ARE YOUR THRIFT STORE DONATIONS BEING THROWN AWAY?
Are you thinking about donating your kids’ old clothes or that slow cooker you haven’t used in months? Though donating your unwanted items is a great thing to do, amid the pandemic, many people have not considered the future of secondhand shopping and charity-based thrift stores like Goodwill. In 2018, Goodwill funded nearly $5.3 billion in charitable services, like educational assistance, job training, and work placements. But now, Goodwill and similar organizations are facing a unique problem: They are receiving too many donations. To prevent your items from ending up in a landfill, consider the following before you donate. Under the circumstances, this situation is understandable. Thanks to nationwide stay-at-home orders, many took advantage of their newfound spare time to spring-clean and subsequently donate unwanted items to charity. However, with the confusion about how long the COVID-19 virus can live on clothing, secondhand shoppers have been staying home, worried about the health risks of buying used goods. Famously, thrift stores still keep unsold goods out of landfills. Up to 75% of Goodwill’s merchandise, for example, isn’t sold in their stores. Instead, it’s sent to discount outlets and then into global markets. However, Mexican traders, who account for 30% of
business at thrift stores close to the U.S. southern border, and Kenya, the world’s largest buyer of unsold secondhand clothes, have stopped buying during the economic shutdown. Meanwhile, some good-intentioned Americans are leaving their goods outside thrift stores’ front doors, not realizing that without enough space to house the excess donations,
many of these thrift stores will have to pay disposal fees, costing the business potential revenue and sending your items into local landfills.
However, Goodwill still wants your donations! You just might have to hold on to your items for a little bit. Check to see if your local thrift stores are open for donations. Many recommend waiting until the influx slows down, but others have expanded their inventory storage and are ready to keep up. Just make sure to follow their guidelines on acceptable items because any broken or worn items only add to their costs. Happy donating!
HAVE A COLLEGE STUDENT? DON’T FORGET THESE IMPORTANT LEGAL FORMS!
No. 2: Medical Power of Attorney A medical power of attorney is very important. This means, in the scenario that your student is temporarily incapacitated, you will be the designated decision-maker about their treatment and medical decisions. If the patient does not have a designated medical agent, doctors will decide their care. The National Law Review expands on this best: “While this is not always a bad thing, a physician’s primary duty is to keep the patient alive. A health care provider might not pursue a risky or experimental course of treatment at the risk of exposure to liability.” No. 3: Statutory Durable Power of Attorney Having a medical power of attorney does not cover financial decisions. By being the statutory durable power of attorney for your college student, you will be authorized to help manage their bank accounts, pay bills, file taxes, apply for government benefits, and break off a lease. There is so much for college students to look forward to — that is why it is best to put these legal questions to rest before the college experience begins. Best of all, Hegwood Law Group has made it quick and easy to do! Call us for an added peace of mind about your child's legal protection before they set off into their next adventure. To you and yours, we hope you have a great school year!
When your kids are being sent off to college (whether digitally or in-person), there are a few congratulatory gifts you should not forget: HIPPA forms, medical power of attorney, and statutory durable power of attorney. It may be the least exciting thing your kid could ask for! However, it is all part of what we at Hegwood Law Group call the “college plan.” Especially if your child is moving out of state, being over 18 brings some legal questions that are best answered and put out of the way before they start the next chapter of their lives. No. 1: HIPAA Form If your child is ever injured and hospitalized, you would want the ability to call the hospital and receive information over the phone — however, if your child had not filled out a HIPAA form beforehand, you would not be authorized to know what’s going on. A HIPAA form allows patients to designate family members, friends, and others who may be updated on their medical information during treatment.
2 HEGWOOD LAW GROUP
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