Donating to the Homeless

Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum

Help Support Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

user 26

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 2, 2008
Messages
5,765
Reaction score
97
just thought i'd share. i replaced my mattress some months ago and someone said they wanted my old one but didn't take it. then one of my housemates bought a new box spring and mattress set from someplace that does not take away the old.
i said, this is getting crazy ... we have two big mattresses and a box spring (split) in the storage room. we could haul them down the stairs, get them into the truck and pay $15 per piece at the landfill but they are still usable, just not great.
i started searching online for local alternatives. the state coalition for the homeless will not take them but has a list of people who will privately ... it's because they can't guarantee against bb's and things - or i will be listing them on craig s list in the free section. they don't belong in a landfill.
but i found out all the many many things they will take - and scheduled a pickup for january. (they only have one truck for the whole state) we have some other random pieces of furniture to donate, pots and pans that have been replaced by shiny and new, random dishes, mugs, towels ... you name it. (i am starting to think i could fill a small truck with stuff)
so, like i said, i just thought i'd share. if you happen to receive Christmas gifts of new household items, small appliances and linens and are wondering what to do with the old ... you might have a homeless coalition that would love to take them.
 
we freecycle a lot - I refuse to landfil if I think it may be of use to someone
 
We've been doing this for years. We work with a halfway house. They will take the mattresses for their clients who are leaving for their own apartments. But, that's a private place, not state run.
They take all the linens as well. This year they'll get a bucket load of towels when we buy new.
Hardware items and building materials go to the Habitat ReStore. They have always got great deals, to, on all kinds of neat stuff like science classroom work benches!
 
When I'm in my "other city" I help out at a wonderful organization that helps the poor. So many heartbreaking stories.
I'm always asking friends and family for the things they don't not need any longer. Thanks to my DIL we have some of the best dress "poor kids"
They leave with their bags full and I leave with my heart full.
Please donate, you never know who you are helping!
 
I just did my "musical beds" with the Mission in exchange for the full-size bed, sheet sets, and pillows.
Thanks to a lady here in town, I have an extension for B & Bs For Vets if anyone thinks it is worthwhile. It got started too late for me to do much this year, but I plan to get into it big time for 2015. Backpacks for Homeless Vets. The local VA Hospital has a list of homeless Vets. Several in town, including one of the Churches, are putting together backpacks for them. I will be ordering supplies from the hotel suppliers to go into these backpacks and plan to make a few backpacks during the year. I can get fabric by the bolt and sew some of the sling packs.
Thoughts of how this would fly?
 
all great ideas! backpacks for homeless vets - that's an idea. there are so many homeless, especially vets, now more than ever it seems. very sad.
years ago there were 'junk men' who came through on trash day and took away so many things ... maybe to their store, maybe to where they lived. i still see people searching for deposit bottles.
where i live now there is no trash pickup, unless you pay a private service. there was a 'take it or leave it' at the transfer station where we bring our recycling and trash. they say it became problematic ... so it closed. we get postcards asking for various items that organizations will come and collect. i sometimes put things in those big colorful collection bins - some ask for clothes, some for books.
where my children live, they have big restrictions on what you can put out on the curb as 'free' ... one son got a $100 fine last fall for putting out a couch someone was supposed to come get and didn't. they connected on freecycle and the person bailed. so no more 'curb alert'. he had to have it hauled away asap or risk more fines. it's a challenge. you want things to go where people can use them.
 
all great ideas! backpacks for homeless vets - that's an idea. there are so many homeless, especially vets, now more than ever it seems. very sad.
years ago there were 'junk men' who came through on trash day and took away so many things ... maybe to their store, maybe to where they lived. i still see people searching for deposit bottles.
where i live now there is no trash pickup, unless you pay a private service. there was a 'take it or leave it' at the transfer station where we bring our recycling and trash. they say it became problematic ... so it closed. we get postcards asking for various items that organizations will come and collect. i sometimes put things in those big colorful collection bins - some ask for clothes, some for books.
where my children live, they have big restrictions on what you can put out on the curb as 'free' ... one son got a $100 fine last fall for putting out a couch someone was supposed to come get and didn't. they connected on freecycle and the person bailed. so no more 'curb alert'. he had to have it hauled away asap or risk more fines. it's a challenge. you want things to go where people can use them..
Be aware that some of those street bins are not being donated to anyone. They collect and resell those items. We know Goodwill and salvation army do that but the other bins imply they are giving things away.
It's the big yellow one l'm thinking about. Can't recall the name.
 
Back
Top