Clothing Donations

I have accumulated a lot of clothes and shoes to donate. Does anyone have a favorite place for clothing donations in the area?

Subject: Re: Clothing Donations

berit wrote: I have accumulated a lot of clothes and shoes to donate. Does anyone have a favorite place for clothing donations in the area?

I just dropped off some stuff today at the Goodwill at the corner of Livingston St and Bond, in downtown Brooklyn. It's the only charity place that is open on Sunday (that I know of), and so they get my goods by default.

i have a BP gas station right across the street
they have a clothing drop box

i would check around the neighborhood
like near the supermarket and gas stations

--for a clothes drop off box

if nobody in america wants the clothes
they'll get sent to like maylasia and stuff
noh?

Subject: Re: Clothing Donations

berit wrote: I have accumulated a lot of clothes and shoes to donate. Does anyone have a favorite place for clothing donations in the area?

If any are business-type clothes you might want to consider
http://www.dressforsuccess.org/

I happen to think it is a great organization and I can tell you nothing gives a person confidence as the right clothes to wear.

Dress for Success is a great organization - however, they often don't take my size (4-6) and are looking for plus sizes only.

St. Mary's Church will collect from your house, but I don't know anything else about their organization.

Subject: Flexi-- that is completely incorrect

DFS accepts all sizes-- please don't post erroneous information if you can help it.

Thanks!

Subject: DFS

Before you tell me I am posting erroneous information - I have called on 4 seperate occasions and have been told that they were only accepting plus-sized clothing as they had sufficient donations in my size.

So, I'll reiterate - they don't always take all sizes. I know this from experience.

They are a great organization and IF they are accepting your size(s), a good place to donate.

Subject: DFS

Oh, and "uhoh", please go back and read my post. I said they OFTEN don't take my sizes.

And I forgot the "Thanks!"

Subject: donating business clothes

I've also found that one and other similar organizations (like the ones who ask for prom dresses for low income girls) don't need the smaller size ladies clothes. They need bigger sizes. This is because they already have plenty of smaller sizes. This is typical of any charity or thrift store - they will tell you what they have enough of, and what they need more of when you contact them about donating. It's still worth calling them, though, and checking on what they need.

Subject: Re: donating business clothes

Young Cato wrote: I've also found that one and other similar organizations (like the ones who ask for prom dresses for low income girls) don't need the smaller size ladies clothes. They need bigger sizes. This is because they already have plenty of smaller sizes. This is typical of any charity or thrift store - they will tell you what they have enough of, and what they need more of when you contact them about donating. It's still worth calling them, though, and checking on what they need.

this makes a lot of sense, actually. definitely call ahead to someplace you're donating things to, esp if it's not a salvation army/goodwill type place (that re-distributes merchandise based on need). for instance, I can go to any thrift store in williamsburg and find tons of plus-size awesome (see the photo of the hideous (yet awesome) dress I was wearing at happy hour last week) thrift gear. but in a nabe like PH, CH or FG (or Harlem) - everything is a size 4 or 6. this is because the NEED is for plus-sizes and the availability isn't. I won't go into the ... reasoning here. it brings up a whole host of post-class issues. but the fact is - donate what you can.

if a place like dress for success won't take your clothing, give your stuff to a salvation army or goodwill - folks need this clothing - even if it isn't sold in NYC, hopefully someone who needs it will acquire it.

well, class issues aside (and i know they are there), an organization or store that wants lightly-worn or new stuff will tend towards small sizes in part because of the common habit of buying an outfit you plan to diet into.

sweet tea wrote: well, class issues aside (and i know they are there), an organization or store that wants lightly-worn or new stuff will tend towards small sizes in part because of the common habit of buying an outfit you plan to diet into.

no offense, but there's only crack-heads dieting from a size 22 to a size 4. fyi. that, in and of itself, is a very classist assumption. and I'm not trying to be a jerk - I'm just saying that a plus-size woman is not 'dieting' into a 'normal' size. ok?

alafairnadia wrote:
no offense, but there's only crack-heads dieting from a size 22 to a size 4. fyi. that, in and of itself, is a very classist assumption. and I'm not trying to be a jerk - I'm just saying that a plus-size woman is not 'dieting' into a 'normal' size. ok?

I think what happens is that lots of people will buy something that's a little too tight, thinking, "I'm planning to lose five pounds, and then this will be perfect." And then instead of losing five pounds, you actually gain five, and meanwhile, the cute little dress you bought sits in your closet mocking you until you finally give it away. Therefore, it makes some sense that thrift shops would have more unworn clothing in smaller sizes.

thanks rose -- that's what i was trying to say. not that the people getting suits from dress for success would ask for clothes that are too small, only that their donation pool might skew small because of the effect rose did a better job than i did of describing.

i by no means wear a 4, and i get frustrated when thrift shopping (and i really love vintage clothes and have really no money for them) that so much of the good stuff is small. a disproportionate amount of it still has tags attached, i also notice.

i really really did not mean to be ragging on plus-size women. just maybe a little roll of the eyes at a common habit of punishing ourselves for being the size we are by withholding clothes we like.

Subject: DFS

I buy clothes that fit me....now...not later. I've been happy with my size at a 2, a 4 and even a 10.

That said, poor women are often plus-size for a variety of reasons - so, there is an inbalance in sizes btw. donors and those in need.

I just got my knickers in a twist because I was NOT giving erroneous info. I'm over it now.