My husband and I are doing some very late spring cleaning, and decided it was time to retire an Ikea dresser we'd bought a few years back. It's your basic six drawer dresser, solid wood on the front, particle board on the back. The drawers work and it's sturdy. We had painted it yellow. We took out the drawers to make it lighter coming down the stairs and loaded it in the truck. Maybe it's because the drawers were taken out, but when we got to Stamford Goodwill they said were unimpressed. The guy unloading donations said "Uhh...it's yellow." Yeah, and? "I don't know," the guy said, "it looks kinda dusty. You could use it for firewood."
I could live with this comment if we had not, ourselves, been using this exact piece of furniture in our home up until that afternoon.
Perhaps the correct response would have been to use it for firewood and let the toxic burning paint fumes punish us for our unacceptable donation, but we didn't. The problem was, it was perfectly fine. So, instead, we dusted it off, put the drawers back in and aimed for Norwalk. The Goodwill a few miles up the road welcomed it with open arms.
So, in this time of cutting back and making due, don't forget - some people will still tell you where to shove it.
(photo from where are the joneses, flickr.com)
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8 comments:
I'm not a fan of the Stamford Goodwill either. The Hope Chest thrift shop down the road (near gov't center) will gladly take your furniture and other castoffs! My father has had great luck donating items to the Vietnam Vets, who gladly picked up everything from his front porch.
HA! We stopped going to the Stamford Goodwill because getting in and out of their parking lot takes three hours.
First I've heard of bad experiences there - though I generally do a "drive-through" drop off; I pull in, open my trunk, take the stuff out and leave. Sometimes I take a tax form other times I don't. I guess I don't give anyone time to say anything to me (though they NEVER say "thanks.").
The Stamford Goodwill is a bit odd and they have reject stuff from us,too. They don't take toys, for instance.
I gave up on Goodwill many years ago. I prefer to donate items to the Salvation Army, Person to Person and Laurel House.
I'm so glad I found this blog; it has very useful information. Goodwill's parking lot sure is dicey to negotitate and park in. I donate there and buy my clergy suits there. Last time, it was 'ding city' for me in the parking lot! I was a Soldier at the S.A. in Stamford (I'll free up some good stories for you!) and my suggestion is to NOT give up donating items because recipients are rude or gruff. They've a crappy job. Try to donate items directly to persons, if at all possible. Get to know the good people in the various agencies for tips on this. Stamford is LOADED with wonderful, generous people who are not dissuaded by the little things. God Bless You, for doing and discussing this. Love, Rev. Barb Sexton of Dear Ones Healing Ministry...a non-income, non-profit entity.
Thank you for the kind comment - very glad to hear that you like the blog. I agree entirely, and although I was irked by my Goodwill trip, it has done nothing to deter my charitable giving there and elsewhere. Here's hoping that 2010 features a generous spirit and an economy in recovery for everyone.
I once saw a woman in Ridgeway parking lot with tire 'halves' lashed all around her bumpers with heavy line. I don't know if her husband did that to her car or if she did it herself (I doubt the latter)....But that might be a good idea the next time I have to park in one of Stamford's 'tight areas'. Crude but effective Love, Reverend Barb
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