With reduced circumstances due to changes brought by Covid, recent interest rate rises and the spiralling cost of fuel, food and utilities, the need for charity donations has rocketed.
Dovetailing with this has been a shift in many people’s attitudes and priorities, which has seen them wanting to declutter their lives, emotionally and physically.
It’s been the case for me. Now that I’ve not been in an office environment for more than two years after the best part of 45 years of full-time work, I no longer have the need for most of the wardrobe full of clothes, shoes, and bags I used to prize. I still do prize them. I just don’t use them and someone else could benefit.
But the strange quandary has been that many others have come to the same conclusion. I can only speak for the general area in which I live, but local drop-off points for donations seem to have been inundated.
Offsetting this is that some have clearly used it as a way to offload unwanted goods that are not fit for re-use and have been disposed of carelessly. This causes a big drain on the charities involved – and effectively takes away from those in need.
I’m told it’s a popular saying in the industry: “If you wouldn’t give it to a mate, don’t donate.”
During the near four-month lockdown in most of NSW in 2021, as with all “non-essential” retail stores, op shops like those run by Vinnies, the Salvos and Red Cross were forced to close their doors. As a result, they were largely unable to take donations of goods.
There was a prominent sign on the street shopfront of the Vinnies in my Sydney neighbourhood that it was closed until Covid restrictions were lifted and so to please not leave donations outside. Their donation bins around in the side street were taped shut with the same request.
Nevertheless, every day I walked past there were mountains of goods dumped outside both the bins and the shop, mostly haphazard rubbish.
Much of it had originally been bagged up, but passers-by had opened them to pick through the contents and strewn the rest over the footpaths.
Alarmingly it continues, although the store is currently open (the donation bins have now been removed and the area fenced off, to deter further dumping).
During the seemingly endless days of virtual isolation, many – like me – obviously used the time to cull. But much of what I saw outside the local Vinnies no-one else in their right mind would want, either.
Apart from the fact trucks had to roll up several times a week to haul it all away and contribute to yet more landfill – at great expense to the charity organisation, according to the workers assigned to sorting it – some of the things I saw “donated” were an insult to basic human decency.
There were worn out and/or dirty clothes and shoes, damaged or downright dreadful accessories, towels and bed linen that hadn’t seen a washing machine in what looked like years, chipped crockery and ornaments, broken toys, “artwork” (much of it in damaged or no frames) that would be rejected as ornamentation for a rancid public toilet, old electrical goods – which op shops aren’t allowed to sell anyway by law – and boxes of books that had to be thrown out if it had rained. I even spotted soiled underwear and nappies.
Just because it’s “charity”, a person in need does not deserve things you wouldn’t inflict on your deadliest enemy. They need useful items in good condition and clean.
Nor do charities that are in more demand than ever deserve to have to spend money sorting and carting away rubbish; money that is desperately needed to help people.
It was also pointed out to Thrive by one charity that, if goods are also just dumped on the ground outside op shops or their bins, they are deemed contaminated – especially after rain – and would need to be thrown out anyway. More waste, on several levels.
Even though lockdowns have been lifted, demand for second-hand, recycled, upcycled, vintage – however you want to describe it – goods has never been greater. And the demand is predicted to escalate.
WHEN OPPORTUNITY DOESN’T KNOCK
For all the great bargains and finds that can be had at op shops, there are many people now who simply cannot afford to shop there, either.
They need basic life essentials – like food, bed linen and towels, and items such as vacuum cleaners, to tide then through.
Sydney woman Clementine (Clem) Hartson, helped by her mother, saw an opportunity to return the kindness she had once been shown though a difficult time in her life. In 2017, she established ProjectKindness.
“When I was working in a boarding house for adults with mental health issues I put a request out to the community for art to brighten up the house,” she recalls. “It resulted in so much positive feedback that I decided to set up a charity to share some kindness and make a small difference to people’s lives.
“In Year 10, I suffered from severe anxiety and promised myself at the time that I would give kindness back in some form one day, as I had so many wonderful people give it to me throughout this difficult period.”
ProjectKindness helps in a number of ways: from regular food deliveries to kindness packages for children, to stocking community pantries or upgrading people’s houses to make them homes.
It provides kindness and support to a number of people across the community.
It is not funded and relies on the community for donations. “We are a case-specific charity,” Clementine says, “so when we receive requests for items or support, we call on the community to assist with donations of specific items or food.”
Clem says that ProjectKindness has never been busier since Covid and recently put a callout on Facebook for good quality towels and bed linen, as well as a vacuum cleaner, for clients.
She is constricted by what she can take because of limited storage space, but one kind person offered her a lock-up for donated goods.
However, she still doesn’t have enough space to take things like larger items of furniture. Do you have any space you’re willing to donate to this cause?
Clem supports people within a 5-10km radius of Kensington [in Sydney’s eastern suburbs] because of limited resources but wants to widen that scope.
“One of my biggest dreams is to have a location where we keep all our donations and somewhere for individuals to come and sit down, have a cup of tea and some human connection,” she says.
“A lot of the people we support crave human connection, to be seen, loved, valued and heard. I am so passionate about this and believe that this is what life should be about.
“The community across all sectors – from businesses to individuals – has been and continues to be very generous with donations of goods, money and time.
“We would not be able to provide the service we do without the support we receive.
“We enlist the help of volunteers as required but prefer that we [Clementine and her mother] remain the interface with our clients.
“Some situations can be especially challenging, and we are very conscious of ensuring that our volunteers are comfortable when they are helping out.
“ProjectKindness sees many very challenging situations which make us sad but it is always hardest seeing children who have been through traumatic scenarios.
“The individuals we support so show much strength and resilience. They remind me why we do what we do.
“People are very welcome to contact us if they would like to assist. An easy way to volunteer is for people to gather non-perishable food for the community pantries and help with regular food deliveries.
NOT SURE WHAT OR HOW TO DONATE YOUR PRE-LOVED GOODS?
Website Smoothmoves – www.smoothmoves.com.au/blog-posts/donating-unwanted-items-in-australia/ ; 1300 122 007 – has an excellent guide to donating goods around Australia: from who is taking them, what kinds of items they are looking for and in what condition they are required.
“Not exactly everything can be given away willy-nilly,” Smoothmoves says. “It’s important to know what can and can’t be donated when giving away unwanted goods to a charity or not-for-profit organisation.
“While each organisation will have their own rules and guidelines, below is a good rule of thumb for what can and can’t be donated, along with a few maybes.
Items you can donate:
Men’s, women’s and children’s clothing and accessories
Homewares, including manchester
Children’s toys
Books, CDs, DVDs, Bluray discs, video games, vinyl records and cassette tapes.
Items in the maybe list:
Furniture
Electrical goods
White goods/ Appliances
Items you can’t donate:
Ripped, torn, soiled or stained clothing/footwear
Broken, ripped or stained furniture
Cracked or broken homewares
Stained bedding, including mattresses
Used beauty and hygiene products
Green waste
Household waste
Computers, printers and scanners
Broken or ruined white goods/appliances
Car parts
Weapons
Taxidermy animals
Medicine
