crossthreaded

I’ve been thinking about how to get more in-kind household donations for refugees. Small things like blankets, pillows, pots, pans, towels, etc. are huge when they are given to a family that has nothing.

The greatest thing about finding these kind of donations is that people don’t have to actually give money for a donation, or buy anything new. It’s just stuff people tend to have a lot of sitting around the house. So, are people with these things in their house the audience to appeal to? I can’t really see me getting too much out of a large store or chain. There’s a lot of protocol to follow with asking for donations from them, too.

I wonder if thrift stores that have excess stock would be willing to give up their inventory to refugees. They are often local, and it would be easier to make person-to-person contact with managers/owners.

I haven’t had much luck with the two churches that responded to my request for donations. I followed up with them before Christmas, and haven’t heard back much of anything. They agreed to help out where they could, but nothing was specific, really.

Craigslist didn’t elicit much response either. Freecycle has been my friend, especially as people are on there trying already to get rid of what they have. I don’t have to do much work in asking. When I have asked, though, Freecyclers have been really generous.

Do you have any ideas?

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