Charity My Foot!

[swooner]

Just had an opportunity to donate used furniture to charity to hopefully end up in a home where it would be appreciated. Hard to do that as most of the "charities" now take what they pick up from you and deliver it to their stores or thrift Shops for resale. Accordingly they will not take any used furniture which is not in perfect condition. Just had to throw out three pieces of very usable furniture that many not so well off families would have been delighted to have because I couldn't find a "charity" who would take them. What a sad commentary!

[rjn5656]

Florida Youth Ranch in Ocala would be happy to take it.

[graciegirl]

Just had an opportunity to donate used furniture to charity to hopefully end up in a home where it would be appreciated. Hard to do that as most of the "charities" now take what they pick up from you and deliver it to their stores or thrift Shops for resale. Accordingly they will not take any used furniture which is not in perfect condition. Just had to throw out three pieces of very usable furniture that many not so well off families would have been delighted to have because I couldn't find a "charity" who would take them. What a sad commentary!

You know, perhaps you might have called Bargains and Treasures. They take furniture in good condition and sell it for you. You could then use the money for anything you like including charity.

[Bigben007]

I ran into the same thing. I thought I was donating a very good, barely used, couch to a charity, when they came to pick up the couch I found out it was a resale store. I hope they gave some of the sale of the couch to a charity.

[EdFNJ]

Or Habitat for Humanity. Besides, sometimes charities do resell stuff donated in their own stores and use the money for charitable purposes. They even have stores just for that purpose like Goodwill and Salvation Army and many other smaller local organizations.

[MrGolf]

We experienced the same thing with a well known charity. While they are quick to accept our financial contribution they told us they didn’t want our leather recliner. Wonder what will happen the next time they ring their bell for a cash contribution? Very sad.

[graciegirl]

Sometimes furniture is shot. We may have loved it, and may have been continuing to use it, but like people, furniture does become past it's prime.

Granted, someone somewhere if they were needy enough would appreciate it, but sometimes we just have to be realistic and let it go.

[Ginpappas]

I tried to donate a leather couch that is discolored... I used it with a throw over it and it looked brand new. I know there is a family or someone just starting out that would love this as a temporary piece of furniture but couldn't get any of the organizations to take it...

[swooner]

You know, perhaps you might have called Bargains and Treasures. They take furniture in good condition and sell it for you. You could then use the money for anything you like including charity.

Good idea. I did call them and after 2 weeks finally showed up to say they won't take any thing that has stains or any other defect. They did however offer to take a chair and donate it to charity. When I turned my back they dumped it in my front lawn and took off. Enough said for your "Bargains and Treasures"!

[swooner]

I ran into the same thing. I thought I was donating a very good, barely used, couch to a charity, when they came to pick up the couch I found out it was a resale store. I hope they gave some of the sale of the couch to a charity.

Exactly

[photo1902]

Good idea. I did call them and after 2 weeks finally showed up to say they won't take any thing that has stains or any other defect. They did however offer to take a chair and donate it to charity. When I turned my back they dumped it in my front lawn and took off. Enough said for your "Bargains and Treasures"!

Why would you expect them to take something with stains on it?

[graciegirl]

Good idea. I did call them and after 2 weeks finally showed up to say they won't take any thing that has stains or any other defect. They did however offer to take a chair and donate it to charity. When I turned my back they dumped it in my front lawn and took off. Enough said for your "Bargains and Treasures"!

They dumped it on your front lawn? After agreeing to give it to charity and physically carrying it out of your home? I wonder what caused them to do that?

[redwitch]

Ive found that many of the smaller churches outside of TV are thrilled to see that our used furniture gets to families in need. I haven’t found a local charity, including Habitat, that doesn’t just use the furniture for resale purposes. Therefore, the furniture has to be in almost perfect condition.

[Jayhawk]

Post your free stuff on this and it will be gone quickly.

Buy and sell used stuff in the United States - letgo (https://us.letgo.com/en)

[Gpsma]

For the most part no charities want furniture anymore. Younger people decorate their houses minimally. No charity is coming over to pick up yor beautifully maintained Ethan Allen bedset from 1970.

Throw furniture out...no one wants it anymore.

[Bogie Shooter]

For the most part no charities want furniture anymore. Younger people decorate their houses minimally. No charity is coming over to pick up yor beautifully maintained Ethan Allen bedset from 1970.

Throw furniture out...no one wants it anymore.

Throw it out is too much of a generalization.

[600th Photo Sq]

You know, perhaps you might have called Bargains and Treasures. They take furniture in good condition and sell it for you. You could then use the money for anything you like including charity.

Bargain and Treasure is very " Very " particular on what they choose to re-sell.

You are partially right say around 30%...I have used them a few times, however as a last resort They typically low ball.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Doesn't the Villages allow (or even sponsor) tag sales? Certainly not leaving stuff out on the front lawn, but maybe a quarterly event in one of the Clubhouses or something? Or perhaps some non-Villages flea market or community yard sale?

[graciegirl]

Doesn't the Villages allow (or even sponsor) tag sales? Certainly not leaving stuff out on the front lawn, but maybe a quarterly event in one of the Clubhouses or something? Or perhaps some non-Villages flea market or community yard sale?

Yes. Garage sales and estate sales are common here.

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/consignment-auctions-estate-garage-sale-listings-198/

[Bogie Shooter]

Doesn't the Villages allow (or even sponsor) tag sales? Certainly not leaving stuff out on the front lawn, but maybe a quarterly event in one of the Clubhouses or something? Or perhaps some non-Villages flea market or community yard sale?

The Villages does not sponsor tag sales.
Where are these Clubhouses?

[karostay]

I had the same situation.
Good usable furniture.
Not the condition charitable organizations are looking for
I placed it at the end of my driveway with a sign FREE take all or nothing.
With in an hour 2 sofas and a chair were gone

[graciegirl]

I had the same situation.
Good usable furniture.
Not the condition charitable organizations are looking for
I placed it at the end of my driveway with a sign FREE take all or nothing.
With in an hour 2 sofas and a chair were gone

Excellent!

[Kahuna32162]

We have used a site called Freecycle dot org. The have a local version and let you post anything you have for free. Great way to help others.

[bluedivergirl]

I had the same situation.
Good usable furniture.
Not the condition charitable organizations are looking for
I placed it at the end of my driveway with a sign FREE take all or nothing.
With in an hour 2 sofas and a chair were gone

We have done that as well. A file cabinet, hanging light fixtures and a ceiling fan all gone by morning. We put it out after dark, so no one has to look at it all day, and it is gone before we're up.

Lots of hard working young peeps in The Villages in the early AM.

[starflyte1]

Post a for free ad on Craigs List. I have done this with several items, and they have been taken almost immediately.

[Opmoochler]

There is a Freecycle group in Lady Lake, and there is one in Ocala. Before we moved three years ago from Annapolis, we Freecycled almost everything in our house. We had lived there almost 30 years ago. I have always met the nicest Freecyclers!

[swooner]

Post a for free ad on Craigs List. I have done this with several items, and they have been taken almost immediately.

And then wonder what kind of sleaze bag might show up at your door. Lots of bad stories about Craig's List!

[starflyte1]

Swooner, it took 35 minutes for someone to make a negative post about Craigs List. As with anything, you have to use common sense. I do not meet in a back alley behind a bar at midnight carrying a bunch of cash, but do feel good about meeting in daylight hours in TV at home to give something away. No-one has ever been in my home for a pickup. And have had only grateful people come by.

[swooner]

Swooner, it took 35 minutes for someone to make a negative post about Craigs List. As with anything, you have to use common sense. I do not meet in a back alley behind a bar at midnight carrying a bunch of cash, but do feel good about meeting in daylight hours in TV at home to give something away. No-one has ever been in my home for a pickup. And have had only grateful people come by.

Lucky you!