efforts but I needed this load gone ASAP. For another load of stuff....things move fast around here, at least I,,,,do.....I will NOT go to those places again,,,,I'll just collect the amount from the swapmeeter that I KNOW how much dump fees are(plus),,,,,,I had NO idea it was Soooooooo expensive in L.A.....They KNEW,,,,,Once burnt,,,,twice shy,,,,
posted on September 29, 2005 09:25:00 PM
Jack...Many of these agencies have people with trucks that will come to your place and pick the items up. This is especially true of smaller agencies, and domestic violence shelters because, for obvious reasons, they don't want many people to know exactly where they are located.
Get connected with a few of them. Those receipts you get will let your tax preparer have a field day at tax time, which results in $$$$ in your pocket. And it also helps some very needy people.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on September 29, 2005 10:57:28 PM
The Salvation Army In Danville gives part of what they receive to other charities to sell. There is a charity called the Gathering Place that gets part of it.
**********************************
Two men sit behind bars,one sees mud the other sees stars.
posted on September 30, 2005 10:24:02 AM
When I was clearing an estate in California I was hard pressed to find a Goodwill or Salvation army that would take the stuff. Because of my limited window of time I had to haul away and dump a lot of stuff.
They are overwhelmed in some areas.
Some stuff goes in bins to be resold to dealers in Africa:
Here is an interesting site:
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/tshirttravels/index.html
posted on September 30, 2005 10:38:18 AM
I had a similar situation a few months ago. The Goodwill here has a drive-thru and I had a carload of good stuff. These were too bulky to sell on eBay, and maybe not worth the shipping it would cost a buyer, so I thought the local Goodwill would be happy to get it. There were some brand new household items, some used items, working microwave, etc.
The lady came out and starting picking through what they wanted. She said "we'll take this, but not this" turning down an almost brand new leather attachι case. I got infuriated. It was either all or nothing. I didn't plan on driving around all over town to see who wants what. Free is free, they shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.
So, I went to the Salvation Army. They were closed, but I left my donations out back where a bunch of other people left their donations. Some probably got stolen before they opened, but oh well. I understand they might be getting overwhelmed, but they should be a bit more diplomatic about refusing free things, especially when it's qulaity stuff. Maybe they get some people dropping off absolute garbage that belongs in the dump, so it ruins it for all of us. But, that's where I go now when I have things that would have otherwise gone to charity. I'm not going through that again.
posted on September 30, 2005 10:53:44 AM
I had the same exact thing happen a month ago. The woman at the back door yelled "we don't want it!!!" without even taking a second to look at the items in the back of the pickup. I don't get it. You'd think they would at least take a glance at the items...
posted on September 30, 2005 11:18:54 AM
Haha, a while ago I heard of some old widow who sold her husband's Lincoln Town Car after he passed away. Apparently there was several thousands of dollars stashed in the car, I believe the glove compartment. Not sure what the outcome was, but when she found out about it being there, quite the battle ensued over who owned the money. She said she sold the car, not the money and wanted it back. The people who bought the car claimed they bought it as-is with whatever came inside it.
posted on September 30, 2005 02:56:31 PM
one time I left a tv set on the curb and it is gone the same day.
Then I left an 8 ft long couch on the curb and thats gone within 2 hours.
-sig file -------
Eat grass,kick ass,never go belly up!
posted on September 30, 2005 03:15:53 PM
Had that IDIOT worker not walked out just when we pulled up EVERYONE in that Poor part of L.A. would have JUMPED right on that stuff and it would have ALL been GONE within minutes, I am POSITIVE of that.
So in other words if the Salvation Army don't want it NOBODY gets it! Seems to be their thinking. They know damn well regular people in those neighborhoods haul MUCH of the drop offs away before they EVER get to it, Especially Weekend and Night time drop offs....Must infuriate them that it gets taken by the poor before they can retrieve it and SELL it to them......
posted on September 30, 2005 04:25:28 PM
I'm a member of a yahoo group called Freecycle. This is a group that recycles just about anything that a group member doesn't want just to keep good used things out of the landfills. If you have lots of loads like this, it might be worth your while to join your local Freecycle group. I'm sure there's one in your area since they are all over the country now. Basically, as a member you would post an Offer to the group and interested folks would respond. You decide who gets it and then they come pick it up at your convenience. Do a google on freecycle.
posted on September 30, 2005 05:10:50 PM
As much crap as I've seen in the Salvation Army stores - I wonder why they are turning away the good stuff. I've had it happen to me too. Also if you call they may or may not allow a pickup 4 months down the road depending on what it is.
Now you walk in to one of those stores and see the junk that's in there - and you wonder what the heck's going on.
I gave up on them and Goodwill long ago. It's not worth the hassle. I also have heard from many folks that the managers are culling off the good stuff and taking it to sell on Ebay, etc...
Doesn't pay to be a good guy sometimes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Caroline
posted on September 30, 2005 05:39:28 PM
In my local Goodwill I find very good things it is in my hands before it reaches the shelf or floor. Then the junk sits for a long time until someone buys it.I have found alot of good valuable things to sell on Ebay
posted on September 30, 2005 06:33:02 PM
I volunteer 1 day a week at a place called "The Red Door" all funds except the rent for the building goes to Carolina Hospice,it's like a Goodwill or Salvation Army but we get a lot of upper class donations especially clothes (tommy,Liz,limited etc etc) antique furniture,nice knick knacks .We take everything that people donate even the stuff that should go to the dump.Anything deemed unsellable goes in to piles. Pile 1 is pure trash for the dump,Which we set by the tree outside for the trash man to pick up.Some of it still good stuff just the boss says it's not the type of stuff for us.I always save something every week lol...this week it was a wig for my mannie.Week before it was a oh so soft vintage pillow case 70's funky design.We have a few people that come and pick through it every Mon. and Thurs. And we let them take what they want for free. Figure less trash for the trash man to pick up .Pile 2 might have small stain that you can't really see it but still very wearable goes in the homeless shelter pile for a shelter in Sav. Ga. the guy that runs it comes and gets them...he said no one else in Beaufort will give him anything...it's just sad to think of how cheap Goodwill and Salvation Army are.They should take everything and put stuff out for free as some people can't even afford the prices they charge. I personally think the prices they charge are way to high . They want like 3.49 for shirt in our location. Thats not much cheaper than Walmart if you look at the sales rack. We charge a flat rate also like 3.00 for a shirt,pair of pants or skirt. Dresses 5.00 shoes 3.00. Every once in a while we'll get something that we ask more for but still really cheap for what it is. Then we have stuff a big brown paper bag sale for 6.00...or everything (clothes) a 1.00 a piece. Your not ever gonna see a sale at Goodwill or Salvation Army. They'd keep it till the cows came home or throw it away.
posted on September 30, 2005 06:38:30 PM
The woman that operates the ShopGoodwill.com site at our store works full time, and also has a booth in an antique mall. How can anyone fill a booth when they are working 6 days a week? Makes you wonder what's not showing up on the site or in the store.
posted on October 1, 2005 05:58:24 AM
Funny that we're talking about this. Yesterday I had a garbage full of good stuff (mostly nearly-new kitchen items) that were duplicates of what I had. So on the way home from work I stopped to drop it off. Was around 5:30 and I guess they close at 6:00. This was the Salvation Army, and an employee was walking out the back door (where donations get dropped off), she was going out to her car.
Now I see there's a new sign that says "no drop offs after 6:00 pm, please see an employee before dropping anything off" Ok, sure. I'm in a hurry to drop off some nice things for them. So now I have to go park my car, shut it off. Walk around to the front of the store. Try to find an employee to sift through what I've got and pick what they'd like. I don't think so. I tossed the bag onto the pile and got back into my car and took off - if I had to go through any more hassle, I'd be putting that bag at the end of my driveway on garbage day instead.
posted on October 1, 2005 06:35:18 AM
too many people use Salvation Army as the ultimate garbage can with tax deductible receipt and free pickup .
try PURPLE HEART in your area for small items.
We all think we have something worthwhile to donate,Salvation Army begs to differ,they used to pick up used desktop PC with 486 chip,now they want laptops.
-sig file -------
Eat grass,kick ass,never go belly up!
posted on October 1, 2005 07:54:15 AM
To be honest, the quality of merchandise in my local Salvation Army and Goodwill is mediocre to say the least. Nothing worthwhile for eBay resales, or even for me to use. Looks like the last of the garage sale leftovers. Anything decent is WAY overpriced. Used to be you could find some good stuff there, either to keep or resell.
posted on October 1, 2005 02:07:19 PM
Toasted - The Red Door sounds like a really well run charity shop - that's the way it should be done IMO. I wish they'd teach Goodwill and Salvation Army a thing or two!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Caroline
posted on October 2, 2005 07:17:49 AM
Believe it or not, the Salvation Army Thrift store in my area has SALES. What's brought in gets a colored tag. They rotate four colors and a certain tag color goes on sale for half price every day. They also have SR. discount day and a Students everything half off day! They have great designer clothing, glassware, electronics, furniture, etc! They never sort thtough anyones stuff and the drop off area works well. Drop your bags, fill out your own receipt and they sign it. This place works the way they all should!
posted on October 2, 2005 05:08:16 PM
We just got rid of 2 TVs and a VCR at the local indoor flea market. These TVs were taking up room in the living room. One could be easily fixed and the other one used for parts but the one fixable TV wasn't worth fixing for us (We'd already had another problem with it fixed last year). We just bought a new one a few weeks ago. And the VCR had been sitting up in our bedroom closet for a couple of years. More than likely just needed a good cleaning. Anyway we asked this vendor at the flea market if he wanted these items for free and of course he said yes. Now there's room in our living room again. Now I just need to get rid of the couches our cats have shredded. Of course those go to the dump because they're so bad. Cats are getting declawed before we get our new living room set.
posted on October 2, 2005 05:27:39 PM
Meowmix...Whenever we go out on Saturday mornings to hit the yard sales, it's not at all uncommon to see a sofa or other furniture in a driveway with a big "FREE" sign on it. Many seasonal out of work people come into town to look for bargains on clothing and other necessities. Your couches may be in better shape than what someone else has and they may be more than willing to take them. It's worth a try before you pay dump fees and gas costs for the round trip to the dump.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on October 3, 2005 05:23:00 PM
I feel your pain Meowmix - when my dogs were puppies, two of them ATE my leather couch. It was a chesterfield with buttons - they tried to dig out all the buttons then pulled out all the stuffing.
It went to the dump. We then bred the dogs when they were older because they owed us money. They are now paid in full.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Caroline
Caroline