Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese REPORT:
4 Jan 2012
In the past year NSW's St Vincent de Paul Society was able to give more than $3 million in goods ranging from clothing to furniture, cutlery, CDs, books, crockery, blankets and linen directly to individuals and families in need.
"These goods were given at no cost to Vinnies and are in addition to the donated items we sold at Vinnies' stores across the state," says Yolanda Saiz, Communications Manager for the Society in NSW.
Yolanda emphasises the Society's gratitude for the generosity of Sydneysiders as well as others throughout the state and says it is this generosity that enables Vinnies to provide direct assistance to people who are doing it tough.
While Vinnies op shops are well-known for their bargains in fashion, menswear, shoes, china, trinkets and toys, what is less well-known is that many of the donations given to Vinnies rather than being put on shelves and sold to raise funds, instead go straight to men, women and children who need them most.
Whether given directly to those in need or sold through one of Vinnies many stores, donated items end up helping battlers struggling to make ends meet.
"All funds earned from the sales of donated items at your local Vinnies store are put towards programs to help those in need in the immediate area, while other donated items are given directly to those requiring assistance," Yolanda explains.
Despite the generosity of Sydneysiders and others throughout the state, some inconsiderate individuals regard charity bins and the pavements outside op shops such as a Vinnies store as a convenient dumpster for unwanted, unwashed and broken-down items.
This type of behaviour seems to occur over periods such as Christmas, Easter or long weekends when some households decide to have a spring clean. But rather than drive all the way to the local tip, they simply dump their trash into a charity bin or plonk it in an ugly pile outside a store run by Vinnies or another charity such as the Smith Family or the Salvos.
Sorting through this rubbish and then paying for the removal an estimated 550,000 kg of unwanted goods each month costs Vinnies a whopping $1.5 million each year.
While it is only a small minority that show such disregard for either the charity or for the people it is trying to help, Yolanda believes before donating, it is important people think about what they intend to give and how a particular item can assist and be used by someone in need.
"Whether the goods are for sale or given directly to those in need, it is essential they are in good condition," she says adding that although the items may no longer be wanted by someone, they should still be of good quality and able to be used.
Before donating, it's a good idea to check with your local Vinnies store on what items it accepts, she suggests. This can vary across the state and a quick phone call to find out what the store will or won't accept will save time not only for the donor but for those managing the store.
"It's also a good idea to drop off goods when the stores are open for business to prevent item left outside on the pavement overnight from being damaged by rain and weather," she says.
Clothing and goods left in garbage bags outside a store afterhours are also at risk of being looted by opportunistic passersby. So use the chutes or bins provided or wait until normal business hours to make your donation.
As a guide the items Vinnies welcomes are: Clean clothes, shoes and accessories, crockery, furniture, books in reasonable condition, CDs and tapes,DVDs in reasonable condition, clean toys, undamaged blankets and clean linen and pillows.
Items Vinnies does not accept include electrical goods and appliances (for obvious safety reasons), mattresses, bunk beds, sofa beds, king singles, baby items, swing sets, play equipment, push bikes, trampolines, clothes spoiled by chemicals, household garbage, water-damaged chipboard furniture, cracked or broken crockery.
http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2012/201214_1566.shtml
4 Jan 2012
Vinnies stores are great for bargains and
raise funds to help the needs
raise funds to help the needs
"These goods were given at no cost to Vinnies and are in addition to the donated items we sold at Vinnies' stores across the state," says Yolanda Saiz, Communications Manager for the Society in NSW.
Yolanda emphasises the Society's gratitude for the generosity of Sydneysiders as well as others throughout the state and says it is this generosity that enables Vinnies to provide direct assistance to people who are doing it tough.
While Vinnies op shops are well-known for their bargains in fashion, menswear, shoes, china, trinkets and toys, what is less well-known is that many of the donations given to Vinnies rather than being put on shelves and sold to raise funds, instead go straight to men, women and children who need them most.
Whether given directly to those in need or sold through one of Vinnies many stores, donated items end up helping battlers struggling to make ends meet.
Illegal Dumping at Charity Bins
Despite the generosity of Sydneysiders and others throughout the state, some inconsiderate individuals regard charity bins and the pavements outside op shops such as a Vinnies store as a convenient dumpster for unwanted, unwashed and broken-down items.
This type of behaviour seems to occur over periods such as Christmas, Easter or long weekends when some households decide to have a spring clean. But rather than drive all the way to the local tip, they simply dump their trash into a charity bin or plonk it in an ugly pile outside a store run by Vinnies or another charity such as the Smith Family or the Salvos.
Sorting through this rubbish and then paying for the removal an estimated 550,000 kg of unwanted goods each month costs Vinnies a whopping $1.5 million each year.
Too lazy to go to the tip, some Sydneysiders
use charity bins as dumpsters
use charity bins as dumpsters
"Whether the goods are for sale or given directly to those in need, it is essential they are in good condition," she says adding that although the items may no longer be wanted by someone, they should still be of good quality and able to be used.
Before donating, it's a good idea to check with your local Vinnies store on what items it accepts, she suggests. This can vary across the state and a quick phone call to find out what the store will or won't accept will save time not only for the donor but for those managing the store.
"It's also a good idea to drop off goods when the stores are open for business to prevent item left outside on the pavement overnight from being damaged by rain and weather," she says.
Vinnies helping children, families
and parents on the margins
and parents on the margins
As a guide the items Vinnies welcomes are: Clean clothes, shoes and accessories, crockery, furniture, books in reasonable condition, CDs and tapes,DVDs in reasonable condition, clean toys, undamaged blankets and clean linen and pillows.
Items Vinnies does not accept include electrical goods and appliances (for obvious safety reasons), mattresses, bunk beds, sofa beds, king singles, baby items, swing sets, play equipment, push bikes, trampolines, clothes spoiled by chemicals, household garbage, water-damaged chipboard furniture, cracked or broken crockery.
http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2012/201214_1566.shtml
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