A question in search of an answer: Where to donate?

Just out of the WSB inbox, from Denise:

I’ve got a giant garbage bag full of my three teen sons’ castoff stuffed animals. Most are in excellent condition. Do we know anywhere to donate these other than Goodwill or “the truck in your neighborhood”?

Good question, and we don’t have a West Seattle-specific answer. Do you?

Jen January 30, 2008 (9:33 am)

I’m not positive, but I think Westside Baby might be an option – they are in WS and help families and children in need with diapers, clothing, toys, etc.

http://www.westsidebaby.org/content/home.htm

que January 30, 2008 (9:35 am)

Westside Baby is a great option for all outgrown and in good condition kid’s stuff! They are a local charity and are located at 10032 15th Ave. SW , Seattle , WA 98146 (206) 767-1662. You can drop things of there, or they have a bunch of dropoff locations all over WS.

For more information, check out their website at westsidebaby.org

BB January 30, 2008 (9:48 am)

put them on craigslist as “pet toys”. you might even make a couple $’s

islewrite January 30, 2008 (10:01 am)

If you wanted to drop some of the smaller ones off at the SW precinct they’ll be put in the patrol cars to give to kids in stressful situations (at accident scenes for example).

MNGirl January 30, 2008 (10:14 am)

I’ve dropped teddy bears and such at SW precinct ….you might also want to check with the fire stations..

Aidan Hadley January 30, 2008 (10:20 am)

Most donation centers and relief services that I know of dissuade people from donating stuffed animals because they’re usually festering with bacteria and can make the kids who receive them sick.

Wes January 30, 2008 (10:35 am)

Caleb Good News ministries in Des Moines (I know not W Seattle) will take these and give them to kids in Africa, Romania and India.
You can call the director, Jerry Riess at 206-242-4264 or 206-226-6461.
If you can’t make the drive you caould let me know and I’ll take them and deliver them to him.

Pam January 30, 2008 (11:12 am)

Check to see if any animal shelters or no kill shelters can use them. Nothing makes my golden retriever happier than having a tennis ball and a stuffed animal in her mouth.

Ken January 30, 2008 (11:17 am)

RE Caleb associated churches.

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/billhud/

Foursquare cult info page. Dominionist. Massivly authoritarian. uses the Latter Rain heresy even the AOG rejected.

Karen January 30, 2008 (12:18 pm)

For questions like this you can also check out
http://www.DonateSeattle.org

WS Art Attack's wife January 30, 2008 (12:31 pm)

Northwest Center has a truck in the parking lot on the corner of Edmonds and California. (in front of Tru Value and next to the bank). You can drop off items on the weekend between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. (or so). They will give you a receipt for tax deduction. I have done this several times instead of waiting for the “truck in the neighborhood”.

AdamOnAlki January 30, 2008 (12:35 pm)

Right now, West Side Presbyterian Church is taking donations for it’s upcoming rummage sale. All proceeds benefit a youth trip to the Dominican Republic where the youth will assist aid organizations. Any donations help!

lala January 30, 2008 (12:40 pm)

I donated all my childhood stuffed animals to a soldier in Iraq who was giving them to children over there – he’d give them to scared children, children who had gone through trauma, and to just curious kids. I’ve heard lots of stories of troops doing this. I’d contact the USO of Puget Sound:

http://www.usopsa.org

Eddie January 30, 2008 (12:43 pm)

Northwest Center mans (staffs?) a donation truck every weekend in the parking lot just east of TruValue (44th and Edmonds)

cinnamon January 30, 2008 (5:55 pm)

Northwest Center offers weekly pick ups, and they give you a receipt for tax purposes. Northwest Center also has a website so you can schedule a pickup online or call them. I donate to them all the time. Also check the area shelters they can always use donations,

Wes January 30, 2008 (6:18 pm)

Ken, what does that have to do with them giving stuffed animals to the poor?

Kayleigh January 30, 2008 (6:27 pm)

So now the dogs, Iraqui children and poor children will get the bacterially festering things. ;-) (sorry, no offense intended; that just struck me funny.)

Melody January 30, 2008 (6:50 pm)

IF these items are in good shape and clean West Side baby is the best local resource for our community. It is located on 15th Ave. in White Center behind the dollar store. Open Mondays and Wednesday 9am -1 pm.

Denise January 30, 2008 (7:45 pm)

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am impressed with the variety of options for our NON-bacterially infested toys. (I’m still chuckling over Kayleigh’s observation. LOL) I’ll let my sons choose the charities from your ideas.

JT January 30, 2008 (8:45 pm)

Wes- I wouldn’t want my donations going with a message I didn’t agree with. And I have yet to see a christian organization give anything away without promoting their beliefs. I’m glad Ken posted the info.

Jan January 30, 2008 (9:32 pm)

OK…Guess I’m gonna play…pardon the pun…devil’s advocate on this one re: Caleb Good News Ministries. I had never heard of them before they were mentioned here, so I went to the link that Ken provided. I saw no mention anywhere on that site that said “Caleb Ministries”. So…I went to Caleb Ministries website, and , yes, two of the churches that support them are Foursquare Churches. It’s also supported by 2 different Episcopalian churches , and a few others. That doesn’t make Caleb Ministries an Episcopalian Church, either. If they are involved with donations, programs to help underdeveloped and undernourished counties, more power to them. Yes, I’m sure they have a message for those that they help. But…it behooves all of us to question and learn if we are not sure of what something really is and stands for, as far as beliefs are concerned.

Ken…I have enjoyed your posts on here, especially about the elections, etc. Maybe you could enlighten me about the connection , if it’s more than this..

Thanks…