I actually left a few bags of clothes at the Salvation Army yesterday. (The location is closer than Goodwill for me.) And so did many others, as workers were continuously filling their trucks with donations. It seems everyone cleans out their closets and homes in anticipation of the New Year.
Philly.com has a story about the donations Goodwill receives that mentions many of the unlikely things found within bags and furniture:
Sometimes furniture and clothing contain unintended treasures, like hypodermic needles, guns, switchblades, bags of marijuana, nude Polaroid pictures, sex toys, and cash.
Did you ever wonder what happens to your donations? I mean the stuff goes to poor people in the area, right?
A team of about half a dozen processors sorts the junk, the gems, and everything in between: broken toys, antique collectibles, gaudy posters, classical paintings, Mummers' costumes, wedding gowns.
Most items are in good condition and get resold in the adjacent Goodwill thrift store, Schmidt said. Stained and torn clothes are put in a separate pile to be baled and sold to dealers who export them overseas.
Who knew that your donations may be sold overseas?
Unpopular Christmas gifts end up as donations as well. And the most common gift given to Goodwill?
At the Junior League Thrift Shop in Ardmore, which generates cash for local literacy and scholarship programs, the holiday season means a big influx of rejected gifts still sheathed in wrapping paper.
"Don't ever get anybody a picture frame," advised store manager Patricia Franks, whose unique vantage point makes her something of a social anthropologist. "We get at least 50 picture frames after Christmas. That must be the most unwanted gift."
You better note that for next Christmas....no picture frames, LOL.
What happens when someone brings in items that accidentally got mixed in with their donation?
Pennsauken's Goodwill also gets a Christmas windfall, but sometimes things are donated by accident. "They'll bring the wrong box in," assistant manager Ed Brynan said.
A few weeks ago, a man walked in and told sales associate Cline that his father had mistakenly donated $3,000 worth of designer shirts.
"It was [the son's] dry cleaning," Cline said. "He and I spent an hour climbing the mountain. We never found the bag. He was frantic, poor guy."
Are there people who donate other people's stuff? Surely that happens as well....
Weddings and nasty divorces can also be good news for charity organizations. Several years ago, a man dropped off a Jaguar car at the Pennsauken Goodwill, Brynan said. His marriage was breaking up and "he didn't want his wife to get it."
For those who are socially conscious, there are guidelines as to what to give and what to trash:
Guidelines for Giving
Before carting old stuff to a charity thrift store, ask yourself, "Would I give this to a friend?" If the answer is yes, says Goodwill Industries, there are only a few dos and don'ts:
Do wash or dry-clean clothing.
Do test electrical equipment and battery-operated items.
Do include all parts for children's games and toys.
Do call ahead to determine standards for donating computers and vehicles. Goodwill recommends removing all computer data to ensure privacy.
Don't leave items unattended outside a collection center.
Don't donate items that have been recalled or banned or that do not meet current safety standards.
Have you cleaned out your closets yet?