Donate With Care
“Dave and his staff are exceptional! I am now able to run again without any pain in my right hip. Thank you everyone.” –Jose R.
THE RIGHT WAY TO DONATE AFTER SPRING-CLEANING Spring is in the air, and it’s time to celebrate with another round of spring-cleaning. Banish the clutter and make room in your life for something new! Many charities see a sharp increase in donations as spring-cleaning season starts. Donating your used books, kids’ toys, and gently worn clothing allows your old items to have a second life. However, when filling that donation box, make sure you’re donating each item because it can do good and not just because you feel bad about throwing it away. Charities have a big problem with well-meaning citizens dropping off items that are better left in the trash. There are many items charities simply cannot handle. Most charities will have lists of items they can and cannot accept on their websites. Some items that you should not donate include:
• • • • • • • • •
Expired medications
Old TVs
Cribs
Loose remote controls
Personal care items, like soap, shampoo, or makeup
Mattresses
Carpets
Tangled cords or phone chargers Any broken, damaged, or dirty items
“My visits here were wonderful. The entire staff is so caring and friendly. My neck and back restricted me in activities that I enjoy, such as dancing. The treatments I have received and the exercises that I learned have allowed me to return to dancing without pain. Gary and Kim were extremely helpful. I was treated by Giana, who made each session fun and enjoyable. She is very knowledgeable.” –Maryann W.
These items may be unsafe to sell, costly to ship, or impossible to refurbish effectively. When a charity regularly receives items they cannot use, they have to spend hours of manpower sorting through things that end up in the trash anyway. This process can be expensive for organizations with already-strained resources. Some local charities spend over $1,000 a year on dumpster and trash removal fees for unusable donations. While charities will have no choice but to throw unusable donations in the trash, there are services you can use to make your spring-cleaning eco- friendly, even for items you can’t donate. For example, if you have torn or stained blue jeans, reach out to Blue Jeans Go Green. This program keeps denim out of landfills by turning it into insulation. And while Goodwill can’t take your batteries or old flip phone, you can check out Call2Recycle. org to learn how to safely recycle your e-waste.
Your donations can be a big help to local charities. Just don’t “donate” your garbage.
2 www.cornerstoneptnj.com
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