Where do you donate?

[vagabond2]

I was helping at the food bank today when this man came in.......turns out he had his power shut off for 3 months and his neighbor returned from out of town and found this out he is letting him use an extension cord ( about the length of a baseball field) to power his fridge, computer, and a light.... they won't take any money from this man to pay for his use.....

It makes me feel like what I do is so little but then as he carried away a bag of items I had donated it made me feel like I could make a difference in somebody's life.

[ShortyQ]

Originally Posted by julieduck

My first was 1 loaf of bread to a food bank. I don't have much stockpiled and this was a freebie from the grocery store. My second stop was the Hays County Womens Center. Kotex pads, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner.

That's fantastic--you're off to a great start! If everyone that could, donated just one loaf of bread to a food bank we'd sure be able to help a lot of people...

[xxNikkiJ23xx]

I share my awesome deals with friends and family. I donate to thrift stores as much as possible. My church took a big part in opening the Center of Hope for soon to be and mothers of young children. Im going to start looking into what kind of donactions they take.

[AlInAz]

We have donated items and gotten receipts from the following places:

Salvation Army
DD elementary school (used/very good condition books, as well as office supplies)
Habitat for Humanity resale store
local library (craft supplies, fabric, office supplies for children's room projects, books, magazines, movies for resale, new movies for circulation)
Rescue Mission (clothes, furniture, turkeys...)
Church (books for library, stuff for resale at annual flea market)
Big Brothers/Big Sisters resale store

We keep an itemized list of each donation with a notation as to condition, (that we attach to the receipt) then once a year my husband looks on-line for approximate values. When we remember, we take pictures to attach as well. Doesn't happen all the time. Every little bit helps. When I grow up to be a pro like the rest of you all, I will also donate HBA stuff too. (Baby steps!)

[julieduck]

Another smooth move. After dentist visit they give me a toothbrush, mini toothpaste, and dental floss. My DD needed a toothbrush but the toothpaste and floss I will donate.

[jojoshort]

I am still in the stocking-up stage, but periodically have donated food items to our very local food pantry. I also coordinate our local food drive for our post office.

Just a reminder to you all that the second Saturday in May (the one always right before Mother's Day) is the annual Letter Carrier Food Drive. This year it is Saturday, May 9. All across the nation, food is collected right at your mailbox for you letter carrier to pick up and it all goes to the local food banks all across the nation. Our local food bank tells me that toiletries are ALWAYS welcome...I imagine this year I'll have quite a stash for them! So spread the word--you should see public service announcements coming out early May. Put it on your calendar--Saturday, May 9

[ritawaterman]

My husband is the Director of the Jackson County Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry in Holton, Kansas. We are having a very hard time getting anywhere to donate to us. We need toiletries right now and stuff like that. But so many places i email just will not donate. We did get food from the stamp out hunger. So i donate any of my stuff there.

[Leanna]

Have you tried a food drive in one of your grocery stores or drugstores? That's a shame its been so hard to get donations.

[ritawaterman]

the grocery stores here will not help us at all. they will not let us even have a box for donations.

[Leanna]

Wow - that doesn't seem very charitable of them. Perhaps church/temple members or youth group could hold a drive?