It's funny.
I'm moving and I have furniture that I don't want any longer.
Quite a bit of furniture, in fact.
There's a couch and a love seat, a big comfy chair, a coffee table and an end table.
I won't say that it's beautiful furniture.
Actually, it's old and drab and really rather plain.
But it IS comfortable and serviceable, of that there is no doubt.
Anyway.
I wanted to give this dull but serviceable furniture away to a charity.
My first thought was to donate it to a women's shelter.
Women's shelters sometimes try to set women up in their own places to establish a safe residence away from the abusive partner.
I thought furniture (despite being unattractive) would be very helpful.
Well received, even.
"Hi. I have some furniture I'd like to donate."
"How much do you have?"
"A complete living room set and a dining table if required."
"No. Thanks."
"NO?"
"Yeah. We don't have room for it."
Hmmm. All right.
Next stop; "The Covenant House" for troubled/runaway youth here in Vancouver.
"Want some furniture?"
"No."
"Oh. I see."
Big Brothers might want it I speculated to myself, doubtfully.
"Furniture donation?"
"Is it re-saleable?"
"Probably."
"Nah."
Salvation Army will DEFINATELY take it, I thought.
"Couch?"
"Can you sit in your apartment for 9 hours on a Tuesday waiting for us to MAYBE take it depending on if we decide it would be worth it or not?"
"Umm...no."
"Then forget it."
So. At last.
""Trash to The Curb". We haul everything except dead bodies." *
"Will $70 dollars rid me of this blight I used to call my living room furniture?"
"Sure. We'll be there whenever you want us."
"Oh THANK YOU!"
Moral of the story?
Money talks and charitable inclinations are sadly laughable.
And that really bothers me.
*I changed the name of the company, but that really is their motto! I'll be hiring THEM again!
But what to do with the bodies remains (teehee!) a problem.
16 comments:
I tried to donate what had once been a very expensive couch to the Sally Ann. It was in perfect repair, but the arms were a bit stained and discolored by people putting their own arms on them,as people tend to do. They refused to take it, maintaining it wasn't quite up to "their standard." Hmm, like you, I found their concept of a charitable gift and mine to be quite far apart. Somethng about beggars and choosers crossed my mind. Oh well. I empathize with your adventure.
Your friend,
Ian
I went through that a while ago. I guess that whole beggars can't be choosers thing disappeared somewhere along the way.
Hope the move is going smoothly otherwise.
Am I the only nutter here who thinks that couch is just beautiful? I'd love it for my bedroom. Just lovely- and calling it a love seat!
Send it here!
That really was your couch?? I feel a headache coming on looking at it. ;)
*snort* I have the SAME problem with my dead bodies too!
I've been finding that lately too.
Nobody wants to take stuff anymore.
how funny In my neighborhood if you set it to the curb someone will have it sitting in their living roo this evening.
I actually really like that couch. If I lived near you I would have totally taken it off your hands.
I have a friend with a defunct 75 acre X-mas tree farm and an excavator, for $75 and a case of Lucky he can make those bodies dissapear.
Tai, I really like the carpet the couch is sitting on.
I can't really say anything about the couch, however, except to ask - where on earth did you get it?
While I agree with your other readers, Tai, in that couch is hideous, I actually know that isn't your couch. Your couch is big, drab, and surprisingly comfortable.
And since when did charities get picky over what they will or won't take? Beggars and choosers indeed.
I love the couch you have pictured.
I do not love the look of your couch. It's big and poofy and mid-80's.
However, I'd much rather sleep on your couch that the one in the picture. I imagine sleeping on that lovely antique would result in a sore back and a crick in the neck, whereas a drunken night spent in your couch's pillowy embrace is rather comfy. :)
I tried to donate my old but working window air conditioner, but the Salvation Army came by and took a pass. I don't know why so many charitable institutions are so difficult. They're only good at taking money.
That is so sad...I too have experienced frustrations trying to help before. For months I tried to find a homeless shelter that would let me come and help serve lunch or something. I could never get through to a person! No one called me back, or the answer machine was full, or no one picked up, etc. Very annoying.
ISn't it amazing how SNOOTY charitable places can be. My inlaws had the same issue with a couch and so did my neighbor.
I had a couch get turned down by good will and the Russian resettlement. I feel your pain. Next stop - county dump.
Sara
No no no, you guys, if THAT was really her couch it would be in my living-room right now! :)
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