I'm putting together a box to donate to a shelter

[Aerows]

People need shoes, they need work clothes and they can always use socks.

The poor can always use an old suit for one reason or another, and they certainly can use fresh underwear.

Just a thought.

[Aristus]

1. Perfect.

Thank you.

[Aerows]

14. I do the best I can to put together

a donation and to get the message out.

[WinkyDink]

2. I have my third big bag of boxed shoes (some never worn) ready to go.

[Aerows]

15. It's amazing how something can change someone's life

A pair of pants, a pair of shoes. All of it can help. If you have to many things, give them to people who have too little.

[SheilaT]

3. Good for you.

I help out at our local homeless shelter by cooking and serving meals periodically. I've learned to cook for large numbers, which has been an interesting experience.

[Aerows]

6. I don't have the time to do that

but I'll bet you now have kick ass skills at feeding a crowd. That kind of skill can be broadly applied and it is certainly worthwhile.

I'm growing a garden (which is probably why I don't have time - I love to cook). If people think it's humble to feed people, they should consider what the world it without food, people that feed them, and people that grow crops.

[SheilaT]

16. Lucky me that I do.

We all help out in whatever ways work for us.

[Texasgal]

4. My husband drives around town

daily for his job. He can be all over the city at any given time.

Once a week we make up ziplock bags. We put snacks like granola bars, peanut butter crackers, fruit chews etc. Along with travel size toothbrushes and toothpaste. I usually stick some travel size soaps and hand sanitizer and a large bottle of water in there too. Sometimes I'll add some oranges or apples if I happen to have them. Oh, and individual packets of advil or tylenol is also a big hit!

When he see's a homeless person on the street or at the corner he hands them a bag. It's a small thing we do, not much I admit ...but we do try to help in little ways.

Donations are the best! Good for you! You just made me realize that I need to clean out my closet!

[Aerows]

11. Bless you and your husband

There are so many people in need, and it is our duty as human beings to help them find their way again. They won't find it without clothes, toothbrushes, food and shelter. Sadly, many of them can't FIND shelter without cleaning themselves up. Anything that helps in that direction helps them.

[Texasgal]

19. Bless you Aerows!

It is are duty and obligation to do what we can!

We are blessed in so many ways with a roof over our heads and jobs! I think alot about the people we hand the bag out to and I wonder how horrible it would be to not be able to do simple things like brush our teeth or have a small snack when we are hungry. So many take it for granted. We are not rich... we are simply greatful.

Thank you for your post! I think I may start that closet clean tomorrow! You've reminded me!

[Aerows]

28. I have to wonder

how a person that far down on the ladder thinks they will ever get, if they want to clime it. They need a shot to do it, and food and a home, which most of us take for granted, is something they lack.

Beautiful human beings with brains and aptitude, but stunted because they are being starved, and reduced to servitude.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. What a good idea, my dear Aerows!

How do you go about finding a shelter to donate clothing to?

I have bunches of old clothes that I would love to give away, so that the homeless could have them for free.

But I have no idea how you find such shelters.

[Aerows]

9. I live in Mississippi

and we have missions and Episcopalian churches. I don't know what else to do in your community, maybe ask a Catholic church or an Episcopalian one? They tend to be the most oriented to helping the poverty stricken members of their community.

The Episcopal Church is non-judgmental and I assume the Catholic isn't either for helping people.

[SheilaT]

18. Presbyterians are good also.

I'm not at all conventionally religious, but I have some good friends who attend a local Presbyterian church, and it's through them that I do my work with the homeless.

[Aerows]

21. Good churches

are always concerned about the welfare of the people in their vicinity. I'm not conventionally religious either, but I have discovered that all religions are not created equal. Some of them actually care about the welfare of their parishioners more than their supposed "morality".

[CaliforniaPeggy]

24. Thank you, my dear Aerows...for your help!

[Aerows]

30. We are all in this together

and the more we understand this, the better we make it for all of us.

[CountAllVotes]

22. There are lots of places that will take old clothes, etc.

Try a battered women's shelter.

Try a no-kill animal rescue.

Try a local place that collects goods from people that have passed away and have heirs that wish to "make a donation" (for a tax write-off).

The Salvation Army used to take anything -- now they pick and choose so to hell w/them.

St. Anthony's in San Francisco used to take anything at all and were glad to get it. The items were given to homeless men for the most part best I can remember. Not sure what their status is today however.

Try contacting your local senior center and see if there is a place that could use things for older folks out there with very little to live on and certainly no new clothes to go with their poverty.

I hope these ideas help.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

23. They do, and I thank you...

[CountAllVotes]

25. A local no-kill shelter nearby runs three thrift stores

They have some good stuff in there too -- found a Made in the USA lamp for my living room for $12.95!

I wish you the best of luck!

Need is out there, its just getting what you have to donate to the right place.

You can also look for rummage sales. My local Church has one every year and it brings in quite a few $$$ best I know and they will come to your home and pick things up and that includes furniture and the like.

[Aerows]

29. Not passing judgment

but wondering which is your Church. I don't like bringing in interfaith arguments, but it is pretty plain that Southern Baptists, and Baptists in general are waiting for armageddon and everyone to die. Before you judge me, know that I was raised in that faith, and it scarred me for life.

Only by learning about other ways of worship did I realize that life didn't have to be the pits of hell because you danced, cooked, grew vegetables, or generally enjoyed life.

[CountAllVotes]

35. I am not a Baptist

and I do not belong to any specific church.

[llmart]

36. The Salvation Army charges way too much also.

They used to be a better organization, but now they charge more for some clothing than the store that donated it charged on their sales racks. I've been in several many times and I overhear some of the shoppers talking about how expensive they've become. They've forgotten that the people can barely afford food let alone $6 for a shirt.

[sweetapogee]

27. have a yard sale

and donate the cash to your local homeless shelter or food bank.

[Warpy]

7. I found a closet full of my dad's old suits

complete with the 1974 cleaner's tags on them. I did donate them, poor folks are invited to weddings and with people looking at the bride, no one will notice they're out of date a bit. They were all black or charcoal grey.

I kept his ties. Eventually, they'll either be patchwork or a rag rug. His casual clothing was donated to the rehab center/nursing home where he died.

Shorts and socks are great. Travel sizes of toothpaste, folding toothbrushes, Bandaids, deodorant, razors and shaving soap are also good, cleaning up always made me feel more human than anything else did.

Travel shampoo is good. Travel deodorant is good. This stuff is all small enough to be tucked into whatever they keep their belongings in without adding much to the weight.

The shelters can use soap, shampoo, towels, large cans of shaving foam.

Things like shoes need to be by gift certificate so they can try them on. They have to keep moving during the day so shoes that are too large or small will cause them a lot of problems.

Bottles of B-1 (Thiamine) are good to give the drinkers to delay the onset of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.

Ear plugs might be good, also, shelters are dormitory style, people next to each other in cots in a big room, and they can be noisy.

[Aerows]

17. All of that is helpful

because you can use it to groom yourself to get a job.

[Hekate]

8. Add toiletries

I've got a friend who collects hotel size/travel size shampoos from our friends for the local homeless shelter, as they are easily portable in a backpack.

We have a 6-pack of regular-size men's deodorant we got from Costco for Mr. H, and he doesn't care for how it feels on him. Rather than return the pack to Costco for a refund and watch them throw away the remaining unopened 5 (which they have to do), we are going to hand them off to our friend for the shelter.

[Aerows]

12. Great idea

I didn't think of that!

[SheilaT]

20. Whenever I stay in a hotel I save all the shampoo and soap from them.

I happen to prefer my own stuff, and I donate those to the shelter.

[Rex]

10. Just gave away a lot of slacks and shirts that no longer fit me.

No reason for them to sit in my closet year after year.

[Aerows]

13. You are a fantastic person, Rex

I hope I've never hidden the fact that I think so from you .

[Rex]

32. Well you are too Aerows, a very giving person.

But you know that I think that about you already. Giving is a very liberal mainstay.

[Boom Sound 416]

26. I like this one. Good mission.

http://www.dressforsuccess.org/whatwedo_pwgprogram.aspx

[Spitfire of ATJ]

31. I took a bunch of CLEAN blankets and throw rugs to the park.

[Tree-Hugger]

33. As one who benefits from charity

Thank you. My husband walks a lot for work and is always on his feet. He goes through socks and shoes like you wouldn't believe. We've had some donated to us and it's like gold to him.

Anyone else looking for ideas.....add in women's sanitary products - pads, tampons, and pantyliners. My understanding is those items are often overlooked.

[Piedras]

34. Jeans for the homeless

I recently took most of my old, ill fitting, clothes to our cities homeless day center.

The jeans I donated flew off the donation table in an instant. One man thanked me. He said most people in our area dress casually. Wearing jeans he, and others, fit in better and feel less conspicuous. He liked that jeans do not need to be washed as often.

I have more to give soon. Jackets, shirts, sweat shirts, socks. I may add some laundry and bath soap from Costco too. The day center has laundry machines and showers. Maybe I could take some disposable razors too.

It feels doubly good. To help people in need. And reduce the clutter in my home.