The Street Store

[1monster]

[Hulk]

1. Wow....

That's all. If that man's tears and gratitude were genuine, and not scripted somehow, the whole movement was well worth the time and energy spent. We need to do more. I have good shoes and clothing that I'd LOVE to give to the real needy, and not just to Good Will, which doesn't seem to really meet the needs of the homeless as I wish it would.

[japple]

2. The REAL needy? The truly needy? As opposed to the unreal needy?

Why do you care where your cast off goods go? Or do you not want a really poor, un-needy homeless person to receive your "donation." If you are so attached to your stuff that you really care about who gets it, then keep it. Put it in storage. You can even pay to keep it in a storage locker/mini-warehouse.

Personally, when I have things that I can no longer wear, I just give it to a homeless shelter or rescue mission. Why attach strings?

[1monster]

3. Goodwill does not have a good reputation for helping those in need...

I can understand the point of view of the poster to whom you replied. He or she wants to help make a positive difference for someone who needs it, not just enrich a 501c3 with a somewhat controversial rep.

[Hulk]

4. Maybe you need to do something else with your time.

Way to read your problem into my post. I give my discards to the Goodwill all the time. The point was it would seem like a better service to the needy to give directly TO THE NEEDY. Parcel my comment to fit your self-righteous posts, but spare me your insults. Did I say anything about "un-needy homeless"? Attached to my stuff? Feel good with your condescending remarks? Posts such as this really burn me. You don't seem to have any idea what I was saying, but read into it your own attitude.

Maybe you should just read and not bother posting if that's your practice. I'm retired and have had a couple garage sales to liquidate my excess and maybe make a few pretty desperately needed bucks. I'd much rather give to those that honestly need the goods, as opposed to some organization that sells it for profit, such as Goodwill does.

[japple]

5. I am sorry if my comments were offensive to you. That was not my intention. A majority of my

co-workers are very conservative church-goers who don't want poor people in their church; they constantly rail against the needy as though it is their own fault they are poor. They don't want to donate their stuff to our local crisis intervention center because it might not go to people who are "truly needy"--a term they use way too often. They don't want their good stuff worn by drunks and street people. Of course there are always the stories about the women who drive to the grocery store in Cadillacs/BMW's and pay for their steaks and other high-priced food items with food stamps. I have grown weary of hearing these stories and if I came across as self-righteous or condescending, I apologize.

[Hulk]

6. Apology accepted

I have to apologize as well, as it seems way too often on this site and others, when something is posted, others tend to read into the posts what isn't intended nor even evident in the initial post. I am super-sensitive to this, as I've been jumped on way too often when I post on different subjects.
With what you described, I can identify with the limits that some people put on those needing a helping hand. It's as if we have to really be screening the folks to be sure someone isn't "cheating" to get the scraps off the table. It frustrates the hell out of me, as it fits right into their myth that poor people are poor because they are lazy and content with their lot in life. Such rubbish.
My apologies back for responding. I think the person who posted after you did recognized my point well enough. I could have just left it there, but my impulse got the better of me...which it often does.

[japple]

7. Thank you for responding to

my apology. After I read your reply to my 1st post, I started feeling a little sick and ashamed of myself for jumping to conclusions. It's hard to remain calm and centered at DU sometimes and too easy to fall into a reactionary response mode. Here's hoping I won't let my fingers get ahead of my thoughts in the future.

Peace out!