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Donating appliances to charity

Last post 10-09-2008 9:50 AM by aerial1313. 14 replies.
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  • 10-08-2008 12:40 PM

    • aerial1313
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    Donating appliances to charity

    Does anyone know of a charity that accepts donations of appliances?  Our old electric range has been sitting in our garage since January.  BF is being lazy about getting rid of it, so I've decided to see if I can donate it to a charity.  Not sure, though, how to go about finding one that accepts this kind of thing.

    I also thought about putting an ad on Craigslist, but I'm a little leery about having strangers come to my house to get it, ya know?

    Any ideas are greatly appreciated!



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  • 10-08-2008 12:47 PM In reply to aerial1313

    • cakana
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    Re: Donating appliances to charity

    You could try Freecycle but you'd still have strangers coming to pick it up but that'll be true with a charity too. You might try calling places like WEAVE or other shelters to see if they can use it, but don't be surprised if no one wants it. We tried to give away some office furniture and working computers and no one wanted anything.

    ~ Cathy ~
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  • 10-08-2008 1:04 PM In reply to cakana

    • glenmar
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    Re: Donating appliances to charity

    Goodwill used to.  Salvation Army maybe as well?  Freecycle is always a good option.

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    Glenda
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  • 10-08-2008 1:10 PM In reply to glenmar

    • aerial1313
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    Re: Donating appliances to charity

    Thanks.  I thought about Salvation Army, I might give them a call because I know they will pick up.  I donated some furniture back when I lived in Boston, and they were really picky...one teeny scratch on something and they wouldn't take it.  The stove is in good condition, but there may be a scratch here or there.  Of course, I'll need to clean it up a bit...it's gotten a little dusty from sitting in the garage.

    So you guys don't get concerned about random strangers coming to your house to pick up stuff?  I never used to worry about it....once sold a washer/dryer set out of the newspaper, but I was moving, so I didn't care if they were sinister folks who wanted to try and come back to rob me, lol.

    At this point I'm just sick of the darned thing taking up space in my garage, so I want it gone!



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  • 10-08-2008 1:27 PM In reply to aerial1313

    • cakana
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    Re: Donating appliances to charity

    aerial1313:

    So you guys don't get concerned about random strangers coming to your house to pick up stuff?  I never used to worry about it....once sold a washer/dryer set out of the newspaper, but I was moving, so I didn't care if they were sinister folks who wanted to try and come back to rob me, lol.

    Yep, I worry about it too and my DH is even worse. He wouldn't be too freaked if he were the one home when they came, but he'd be nervous about me being home alone for it. Sad that we have to feel this way, but it is part of the new reality.

    I tried giving away some furniture to Goodwill and they weren't interested at all. It was in great condition too.

    ~ Cathy ~
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  • 10-08-2008 1:41 PM In reply to aerial1313

    Re: Donating appliances to charity

    Check out your city's website under the trash/recyling section. Many cities post list of charitable organizations that accept donations of large items like stoves---and the cities post the information because they would rather have you re-use something than dump it on the city to deal with.

    If the website doesn't have info, call the recycling dept. and they can probably point you somewhere.  In the city where my dad lived they had a "goods" pantry, which is like a food pantry only it is for household goods.

    If that doesn't pan out and local Salvation Army doesn't work for you, find a Catholic parish and find out how to contact their "St Vincent DePaul Society" to donate the stove.  The St Vincent DePaul Society's purpose is to "offer assistance to those who have fallen upon times of hardship and personal crisis." Or if you belong to an organized religion, ask and see if there is a group or person who has connections in the community and knows a family that needs a stove or if they have a thrift shop where they can re-sell your stove.*

    * This isn't just a money-maker for these groups. Besides the obvious selling things to people who can't afford to buy new, many times the organisations employ people (who might otherwise be considered "unemployable") to refurbish dontaed items. The stores may have a couple of volunteers who run things and employ people (short term) who need solid work experience before they can find a regular full-time job. 

    Good luck with the stove and don't forget to get a receipt for your taxes.Wink

    The difference between the almost right word & the right word is really a large matter--it's the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.
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  • 10-08-2008 1:47 PM In reply to cakana

    • aerial1313
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    Re: Donating appliances to charity

    Just this morning on the radio there was a news story about how thrift stores are getting a lot more business now that so many people are tightening their purse strings, but their concern was that donations would be low due to the economy, so I'd think a place like the Salvation Army or Goodwill would be ecstatic to get donations!  Ya never know, though.  If I can find someone to take it, I probably have a bunch more stuff I could get rid of, too!



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  • 10-08-2008 2:25 PM In reply to aerial1313

    Re: Donating appliances to charity

    I have a neighbor who lives on the corner and whenever she has something she just wants to get rid of she puts it out on the sidewalk in front of her house and puts a "FREE" sign on it.  It always disappears within 24 to 48 hrs.

    Joyce

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  • 10-08-2008 3:44 PM In reply to fuzzy_dogs_mom

    • kpwlee
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    Re: Donating appliances to charity

     We have a Habitat for Humanity Reuse Center and have donated appliances to them


    "I think Karen should get a BC next time because she deserves a more mellow laid back dog! Or a Maremma because she needs a more clingy, biddable, easily trained dog." Brookcove 2008
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  • 10-08-2008 4:22 PM In reply to kpwlee

    • aerial1313
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    Re: Donating appliances to charity

    kpwlee:

     We have a Habitat for Humanity Reuse Center and have donated appliances to them

    Ooh, I never thought about that!  Great suggestion!  It's kinda old, tho, would Habitat mind?  It was the stove that was there when we bought the house.  I have no idea as to its actual age, but it can't be older than 1990, that's when the house was built.  Not sure if the previous owners replaced the original with that one at some point; we bought the house 4 years ago.  It works great.  We just replaced it because we had gotten a stainless steel fridge (for free!!) and wanted a matching stainless range.

    Update...found the website for the Atlanta ReStore...it says appliances are in high demand.  Buuuuttt.....it says they must be less than 9 years old.  I wonder if I can find out the actual age of this thing.  The folks we bought the house from left all the appliance manuals for us, so I wonder if there'd be info in there.



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  • 10-08-2008 5:54 PM In reply to aerial1313

    • kpwlee
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    Re: Donating appliances to charity

     Glad you found it - we gave them our 13 yr old side by side last year they sure didn't turn it away


    "I think Karen should get a BC next time because she deserves a more mellow laid back dog! Or a Maremma because she needs a more clingy, biddable, easily trained dog." Brookcove 2008
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  • 10-09-2008 12:15 AM In reply to kpwlee

    • huskymom
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    Re: Donating appliances to charity

     Put it on the curb...maybe the Junk Brother's will pick it up!  LOL, Love that show. 

    Things dissappear from curbs here too in record time if you put a sign on them saying free.  Or if you listed it on Freecycle or something, could you deliver it?  Rather than having someone pick it up?

    Candace




    He said Hey,
    I said What?
    He said You,
    I said What?
    He said you left the fire burning and I burnt my butt.
    So now I've learned,
    you've got to turn,
    the fireplace down so Santa won't get burned.
    NKOTB

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  • 10-09-2008 9:31 AM In reply to huskymom

    • dubilpie
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    Re: Donating appliances to charity

    I was just going to say put it out front with a sign.

    A few years ago we bought a new washer and dryer, I left the old ones in front of my garage and was paying Sears $25.00 to take it away. Someone tookthem.  I was a little mad because it wasn't at the curb, it was about 100 feet from the road right in front of my garage door. Luckily Sears gave me my $25.00 back. If someone had knocked on my door asked if we were getting rid of them, I would have gladly let them have them.

    I just unplugged our extra fridge, trying to save electricity, I think I will put it out front with a sign saying Free, still works..

    Linda
    Trixie & Molly
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  • 10-09-2008 9:49 AM In reply to dubilpie

    • glenmar
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    Re: Donating appliances to charity

    I honestly have never been concerned about freecycle.  I've gone to a lot of homes to pick up items and more often than not, things are left on the porch or in front of garage doors...or I meet folks someplace.  When I've had stuff to give away, same deal.  I leave it in a convenient place for pick up and that's that.

    Joyce, I had to laugh!  When I lived in Merced, I could barely get my trash to the curb before folks were going through it!  And the nicer the neighborhood, the quicker the "trash pickers" get there.

    A house without fur is not a home.
    Glenda
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  • 10-09-2008 9:50 AM In reply to dubilpie

    • aerial1313
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    Re: Donating appliances to charity

    I thought about just putting it outside, too, but we live on a dead-end road (cul-de-sac), and don't get much traffic on our street, so I'm not sure anyone would see it.  I'd have to ask permission from someone on another street to put it by their house, and not sure anyone would want to agree to that.

    ETA-Just got off the phone with the Salvation Army.  They are coming Saturday to pick it up.  I just hope they take it!!



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