September 23, 2005

Stop Giving Clothes

Tee Bee wants people to donate to a Hurricane Katrina clothing drive. Unfortunately clothes are one catagory of relief charities have plenty of:

So many truckloads of clothes have poured into Baton Rouge since Hurricane Katrina that volunteers from the St. Vincent de Paul Society gave away 100,000 pieces of clothing in 10 days, says Mike Acaldo, director of the Baton Rouge chapter. The group's 20,000-square-foot warehouse is still "packed," he says.

In Gulfport, Miss., the county emergency management director has begged kind-hearted donors to stop. Without enough volunteers to distribute them, clothes ended up piled by the roadside and strewn across parking lots.

...

Relief agencies dread the influx of clothes that inevitably follows a disaster. It takes time and volunteers to sort the items and dispose of things that are unwearable. The Red Cross doesn't accept donated clothes; it wants cash so those in need can buy new.

"It's empowerment, it's their own recovery, and it's a boost to the local economy," spokeswoman Sarah O'Brien says.

In New Iberia, La., agencies are looking for a second warehouse to hold unneeded clothes. "The people who are giving used clothes are wanting to help," says Joe Watts of Adventist Community Services. "We appreciate it, but ... it can be the second disaster."

Tee Bee's heart is in the right place, but cold, hard cash is what's needed. The Red Cross is asking for more donations. The $853 million already donated is only half of what they need, and more funds will be required for Hurricane Rita relief. It's time for you to make another donation. Every little bit helps.

"Cities Bursting at Seams with Excess Used Clothes"