PeaBee...what a great idea! My FIL passed away one month ago and just yesterday, my husband and I cleaned out his closet and dresser. We haven't done anything with his clothes yet, but were planning to call an organization to pick it up. Instead, I will bring it to a NH...thanks for the idea...be well, Mimi

PeaBee what a great idea, wish we did that in canada, however, we are not allowed to do that, weird isn't it? i have no idea why or whoever, made up this stupid rule! Also our homeless shelter will not allow you to drop off warm clothing for it's clients. that is why why i knit mitts and toques, hard to believe in an area or cold,cold weather they will not allow this! (you can tell you've struck a cord with me). perhaps the people who are on salary at these places at a starting wage of about 50 thousand, might like to see what it's like to be hungry, cold and homeless! afew years ago we left afew of al's parkas out on park benches and i remember what they looked like and then saw some poor soul wearing them, made me feel alot better! debbie

Pea Bee, Thanks for the reminder....Mom has gowns and house coats and other things that are just to big. A friend said that she would take them to the NH for me. It would give my Mom such joy to know that someone could enjoy her things. That has been on my to do list...will get that done tomorrow!!! God Bless. Nora

Debbie: they won't accept them in Canada?! How ridiculous it that??!!! I've noticed that some of the residents could use a few better clothes, and wondered if I could donate some that are just too large for Mom. I'll ask tomorrow...jeepers! How awful if they won't take them!
Oh, dear, leave it to me to start a march carrying placards and chanting slogans!!
Now this is something I need to get to the bottom of!!!
(I so hate it when I dangle my participles!;-(

I wonder what the reasoning behind Cananda's no-no? It just doesn't make sense. Our Homeless Shelters BEG for warm clothing and blankets. The homes that have a lot of indigent or Medicaid patients probably need washable things more than the Private Pay only homes. No hard to button or hard to iron things please!! Don't forget the underwear either, if it's in good shape. Don't offer shabby stuff.

I asked the nice young man who works at Haven House (run by the Sal. Army) for homeless teens (it is a home that houses 12 teens at a time) if i could donate brand new quilts that i made just so they would have something to take with them when they left. (He also told me how he works at the store and then donates his time on the weekends there, since they helped him turn his life around, some good news!) he said why would you want to do that they'll just wreck everything anyways, and they want cash donations -- kindof strange, i also told him how we were going to come into money and i wanted to donate something but i don't want the money going to wages or anything like that, his suggestion are you ready for this one, gift certificates in small amounts so that the clients can get toothpaste, shampoo, soap etc. well if i could i would box up al's stuff and send it to you!! enjoying the windy day here! debbie

That attitude just galls me! Money, indeed!!! Maybe because of so many news stories recently about donations to charities, but I'm sure getting cynical!
I also know of one dame who said some staff went thru donations to the Sally Ann and kept the "good stuff" for themselves and put out the rest!

What are we to do? Who are we to believe?

It's getting more difficult to be generous, for heaven's sake! I forgot to make any calls this morning...I'll get around to it later this week...still so busy!

Hugs
Lindi

Linda, i know, it does make you wonder, why money? they say hey can't take things because the of the high shipping charges and sizes might not be right so they can get exactly what is needed. but the battered woman's shelter here, takes any clothing, housewares and furniture, the food bank will take food or money, Saint Vincent society, anything, PACE - people who don't have alot will take anything, march of dimes, used wheelchairs etc., red cross - money, and if you want to donate winter knitted items, you have to use their pattern and make only the sizes they want. We also have alot of Native Canadian persons and they have alot of agencies and they are looking for and gratefully accept it. the value village -- who supposedly helps the diabetic association, picks us your unwanted things and diabetic association is paid something really stupid like 3 CENTS A POUND (they weigh the donations). so this is what it is like in my city (about 120,000 people), also we have about 6 or so privately owned seniors homes (they run about 2,000.00 a month) and about 6 city owned homes. very interesting post PeaBee i am enjoying finding out about how generous other cities are! debbie

PeaBee..you made a very good point concerning "shabby clothes" and not hard to button. As I mentioned earlier, we just went through my FIL's belongings this past weekend and he was one of those men who was always well dressed...not necessarily in expensive clothing, but everything was well taken care of. I have a feeling his slacks would need to be dry cleaned, so they may not want them, but he had loads of cardigan sweaters, and a drawer filled with socks and underwear that looked to be in perfect shape. And winter coats, gloves, hats and shoes. I am definitely calling medicaid NH's tomorrow...thanks again, what a great idea!! Mimi