December 3rd, 2008 · No Comments

The garage, basement, attic

Tools: There are three hammers in the tool box. You do not need three hammers, or five Phillips head screwdrivers of the same size. You do not need 16 wrenches. You know who does? Habitat for Humanity, the organization that builds homes for homeless people through the use of volunteers and donations. Let those hammers do something with their lives.

Sports equipment: Check out your local YMCA or recreation center; they may be grateful for that basketball or catcher’s mitt. Big Brothers, Big Sisters can help get that bike into the hands of a kid who doesn’t have one. And your local chapter of Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts might know of a perfect home for that twice-used sleeping bag.

Luggage: Foster kids often go from home to home with their belongings in nothing more than a large trash sack. Suitcases for Kids was started in one North Carolina town in 1995 by a 10-year-old girl named Aubyn Burnside. The effort spread through scouting networks, was featured on Oprah, and has grown to encompass all 50 states and nine foreign countries. The website gives direction on where you can donate suitcases in your community (Social Services, Child Welfare, Children’s Protective Services and Foster Care Agencies), as well as addresses and contacts for shipping.

Aquarium equipment: Look no farther than your local elementary, middle or high school’s science department. Aquariums can be cleaned up and used to house fish, lizards, hamsters, gerbils and other small creatures we won’t mention because they’re too creepy-crawly to think about. But the point is, the equipment will be well-used. If you don’t have kids in school, you can find one in your area online.

Books: Are you going to read them again? If not, see if your local library can use them. For children’s books, you can consider BooksFirst!, a nonprofit organization that redistributes books to schools and teachers that can use them (see picture).

Miscellany: The Vietnam Veterans of America will come pick up your used small furniture, clothing, baby items, books, toys, bikes, electronics equipment and kitchenware, among other things. They work nationwide; you arrange a pickup and they bring their truck and load up the items from the curb. They raise money to help veterans of the Vietnam War.

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