posted on January 4, 2003 01:11:43 PM new
Got a good one for everyone to think about...at least this allows me to vent.
My wife works at a restaurant, and for the holidays the employees there decided to donate toys for a local area toy drive. I don't know if the toy drive is national, or just at a state level. Waiters, managers, even customers donated items, and at the end they had about 25 new toys. The drop-off spot was at one of the local Goodwills. We took the toys in, were instructed to give them to a lady in the office who was charged with accepting the donations. That was the Friday before Christmas.
Well, yesterday we were at Goodwill looking for some goodies to sell, and guess what we see on the shelves for sale?! We saw a plush doll that we had donated. Now, it had a scratched eye even though it was new, so we figured perhaps they deemed it damaged and put it out for sale. But then we saw another, and another. 6 of the toys we had donated were out on the shelves for sale. Who knows what had happened to the rest. Needless to say we immediately raised hell about it, and got a hold of the same lady we had dropped the toys off to begin with. She came up with a lot of excuses, none that held any water, and then went out and pulled these toys as we watched. We were so upset...what a bunch of crooks! Evidently, they figured there wasn't much of a chance that anyone that donates toys like that would actually shop their store. This was NO accident.
We've already contacted the local television station that sponsored this toy drive, who in turn is to contact the bigger organization that hands the toys out, and stores all the leftovers. They were shocked to hear of what happened, and very grateful for the info. We happened to catch this, but where else did it happen, and for how long? Just goes to show you...there are crooks in all arenas.
posted on January 4, 2003 01:24:30 PM new
Thats sad,but that is the reason why I will only give direct. At least then I know that its going to the right party.
There is nothing new about staff just helping themselves to cash or goods.
If this does hit the news, then just watch as everyone blames someone else. It will be the old "pass the buck" shell game.
posted on January 4, 2003 01:28:38 PM new
Trai >> Of course you're right...it just pi$$es me off when I think about how those toys could have been given to kids, and about how some of those waiters don't have a heckuva lot of money to start with, but wanted to do something nice for the kids.
"Who's tending the bar? Sniping works up a thirst"
posted on January 4, 2003 03:08:10 PM new
koto1: What region are you in? There was a huge Goodwill scandal here in the SF Bay Area a couple of years back. Very messy, lots of goods and cash appropriated by three managers of Goodwill stores who happened to be sisters.
Goodwill corporate kept saying they knew nothing of what had been going on, but it seems hard to believe since it went on for years.
posted on January 4, 2003 04:57:32 PM new
This is not anything new. It happens all of the time. Our local TV station works with the Salvation Army to distribute toys & Bikes. Only 2 places to got to donate & one is the TV station. They ended up with over 1000 toys & bikes, right in the station!! Not much chance for any crooks.
posted on January 5, 2003 03:38:28 AM new
in our area the radio station works with the local car dealers...one dealer empties his showroom and of cars and in the month between Thanksgiving and the Friday before christmas, it is filled with toys...
we used to have a Salvation Army captain in our area that would have huge yard sales at his house every summer...most of the items would be new or like new items that you just knew had been donated at Christmas to be handed out...I quit donating and now the business where I work actually adopts families for Christmas...we hang the family members name on a tree with a list of 3-4 things they have asked for on the back...those that can afford to take a name do and some just give money to a pool for shopping for extra items...the items are wrapped and delivered the day before Christmas eve....we all feel good and know exactly where our donations end up.
needy family names can be obtained through your church or the local salvation army will give family names to businesses at Christmas.
posted on January 5, 2003 07:35:04 AM new
Good morning all. To answer fluffy's question, I'm in southern Colorado.
I agree, just going ahead and adopting a family instead of going through one or two "middlemen" is the best way to go. This is what my family did...adopted a family in our community, a single mom with two kids, and brought over food for the holiday meal, toys for the kids, and some presents for the mom as well. We felt this was an important learning opportunity for our 5 yr old daughter, so maybe she'll realize in a year or two how much she actually does have, and to hopefully appreciate that. It felt good to do, and at least I know that those items went to the intended party.
It just upsets me about Goodwill. I know shady things go on all the time, Goodwill and Salvation Army not excepted, but geez, to do this at Christmas time when so many are without jobs, the economy is hurting, etc. Pretty low.
One thing we want to come out of this is to eliminate Goodwill from the list of places that people can donate items for such things as this Toy Drive. There's just too much of a risk of something like this happening again.
I hope the television station we talked to can make some waves. Goodwill needs to be embarrassed publicly.
"Who's tending the bar? Sniping works up a thirst"
posted on January 6, 2003 08:14:28 AM new
Yes, there are lots of good ways to help. In Chicago, wgn used to run a toy program, with all donations guaranteed to be used properly. In many places, the local fire department runs toy and gift programs with time and effort donated by firemen and all donations are used properly. And I really like the one mentioned above, to pick a family and help them. Here where I live in Fla. on a certain day we can leave non-perishable grocery items at the mail box. Postal people pick them up and all the food to given to the food program. It is so popular that off-duty postal people assist the regulars to get everything picked up. Seems that the secret is to not give via any commercial concern?
posted on January 6, 2003 12:30:04 PM new
There was a Goodwill scandal in my area a few years back. Workers were taking good items home and putting crap on the shelves.
2 years ago I had some items that were not really right for my type of customers. It was upscale and designer business wear. I decided to donate it all (about $5,000 wholesale) to a local charity thrift shop that allegedly helped battered and homeless women get nice clothes for interviews and to wear to work if they got a job.
I investigated the organization and they had a wonderful reputation for honesty. I also shopped there when looking for unique furniture for my home.
I went back about 6 times in a two week period and I never saw any of the items out on the floor. I called the manager and asked what happened to the stuff I had donated. She claimed that it had all been put on the florr or "given to women in need". I smelled a lie.
2 or 3 days after I spoke to the manager, I got a call from an upscale resale store, someone had come in and sold (over a period of 3 days) a lot apparel that had my store's tags. The owner wasn't in when it was sold, but was suspicious and called me and the police.
The manager and an employee of the thrift store had sold nearly all of the apparel I donated to the resale store. The cops did not do anything, because the manager claimed the money was going to the charity. Yeah, right.
I did manage to get one of the charity's board members on the phone and I told him the entire story. He called me back and asked how much had she gotten for the clothes. I told him that it was close to $3000. The manager had put $270 on the books. They did fire her, but I will never trust them again. It really put a dent in my giving to charities.
posted on January 6, 2003 12:40:22 PM new
the daughter of our local Goodwill stores manager lives next door to me. she told us her mother has 3 large storage rental sheds stuffed full of items she has brought home from the store.
posted on January 6, 2003 03:59:37 PM new
Of course, those of us who haunted thrift shops to find treasures to resell have long suspected light-fingeredness on the part of the employees or volunteers.
There's one in particular. Very upscale neighborhood; 6 years ago I found some fabulous things there. All that has changed. I went in daily for three months last year and there was never anything the least bit worthwhile. Which defies logic...especially after the first of the year since so many people do their charitable-goods giving in December to get it on that year's taxes.
You bet your life the volunteers all watch _Antiques Roadshow_.
I have learned not to care. There's no dealing with in-house thieves. Quite a few people knew about the Goodwill ring operating locally (the three sisters referenced earlier) and no one did anything about it.
posted on January 6, 2003 04:09:56 PM new
Take a look at how many people were involved in the Santa Clara Goodwill scandal (and those are just the ones indicted...):
Sniping works up a thirst"