1) Remember that everything changes and what works at one point may not in the future, but new opportunities present themselves.
2) Figure out what's most important to you (getting it out of your house, having it be used not landfilled, getting a tax write-off, supporting an organization you believe in, etc) -- because there will have to be compromises and you will need to know your bottom-line. I have prioritized each of these goals at different points with different donations.
Most organizations will NOT take cribs or car seats. Some go so far as to refuse to take strollers, changing tables and high chairs. If you have cribs or car seats, some churches are willing to take them for families in their congregations that need these items. Also some social service providers who are working with homeless families (or homeless transitioning to housing) will accept anything that helps the family feel a little more comfortable.
If you have stuffed animals or toys in good condition, the Department of Child and Family Services is always looking for things to give to children that they work with. They do need to be in good condition - no missing pieces, etc. If there are stuffed animals they ask you to clean them gently before donating them (brush them or run them thru the dryer - there are instructions at the SAFE website - www.StuffedAnimalsforEmergencies.org). You also have to drop the items off - they are on Euclid Avenue, and it has to be during working hours. They will give you a letter for taxes but you have to also give them a letter about your donation. You do feel good about donating, as these kids clearly can use this. Call 216-881-3590 to make arrangements.
If you have furniture, I would donate it to the Cleveland Furniture Bank. They will come pick up your donation, but it has to include furniture. They work with social service agencies to help families who need furniture and household stuff. If you are donating furniture and they are picking up the furniture, they will also pick up other household items and clothing. You can donate other items, but they won't pick up unless you have furniture. The items that are donated are used in 2 ways: 1) families in need get special vouchers to shop for things they need with their social worker; 2) donated items are sold at their store to help support the organization. They often have a long waiting list (2-4 weeks) before they are available to pick up a donation. They will not take cribs or car seats but will take some baby stuff. They will inspect your donation to make sure you are not trying to give them trash - but don't take it personally - people literally do that to them, so their drivers are trained to make sure that what they are picking up really is something that is useful. They will give you a letter for taxes. Again - I always feel good about donating here. You can also take stuff there, they are on Biddulph Rd. Their phone is: 216-459-2265 and they have a website (www.ClevelandFurnitureBank.org).
There are lots of places that will take donations if you drop them off - Goodwill and the American Cancer Society come to mind. I have dropped lots of stuff off at the Salvation Army and at Goodwill. There is a Goodwill at Shaker Square and another down on E.55. There is a Salvation Army on Euclid. I think these can all be great choices. They will all give you a letter for taxes.
If you want someone to pick up your donation, I would go with either Easter Seals or the Salvation Army. They both will pick up. With the Salvation Army your stuff is more likely to stay in NE Ohio. Easter Seals will sometimes sell donations in bulk to people who ship them overseas. But sometimes when you want it out you want it out, and that takes precedence. If you have either one pick up a donation, you need to pack it up as if you were moving - put breakables in packing stuff (tissue paper and bubble-wrap) and in a box. I made the mistake of not doing that, until I realized that the guys on the trucks treat the stuff as if they were movers - which makes sense - they are moving lots of stuff everyday - they have a lot to move and they don't have time to mess with fragile items that haven't been packed to move. Once things are broken, when they get to the main store, they just get thrown out. (I saw that happen when I dropped a donation off - a truck had come in with donations it picked up and some of the items had gotten broken and had to go straight to the trash, so I realized I needed to do it differently if I wanted to respect all the people working on this process). You can schedule Easter Seals donations online or by calling them. You have to call the Salvation Army 216-881-2625, (although they have a website you can't arrange donations through it).
If you have building supplies, like windows, doors, wood, tools, etc, then Habitat for Humanity will take them for either their resale shop or their buildings. Call them to see if they can use your materials: 216-429-3631 or email them at restore@clevelandrestore.org.
Magazines that are not horribly out of date are very useful at nursing homes - residents enjoy reading them and they can be used by the activities therapists - they especially like magazines with lots of pictures and briefer articles. Call your local nursing home. Menorah Park on the suburban East Side of Cleveland accepts magazines through their Womens and Mens Association 216-831-6500.
Hopefully these help the process of cutting the clutter out of your life. And remember it is better to reuse/recycle than contribute to the landfill!
No comments:
Post a Comment