Quick charity question.

[Woodchuck]

I know I rarely post here, but I have a question for the board. I have about 90 pairs of shoes, many in brand new condition, and I want to give about 40 or 50 pairs away to charity. I don't want to donate them to a place that will sell them and just keep the money. I want to give them to an organization that will do something for the homeless and those in need of help. Any suggestions?

 

[blastoff99]

Maybe someone from Atlanta can weigh in on your specific question, but here's some food for thought on your reason for wanting a specific type of charity:

Places like Goodwill don't 'sell them and just keep the money.' They have a huge level of organization that employs people down on their luck, lack of job skills or experience, recovering from various disasters, etc. They aren't just a 'selling stuff' place, they are do extensive job training with people who may be otherwise unemployable for different reasons. They also have associated programs to connect employers with people who have learned job skills in prison.

So yeah, you could make a dozen phone calls and find an organization that works with homeless people and can find 40 or 50 people who have your shoe size and could use the type of shoes you're giving away. This would be a whole lot of time and effort on the part of several people. Or you could find an organization such as Goodwill, and those shoes may help more people than you know. Someone has to price them, and stock them, and sweep the floor under the shelf, and ring them up for a customer who may be just a bargain-hunter, or who may be a young man on his way to a job interview who needs a great pair of shoes but couldn't otherwise afford them - until he found yours.

Cheers.

 

[Gorn]

You could call local shelters and ask what they would do with a bunch of shoes.

 

[shadowtippy]

We have a place here that takes donations and hires, mostly, learning disabled people that may not be employable in other jobs. I don't know how the profits are distributed, but some of it is for their employee pay. There may be something similar in your area.

 

[Mike N]

I know I rarely post here, but I have a question for the board. I have about 90 pairs of shoes, many in brand new condition, and I want to give about 40 or 50 pairs away to charity. I don't want to donate them to a place that will sell them and just keep the money. I want to give them to an organization that will do something for the homeless and those in need of help. Any suggestions?

Nice to see you, Woodchuck.

I would check with any local shelters or churches.

 

[MEKer]

RED CROSS for disaster relief. 90 pairs of shoes... How in the world did you accumulate so many?

 

[MJ5150]

Woodchuck! What's up brother? Any plans to write another book?

Here's what I'd do...package the shoes in recyclable bags along with a pair of socks each. I'd then hand them out to folks personally, even stopping at the shelters for battered women and their children.
I wouldn't focus solely on homeless folks though. Check outside your local Labor Ready, or similar business. I often find people there down and out that have taken a positive step to improve their lives.

This is a fine thing you are preparing to do. Thank you so much for caring about those less fortunate.

-Mike

 

[StudioStuntz]

...Here's what I'd do...package the shoes in recyclable bags along with a pair of socks each. I'd then hand them out to folks personally, even stopping at the shelters for battered women and their children.
I wouldn't focus solely on homeless folks though. Check outside your local Labor Ready, or similar business. I often find people there down and out that have taken a positive step to improve their lives....

+1

...I don't want to donate them to a place that will sell them and just keep the money....

Only one thing worse than that common occurrence is when some employees help themselves to some of them first, before they even hit the shelves.

 

[Woodchuck]

RED CROSS for disaster relief. 90 pairs of shoes... How in the world did you accumulate so many?

It happened over time.

 

[DirtDog]

Do you have a St Vincent De Paul in your town?

 

[buldog5151bass]

As far as handing them out, that's only good when you know their shoe size.I would reach out to local charities you respect and who deal with the homeless (church, homeless shelter, soup kitchen, etc.) and ask them. They are better at maximizing their use.

Don't look down on them selling them. Charities need money more than anything else. They have expenses, and know exactly what they need. They also can give you a receipt for a deduction. Then donate that tax savings to them - stretch your good deed even further.