We’ve been working on a few projects to assist people and organizations in need. As part of this, I launched a plan to purchase items from our Used sites and donate them to various charities.  I was not expecting the response I got from agencies who heard what I was doing and called me up with requests for donations.  And I was certainly not expecting the level of need – everything from furniture to dish towels.  Several of the people I spoke to were volunteers giving their time for a cause they believe in.  That’s inspiring. Lots of us can write a cheque, but to give time is very special and I pledge to  give more from now on.

One thing that I kept thinking about is how hard it must be for those who work and volunteer for these organizations to see this need on a daily basis and have to accept it.  I guess no one really accepts it, but it’s hard to imagine what seeing the affects of hardship is like close up, let alone being in that position yourself.

I had the privilege of delivering armfuls of wishlist items to a transition house.  My daughters came with me and upon leaving, I was left with the duty of explaining why transition houses are needed.  How do you explain to a 7 and 10 year-old in their language about abuse and suffering when they’ve never had reason to consider that it exists?  How do you answer a question like “But why would a dad hurt his wife or his children?”  As I explained why sometimes moms and kids need to leave their homes because they’re not safe there, my older daughter was very serious and empathetic.  My youngest piped up from the back seat that she’d “just kick him in the balls.”  I don’t mean to make light of this subject, but it was a moment of levity that we all needed during a very difficult conversation.

I’d also like to mention the kind and generous people that I met during this project that either donated their items to me or threw in some extras. It was much appreciated and it once again reinforced my belief and faith in my community.

We hope to continue to give back to our communities by helping you donate to people in need and encourage sellers to do the same. What about posting wishlists for registered charities and non-profits similar to the seller’s lists’ so that people can check out what might be needed by members of their communities and connect through our sites? Maybe you have some ideas so please comment on this post if you do.

One last thing. Just about every charity I spoke to said the same thing “We get lots of donations at Christmas, but it’s the rest of the year that we struggle.”  So keep that in mind if you have things in your closets and garage that are collecting dust and can be used by someone else. There are families in need all year long so let’s work together to help them out.