Pass It On ...
Wisely!
Get your donations,
expired consignments, and unsold merchandise to where they will
do some good.
Resalers just can't STAND to let perfectly-good things go to waste. Even when they aren't saleable,
there's still a lot of use left in so many things we come across.
But there's a problem. Our local charities have a limit on what they can handle, and there are things that simply cannot be passed on with enough efficiency by them.
So what do you do? Look for sources which need what you have to
give.
Yes, it's a little
more trouble than bundling everything up, but isn't our world worth it?
| The basics of
finding a worthwhile charity to redistribute items in a responsible and
agreeable manner:
Don't send merchandise to your competitors. You do not want anything that has been in your shop to be sold elsewhere. It will damage your reputation and your sales. (This point is examined more deeply in the Manual.) When dealing with charities, if you do not know them, look them up. Some ratings sites include Charity Navigator and Give.org (part of the Better Business Bureau). Do not burden your chosen charities. Handling and disposing of unusable items costs these folks time, effort and money. Make sure they want the specific items before you send them. Just like your shop, they can be overwhelmed with what is, basically, trash. You know it, they know it. Sometimes, things really are ready for the trash heap. Make sure you agree with the charity's mission and approach. No sense helping groups with whom you disagree. Many charities make a big to-do over the UNdesirability of "used" items, for example. |
What do YOU want to Pass On... Wisely?
Bridal gowns and accessories: If your town doesn't have a Making Memories event, it should. See Brides Against Breast Cancer. Heavenly Angels in Need transforms donated wedding and formal dresses into burial gowns and angel wraps for infants of families who do not have anything in which to bury their child. Donations can be mailed.
Books: Your local library probably has a Friends of the Library Book Store or Sale. Boys and Girls Clubs often have libraries, if you have suitable books. Check Adopt-a-Library for libraries further afield. By donating coloring books to local emergency rooms, you can make a difference to a frightened child (be a sport and include crayons).
Cell phones: Donate them to people who may need 911. To find a local group, check Phones for Seniors. Or mail them, postage-free, with this postal label, to Nat'l Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Clothing: Clothes that can be worn to work are always needed. Some web sites to steer you in the right direction: The Women's Alliance and Dress for Success. For mens' suits, see Career Gear. Mastectomy bras, swim wear, and other specialty clothing items are needed by breast cancer survivors who often cannot afford these costly items. Contact your local chapter of the American Cancer Society or the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation for information.
Electronic Goods: Got computers, printers, back-up drives, scanners, digital cameras, fax machines, photo copiers, and multi-media equipment? Try asking a teacher or principal at a local school. If possible, it's nice to send someone over to the school who can set it up.
Eyeglasses: Most Lions' Clubs collect glasses of any prescription for redistribution. New Eyes for the Needy does, as well.
Fixtures, equipment, and so on: Try FreeCycle, whose motto is "Changing the World one Gift at a Time". They utilize Yahoo Groups to swap within your community. Join, and post what you have to give away. Actually, FreeCycle allows most anything to be given away, not just furniture, appliances, and so on. A similar organization is FreeSharing. A great way to find an individual who needs just exactly what you have, and also, to look for something you might need. No selling, just gifting.
Furs: Personally, I think this is a little weird, but The Humane Society gives furs to animals.
Household Linens: Towels and sheets can be used by almost any homeless shelter. If they are more tattered, try the animal shelter, which always needs bedding material.
Prom dresses and accessories:
Princess
Project has their own and over two dozen other groups, including Glass
Slipper, listed, as well
as tips on starting your own prom dress giveaway. Another source: 
Inside
the Dream is an organization that helps prom-goers. They're in
Ontario, but on their site they have listings of sister organizations
throughout Canada and the US
Severely outdated
gowns can possibly be used or re-worked into theatrical costumes by your
local amateur theater groups.
Suitcases, duffel bags, backpacks: Check local foster care agencies. A nice suitcase for his or her possessions can give a foster child a little more pride and self-confidence.
Wire hangers: As resalers, we get a lot of these. If your local dry-cleaner won't take them, here's a conscious-raising and word-of-mouth idea for your clientele: Go to this excellent article on end-consumer uses for wire hangers, use it as a basis for a handout written by you (do NOT plagiarize!) that you can offer with "ask many wire hangers as you need" to your shoppers. More re-use ideas on Make Stuff Another alternative, if you're a resale shop, is to bundle them prettily with curling ribbon and your business card as a gift to buyers or an incentive to potential consignors.
| An alternative: Raise CASH for your charity. Have a Bag Sale, Dollar Rack, or "Name your price" event in your shop or borrowed space: So many charities need things we cannot supply to them: baby formula, rent money, cleaning supplies. Consider managing and manning a rummage sale with your (and your resale peers') unsaleables and donating the monetary proceeds to a local charity. Often, the charity can be counted on to help publicize the event and even provide manpower for transport, set-up, selling, and clean-up. You donate your merchandise, time, and talents, and your town wins. What could be better? TGtbT's Bag Sales, Dollar Sales, and BOGO Deals can help you raise the maximum amount from your cast-offs. |
What's my Ecological
Footprint? A thought-provoking interactive quiz...
Another interactive quiz, particularly handy to visit with your kids, is Measure
your Impact
How to Recycle Practically
Anything has a lot of info...like what to do with old carpeting
Ready to
get more involved?
Local programs who might
help you start a similar effort in your
community:
The League for People, in Maryland, has a program in place to turn furs into useful equipment. Read about their program.
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