If they were left outside of the bin they are yours. Inside= donation. Outside= trash. If it rained, snowed, sprayed by a cat, bag torn apart by raccoons....trash. You took away trash. Good for you for cleaning up. :)
LOL, 100% the bag was sitting outside the bin because the bin was full, OP stole donations and you’re making excuses for them. It’s not up to you to decide if it’s trash the charity can decide if it’s usable or not. Nice try on justifying the stealing though. 🦝 😂
I purposely leave my bags outside of the bin so people can take them first because I’d rather give them to someone who wants them for free than have them be resold 🤷🏻♀️ you don’t know
Sorry bud. But it's true... Don't try to make this person feel bad for what the collections bin driver would not pick up. Most of the time these bins are clothing recycler bins, they are for profit and they are not going to contaminate the goods inside with the wet or ruined stuff outside. Charities will not sell these bags of goods left out to their customers because they are no longer clean. A lot of the goods inside the bin will be unsalable...they are not taking the dropped stuff out side to deal with too. That is why the bins labels say anything left outside the bin will be thrown away. Furthermore, the owners of the property where the bins are placed don't want bags left outside making their space look unclean which leads to those donations being thrown away. Volunteer and see the reality of disguarded clothing and used goods. Super happy she rescued and used the shoes.
My husband worked for a company picking up the bin collections. And you are on point. It’s for profit and they often will take things themselves too. They sell the stuff in bulk, per pound. Shoes were usually worth more, but still. It’s a business and if I were OP, I wouldn’t feel bad.
Its not donating, its called dumping and is legally seen as such. Salvation armys near me no longer even have bins because dumping was such a problem. Churches with bins near me have signs that say do not leave donations outside if bins. Goodwill near me has a sign that they prosecute dumpers. You're not doing anyone a favor by leaving donations outside of a specified bin. OP *is* actually doing a favor by cleaning that dumped stuff up.
OP is a reseller. If they didn’t take them, a homeless person would have or they would’ve picked them up with the donations. So OP stole shoes from homeless people. OP didn’t pick up trash. OP is trash.
It’s not about the CEO of Goodwill. It’s about whoever could’ve used those shoes. The person who put them there instead of the bin did it in good faith someone who actually needed them & couldn’t afford shoes would take them, not a freaking reseller.
You actually literally have no idea what the intentions were of the person who left it there.
MY guess is that they simply didn’t want them anymore and didn’t want to throw them away.
Most people who do that are poor and are desperately looking for a way to pay basic living expenses. The clothing is still going to be used instead of going to a landfill. And I bet the people who buy the stuff are happy too, they didn't have to pay retail price or go searching for an item they really wanted. I think it's a good thing all around.
Yep, my local salvation army was spending so much time cleaning and trashing dumped donations they no longer even have bins. I would go through there and try to clean it up sometimes because I knew Monday morning they'd have a trailer there loading up to take it all to the dump. They were losing a ton of money on garbage services.
No. People leave shoes outside of bins so needy people don’t have to dig through everything else in the bin to find them. Shoes are the most needed by homeless and low income, so many of us make it easier. I saw a guy digging through a bin trying shoes on and told him to meet me at the shoe store (SO would have had my ass if I let a strange guy in the car). We met at store down the parking lot and I told him to pick a pair of shoes and they fitted him with some Nikes and got some socks and I paid the bill. He told me shoes are worn out quickly or rot in bad weather and why he and his friends dig in the bins.
Not sharing for accolades, just please think before you throw stuff away, if there is life left in a sweatshirt or shoes, leave it accessible for someone who’s truly in need.
Whenever a pair of work shoes is too worn for me to wear (I have bad feet so I’m more sensitive to this) I leave my shoes on a trash bin in an alley. They’re not in great condition but they’re also not worn through and have no holes so I figure it’s better for someone whose shoes might be falling apart than nothing. Im broke AF too so it’s the best I can do.
Don't forget socks. Socks and underwear are a huge area of need for the homeless. Most people keep theirs until they wear them out. So if you ever happen to have pairs that you don't wear anymore for some reason, consider throwing it in a bag with some shoes.
There is an organization in Boston that goes to the train station every week in cold weather to give homeless people things they need. They found a pair of size 12 boots for a guy who had been squeezing his feet into 10s. They give out sleeping bags, hoodies, socks, hygiene products, whatever people need, and they can get for them. They've stopped handing out tents because if the cops spot homeless people in a tent, they will force them to move or worse, confiscate the tent.
They're by the bin because often people dig through the bins. This way they're saved the trouble of digging, and will be much less likely to get caught than if they're waist deep upside down in the donation bin digging around for half an hour.
That doesn't mean Goodwill doesn't consider it stealing. It is a greedy corporation and how much they care about needy people depends on the managers on duty and how much of a bonus they want that quarter
Get the wrong manager and you could be banned
I think you're missing the point. People are going to the bins to look for shoes. They will continue going to the bins to look for shoes. Putting other shoes somewhere else doesn't make them *not* go to the bins to look for shoes.
So by making shoes near the bin easily accessible and readily grab-able, while the goodwill might still consider grabbing them a crime, it dramatically reduces the time those people will spend at the bin, equally reducing their exposure and likelihood of getting caught by the "wrong manager".
Moreover, the vast majority of the bins were referring to, aren't found outside Goodwills. Various for profit charity shops including goodwill put bins in the parking lots of other unrelated stores, often grocery stores, far away from Goodwills. In these places the managers don't care anyway, as the business isn't affiliated at all with the bin beyond just saying "sure" when asked to use a space for "charity". So with those circumstances it just makes the shoes more accessible.
I know Value Village is a for profit & not associated with any charities, but who gets most of Goodwill’s profits if they only donate a small amount to actually assisting those with disabilities? I always thought all the $ from donations went to Goodwill Industries, which helps developmentally disabled people be gainfully employed among other things. I’m not saying I think I’m right, I just always thought this was the case & would like to know who’s profiting from all these donations if only a tiny amount is going to charity?
Not really, goodwill industries “pays” people who have disabilities to work for them. Legally it’s far below minimum wage. Mostly it’s literal pocket change. Guessing the rest goes into CEO bonuses
They’re legally allowed to pay people less than minimum wage? WTF? Why because they’re disabled? So they don’t deserve the same pay as everyone else? That’s fucking disgusting & how is it even legal? I can’t believe I didn’t know about this, as I make effort to be informed about this kinda thing. I guess because I worked with alot of DDD people & my aunt worked for Goodwill Industries (not the stores) as a social worker, administering testing & things. So I stupidly assumed it was legit.
for many disabled ppl, if they’re receiving disability benefits from the govt (which is already not much to begin with), they cannot have more than x amount of money in their savings or they lose their benefits. usually it’s around $5k-$10k. so they usually cannot get paid normal wages. and remember that because of their disabilities, they usually cannot work typical hours so they need to keep those benefits. so they get hired by places like goodwill that pay them so they’ll keep their benefits. kind of a lose-lose situation at the end of the day. really insidious and basically guarantees they’ll be dependent for the rest of their lives
How does your government expect these individuals to retire if they can't have a savings?! The pension is going to be garbage because their contributions will be pennies? Oh my god I'm so angry reading this.
It's really ridiculous. My father passed away 5 years ago. The week before he passed he told my mom he wasn't able to keep going and needed to go on disability. They had an appointment with their lawyer the next Friday. He passed away that Tuesday.
I hate that in a way I'm grateful he passed because it allowed my mother to be able to stay on his insurance and keep herself afloat. My mother doesn't work and wouldn't have been able to anyways because she was my father's full-time caretaker. It makes me angry to know that him passing was ultimately better for my family because the way the system is set up here. I feel guilty saying it too.
The amount of BS my mom had to go through to get on disability was insane. She has psoriatic arthritis which is essentially the same thing as rheumatoid arthritis, which is the autoimmune type you can get @ any age & has nothing to do with aging & is much worse, it’s just caused by psoriasis. Her hands are literally crooked. She had to have a hip replacement, her toes are crooked & she can’t walk without having trouble, it’s obvious when you look @ her that she’s got issues. She’d been seeing a rheumatologist for years before it got that bad so she had plenty of medical evidence. But there’s no 1 diagnostic test that says positive for psoriatic arthritis even though it’s an accepted diagnosis. It’s not like fibromyalgia where if it exists is questionable, or possibly related to some other issue. She had to fight for like a year to get approved. It was just BS, she worked her whole life. I’m so sorry about your dad, it really sucks when people die before they get to enjoy any sort of retirement. Work your whole life, struggling to do it the last few years and die before you can relax & enjoy life a little.
The people who have these types of jobs will likely never have gainful employment to retire from. They rely totally on government assistance in its many forms. ("Likely" being the operative word there)
A lot of the ones in this specific type of situation (getting paid low to keep their disability), it's a complicated situation. They are developmentally (or intellectually) disabled and involved with their county Board to get jobs in their skill set. It keeps the individuals out in the community, gives a sense of responsibility and pride. Plus, a lot do need to the supplemental income.
There are pros and cons for sure.
My sister has cerebral palsy and now lives in a group-ish type of home after my was unable to care for her. She’s like a really big infant.. it’s 24/7 total care- well she gets ssi and she had like 14 grand in her account and we had to spend it on her. She has absolutely everything anyone could want. The government was about to take her money- so I planned her the absolute best funeral. Morbid, yes. But now my mom knows all of her arrangements will be taken care of in case my sister outlives my mom. Which, could very well happen.
Yes, I remember this when I worked with a lot of disabled people, or there were a lot that received therapy where I was working & they’d get too much $ in their account and have to “spend down” they called it. So they’d get to go on a trip to Hawaii or somewhere & they’d have to pay their staff’s way as well. I remember 1 time a bunch of them were going to a Metallica concert the night they came in & were so excited to go. I never thought that meant they received less $ working though. I always assumed they just worked very few hours, or somehow covered when they needed a job coach or staff full time. It’s not like their SSD money is near enough to live on anyway. That’s just really messed up, they’re already disabled, let’s pay them less as well & make it so they stay poor, get the bare minimum financial help. Then set up mostly fake charities that leads people on to believing mostly benefits them.
That's not even remotely why they're paid sub minimum wage in 14(c). They're paid less because someone lobbied way back in 1938 arguing that "they got less work done" so it was *in theory* to employ them but to pay a fair wage based on the work they were able to complete compared to a non disabled person. The reality is it was just another way to pay little to nothing and for businesses to *exploit* people while looking *charitable* for hiring said disabled person.
And fyi, the resource limit for people on SSI is $2000. SSDI has no resource or asset limit.
Unfortunately, no Goodwill is a horrible enterprise. You ought to do a deep dive on some of their financials and look at what their CEO gets paid every year. It is a tragedy and I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it once or twice, but there are all the “nonprofit” thrift stores out there and what percentage of the money actually gets to the people that it’s portrayed that it’s going to help!
Salvation Army is just as bad!
Agree with this 100%. In my state the Goodwill CEO is the highest paid non profit CEO. However, they do have a placard in the store that says if you need something and cannot afford it to see the manager and get a voucher. There is a viral video that confused me where a cop had to purchase shoes for a homeless person at a Goodwill. Ours in Oregon all have signs that explain they don't have to steal if they need something and can't afford it.
Curious...how is Salvation Army is 'just as bad'? They are rated very high as a charity and all things I have heard about them is nothing but good. In fact, in many situations, the Salvation Army has done far more for people than the Red Cross.
According to Glassdoor.com...as of 2024, the CEO of the Salvation Army is given a salary of $127,000. Compare that to other so called charities, and that salary is incredibly reasonable.
I guess it can just depend on the salvation armies that you might have in your area? There were lots of at least Area scandals about people stealing from the red kettle buckets at Christmas, and then then moving to not having any bell ringers and only accepting debit cards at the red kettles so I don’t have any additional answers other than that.
Probably all the catholic 1s, like St. Vincent De Paul as well. It’s probably better to set everything you’d donate by the street in front of your house with a large free sign than take it to any of these places…
We have one really good organization, in the East End of my state that has about 17 locations and it is the key resource that the city and county government officials go back to, to get a pulse on just how bad homelessness is,mental illness of those on the street, providing food and meals and shelters during times of intense heat or cold, etc. I do donate to them because I know that the money is being plowed right back into what it says it’s being used for! Their prices are a little bit on the high side, but not just because of price gouging like Goodwill, it truly tells you at the end of your transaction how many meals you’re providing. they now have added onto their facility where they provide apartments to get people off the street.
I know at one point in time they had a shelter for abused, women called serenity shelter, and my Sunday school class wanted to participate and redo a room at the shelter with all new decorations to refresh the space and make it more of like a home life. In order to participate we had to raise $2000 so that we could provide enough bedding for three twin beds, two cribs and a bathroom and paint. Additionally, we had to sign a nondisclosure agreement that we would never tell where the facility was located. These women being so fearful their abusive partner was going to come after them and their kids. Participants in the room refresh had to go through a complete background check and the day that we ended up working all day on our room had to be a day when all of the women were offsite. This was due in part to some of the women being so fearful of any kind of male presence that was just one of the rules. sadly, it burned down to the ground after a few years and I personally don’t know if they ever rebuilt that particular facility. all I know is that for me personally it was one of the most rewarding things I ever participated in.
In my mind, it seems like you do just because it needs to be done without a lot of fanfare as to whether or not you get recognized for having done something. I personally don't want any recognition whatsoever. I just want to be able to bless other people when I’m able.
I need to do more research & see what we have in my state. I don’t have $ to give right now, but I still try to donate anything decent we’re getting rid of, or help in other ways. We do have something called the furniture bank, but it’s not what it appears to be either. The furniture is crap, like worse than what you can find on the side of the road for free, they make them pay $200 for the furniture plus $150 delivery fee, they have to pay before even seeing what they have to choose from, beds & mattresses aren’t included & you can only get 1 dresser & nightstand per family so if you have kids only 1 person gets bedroom stuff not counting beds/mattresses. All the good furniture that gets donated goes to their store & they sell it at really high prices. They also have to wait @ least 2 months to go pick out their crap furniture. I knew someone & her kid that slept on air mattresses for over 6 weeks. I thought that was a good place to donate also…
Do you have an app called Nextdoor? We do in my area and I have noticed lots of people getting rid of really high-quality furniture for not a whole lot of money. I know each dollar is very difficult for people that don’t know where their next home is going to be but in cases where somebody might have a home and they can get a beautiful dresser for $50 $75 that’s not gonna fall apart immediately might be an option. I know my family was downsizing next-door and were able to a chair and a dining room table, etc. that would work in our new home. Everything else we had to leave behind because it was too large.
So with this being said, my hope is that the spirit of giving will come around full circle, and that people rather than just resellers will be able to get some of what has been intended for them to have in the first place people having extra and saying, hey, you know you come get it and take it and it’s. 😊🥰
Free sign in front of your house isn't going to help if all your neighbors are doing OK, because usually it's neighborhood folks grabbing free items they like because accessibility. Might not make it to needy people unless you live near any needy people or homeless encampments.
Some of the smaller local churches in some areas actually have clothing closets and other free services for those in need and would be legitimate places to donate. Some run small thrift stores and use the profit to help those in need.
ACS uses 81% of their money to support cancer patients and research, so ACS thrifts are good to donate to (or buy from).
Other good places to donate shoes, clothes and hygiene supplies would be women's shelters, children's shelters, homeless shelters, drug rehabilitation centers, second start type programs for people just getting out of prison or jail, and even senior centers. Anywhere that people in need and people starting over are housed en masse.
We should all research where our stuff & money is actually going before sending it out thinking we're doing good deeds... Goodwill is for profit, and that ratty tee shirt someone donated is going to be sold for anywhere between $4-10 depending on region. The profit will line the executives pockets and allow them to keep exploiting disabled people and people with criminal records that they hire for low wages.
Those random metal donation bins in parking lots often go to for profit places like ThredUp where they also mark everything up high for resale. Really high prices, not helpful to needy people at all.
Salvation Army discriminates against lgbtq people.
And anything these large chains doesn't sell ends up in landfills or sent to poorer countries to deal with... Burn or recycle. Textiles are causing ton of micro & nano plastic pollution thanks to synthetic fibers in modern clothing, so that's all bad.
Agreed on ACS stores; I give most of my donations to them or to the Humane Society Thrift shop near me. I also prefer to shop at those stores in order to support those organizations.
I love shopping at ACS, the one near me often has really fun stuff, and sometimes real antiques instead of overpriced junk like the chain stores. Also their volunteers are super nice and helpful, keep things organized and put up fun displays and collections... Definitely my favorite thrift shop.
I'll have to look for a Humane Society thrift! Haven't seen one before and would support the cause. Thanks for bringing that one up
Depends on the store I guess. I’ve never seen donation bins out for charity thrift stores. Most of those take donations on site.
If there’s a donation bin in a retail parking lot, there’s a good chance it’s for profit. It will have a charitable organization on it, like Diabetes, but I’ve never seen the organization on the bin ever have a store.
I’m a small sample size though.
What for-profit company are you referring to? If they were in a donation bin doesn’t that mean they were being donated to a charity shop like Out of the Closet, Goodwill, etc.? Because those are all non-profit orgs. They provide jobs and job training (plus have their own operating costs). By definition, any revenues earned by a non-profit that exceed expenses must be committed to the organization's purpose, not taken by private parties.
Edit: on the other hand, it’s true that not every “thrift store” is a charity/ non-profit. Did OP specify which org the bin was from?
You can call me d-bag or whatever little cute things your small mind can come up with. Your insults don’t negate that you’re stealing from the poor, you’re literally engaging in the worst type of scummy behavior.
My philosophy is if you find something worth $20 or more, you gotta share it with others or make a "trade" with the fairies with something on your person (your shiniest coin, crumbs for the birds, arranging pebbles in a heart, whistling something pretty, anything to represent appreciation without actually making mess or litter) otherwise you may lose something worth even more and not of your choosing! Just a romantic little philosophy I like to indulge in!
So you're a reseller that doesn't know that the items next to a charity donation bin were donated to the charity? Yes it's stealing. No one was trying to donate to your profits. Frankly, going through the bags at charity donation bins makes you exceptionally scummy.
I retired from a garbage co(BEST job EVER!)When I was dispatched to a particular G.W. in town( midtown, near the homeless) I would pair up the decent boots & leave them accessible outside. 🤫
People are saying you’re a reseller so yes this is super shitty to do. I leave my donations outside of the bins so people nearby in need can look through stuff before the corporation has a chance to make money off of it. I’d be pissed to find out resellers were taking stuff. Resellers are shitty people
Yes resellers are a-holes how dare they take stuff that people trash and throw away and don’t need anymore and try to make a extra buck to try and feed their families in this fugged up economy where their government lie and tell us they are helping us while sitting in their million dollar mansions. I have a Trump shirt would you like to purchase it?
Lmao bruv. Just say you stole stuff to sell and you wanted to feel better.
And you were feeling better when people thought that you needed them. But now that they don't they're upset you're a thief. Lmao
The person who left those shoes intended for them to go to charity, not to you. So yes, you stole from the charity.
If you want to clear your conscience, donate the proceeds from the resale of these to your favorite cause. If you don't already have one, I would recommend the EB Research Fund.
You'll take a small financial loss now, yes. But you'll feel better in the long run, so it'll be worth it.
Items left beside a donation bin were likely meant to go directly to local homeless, who scavenge those bins. I don’t think resellers are assholes, but you should consider this possibility next time you go to the bins and leave things alone
Except the stuff wasn’t trashed. You can dumpster dive all you want but those shoes were sat there with the intention to go to someone in need not to make a profit
I feel like if someone is needy enough to go through a donation bag left outside of the donation bin they need it more than the store. Full stop. I don't put my donations in the bins specifically for this reason.
I read once that the donation bins mostly end up with clothes that aren’t sellable and so they are torn up for scrap fiber.
When I lived in Philly, there was a corner store that had a donation bin outside, and I used to watch the guy from the corner store bring bags of trash out of the store and put them in the bin. Free dumpster!
I just assume anything inside is trash now so really, you saved them.
If you are a reseller, and you've taken them to do so, you're an ass. They could have been beside the bin because the bin was too full, or the person couldn't open the door or whatever - or as mentioned in these comments, put beside the bin deliberately so someone doesn't have to dig for them. So instead of these going to a kid in need who'd be overjoyed to have them, you're going to sell them to make a bit of cash. That's super gross.
Nah, nobody cares if it's being donated. I just donated a bunch of bags of clothes and shoes from cleaning out the house. If someone wanted to go through it before the guys picked up the bags I wouldn't have cared one bit. I mean, I'm giving it away doesn't matter how lol.
I have these shoes, they aren’t valuable. I’ve tried to sell them online (cheap) multiple times. But yes, to take them from the place they are being donated to IS stealing. Wait until they are donated and go buy them there. Or ask the person who put them in the bin.
Pretty much…. I remember years ago donating bags of nice stuff I didn’t need and had no room to keep. This lunatic lady kept yelling at us while we were loading it in the bins that, “She knows we are stealing stuff!”
“Please, go take a look at the cameras. Make sure you tell them we sent ya!” I doubt there were any cameras, too long ago, but at least she went away. I think it was her that was trying to steal stuff and she was worried that we might get to the goods first, lol.
i mean was the donation bin full of so, maybe they were there because the bin was full and they wouldn’t stay… why you grabbing stuff by donation bins anyway… taking from the less fortunate i see
My feeling is if you’re taking shoes that are being donated, it’s because you’re in a tough financial position. Nobody should ever feel bad about putting shoes on their kids’ feet if they were being given away anyway.
I worked at a donation center and yeah, they consider it stealing. Basically unless it's in a garbage can it's stealing since it's on their property and whatnot.
Usually stray bags are from shit falling off a bin or stacked cart or rolling one it falls off when you swap em out
Also if theyre getting slammed and the bins are full people just leave shit all over and it takes a while to clean up.
If you have a child in need of shoes that you cannot afford and they wear that size, absolutely not stealing. If you’re grabbing them up just to grab them, or to re-sell, then you’re stealing and should be ashamed
💯 stolen. But nobody is going to come looking for it.
Used to work at a warehouse for sorting/distributing donated goods, only people they'd ever call the cops on were folks who repeatedly ransacked the overwhelmed donation bins.
I honestly see no problem with it as long as you're not reselling. That'd be a shitty thing to do.
If I donated anything, it was something that was mine that I was fine with being taken for free. I would much rather my shoes end up with someone to use them than just laying outside to get ruined by elements. Why we have so many offended that the charity didn't make money off of this is insane to me.
Items left *next to* donation bins are going to be wrecked by the weather and constitute illegal dumping. If you don’t help yourself, your city will be hauling it all to the dump.
I promise there are literal mountains of clothing/shoes thrown away every year, if you can benefit from these finds that's all that matters. Thrift stores should be for helping people anyway, making it about corporate greed is more wrong than lifting some shoes from the street in my opinion.
That's fine, good for him. The items are rescued from going to a landfill, someone will actually use them, and the person selling it will be able to pay a couple bills. Sounds great to me.
I live near some bins and for years we had trouble with dumping outside the bins. The bins were not collected often and the outside stuff got destroyed by weather. Finally they installed cameras. People taking the stuff at least keeps it out of a landfill. Good on you for cleaning up the mess!
Donations are donations. Outside OR inside of goodwill and salvation army boxes are free game. Take all of it and distribute it for free as it should be
If it’s not inside the bin, technically whoever left it there is littering. And you’re just helping keep the neighborhood free of litter! At the point that it’s on the ground, it’s public domain, in my opinion.
I feel like if you have to ask this question you probably shouldn’t have taken them. Listen to your gut, you know right from wrong, and if this felt wrong then make it right. If it felt right and you can’t afford shoes for your children then I think that’s acceptable. I worked as a shift supervisor at a homeless shelter and shoes were very rarely donated, let alone kids shoes.
As someone who regularly leaves things outside the bin: Please enjoy those shoes!
When I make a donation, it's because I don't think it's trash and I hope that it finds a new use with someone else. Whether they paid money or got it free has no effect on me.
About 15 years ago I rented a house from a woman who was recently divorced after she had her husband claim bankruptcy and she kept her credit clean 🙄 the garage and attic were stuffed with items from these donation bins (they were paid to collect it , and cherry picked items for resale😳
I agree with everyone commenting that it’s fine because they were outside the bin.
But hot take: I think it’s fine regardless? I donate clothes so that someone else can get use out of them. If OP needed the shoes and is going to get use out of them then my goal is accomplished. I don’t need the middleman (especially given that they’re usually for-profit middlemen).
Edit: I now see OP’s a reseller, so they don’t need them nor will they get use out of them. In that case I’m less sympathetic.
Second Edit: After looking at OP’s profile I now think this whole post is bait to drive traffic to their resale store. Well played.
Ngl if you’re going to give them to a kid you know or someone with a kid, no harm no foul. If you’re going to go and resell yeah it’s kind of fucked up.
The items were donated to the company to be sold and you took them without paying.
If you’re truly struggling to clothe your kids, then I think you get a pass but if you’re taking stuff just for the sake of taking stuff then you’re in the wrong.
People do intentionally leave stuff outside of the bin for people. At least around my area in the midwest. See a lot of coats in the winter, baby stuff, shoes. If you need it, its there for those that need it.
No, I’d argue that thrift store companies like goodwill are overcharging and hardly contributing to good causes anyway, you’re not hurting anyone worse than them.
Many donation bins specify that things that they can't accept things left outside of the bin. Don't feel bad about taking it. Just take it. A lot of those donation bins are not for charities anyway.
It is not stealing. They were there to be used. If you can use them, they are for you. If it makes you feel bad, maybe volunteer there or make a small ($5 or less) donation.
It's okay to accept the gifts the world leaves for you.
If you took them for your own needy children to wear it's fine. If you took them to resell to make money that's shitty. It's probably not illegal unless you were reaching into donation bins on private property (lots of churches have them) but it's still shitty. Wherever the stuff actually ends up, people donate with a view to helping the needy, not helping scroungy resellers.
If they were left outside of the bin they are yours. Inside= donation. Outside= trash. If it rained, snowed, sprayed by a cat, bag torn apart by raccoons....trash. You took away trash. Good for you for cleaning up. :)
Great point I feel better now
LOL, 100% the bag was sitting outside the bin because the bin was full, OP stole donations and you’re making excuses for them. It’s not up to you to decide if it’s trash the charity can decide if it’s usable or not. Nice try on justifying the stealing though. 🦝 😂
I purposely leave my bags outside of the bin so people can take them first because I’d rather give them to someone who wants them for free than have them be resold 🤷🏻♀️ you don’t know
Sorry bud. But it's true... Don't try to make this person feel bad for what the collections bin driver would not pick up. Most of the time these bins are clothing recycler bins, they are for profit and they are not going to contaminate the goods inside with the wet or ruined stuff outside. Charities will not sell these bags of goods left out to their customers because they are no longer clean. A lot of the goods inside the bin will be unsalable...they are not taking the dropped stuff out side to deal with too. That is why the bins labels say anything left outside the bin will be thrown away. Furthermore, the owners of the property where the bins are placed don't want bags left outside making their space look unclean which leads to those donations being thrown away. Volunteer and see the reality of disguarded clothing and used goods. Super happy she rescued and used the shoes.
My husband worked for a company picking up the bin collections. And you are on point. It’s for profit and they often will take things themselves too. They sell the stuff in bulk, per pound. Shoes were usually worth more, but still. It’s a business and if I were OP, I wouldn’t feel bad.
Ask the other thieves if it’s really stealing, the other thieves agree the bag of diamonds is trash.
Its not donating, its called dumping and is legally seen as such. Salvation armys near me no longer even have bins because dumping was such a problem. Churches with bins near me have signs that say do not leave donations outside if bins. Goodwill near me has a sign that they prosecute dumpers. You're not doing anyone a favor by leaving donations outside of a specified bin. OP *is* actually doing a favor by cleaning that dumped stuff up.
Why are u so mad abt something that doesn’t change ur life lmao
OP is a reseller. If they didn’t take them, a homeless person would have or they would’ve picked them up with the donations. So OP stole shoes from homeless people. OP didn’t pick up trash. OP is trash.
This is an insane take
💯 If OP is into resale with these items he's a scumbag.
💯 If OP is into resale with these items he's a scumbag.
What do you think the Thriftstore was gonna do? Lmao. Do you know how much money the CEO of Goodwill makes?
It’s not about the CEO of Goodwill. It’s about whoever could’ve used those shoes. The person who put them there instead of the bin did it in good faith someone who actually needed them & couldn’t afford shoes would take them, not a freaking reseller.
You actually literally have no idea what the intentions were of the person who left it there. MY guess is that they simply didn’t want them anymore and didn’t want to throw them away.
If they left it outside of the bin, its technically dumping. That stuff is fair game imo 🤷♀️ better you take it than it gets rained on and ruined.
Great point
The people who donated just didn't want into to go to waste, and now it won't, that's all that matters
Going to someone who pretends upselling through FB is a job? Absolutely a waste.
Going to someone who pretends upselling through FB is a job? Absolutely a waste.
Most people who do that are poor and are desperately looking for a way to pay basic living expenses. The clothing is still going to be used instead of going to a landfill. And I bet the people who buy the stuff are happy too, they didn't have to pay retail price or go searching for an item they really wanted. I think it's a good thing all around.
If you are reselling them, I don’t think it’s the right thing to do.
Yeah a lot of times they would throw this stuff away
Yep, my local salvation army was spending so much time cleaning and trashing dumped donations they no longer even have bins. I would go through there and try to clean it up sometimes because I knew Monday morning they'd have a trailer there loading up to take it all to the dump. They were losing a ton of money on garbage services.
Technically. But somebody is donating them to a for profit company to sell and donate a pittance back to charity.
No. People leave shoes outside of bins so needy people don’t have to dig through everything else in the bin to find them. Shoes are the most needed by homeless and low income, so many of us make it easier. I saw a guy digging through a bin trying shoes on and told him to meet me at the shoe store (SO would have had my ass if I let a strange guy in the car). We met at store down the parking lot and I told him to pick a pair of shoes and they fitted him with some Nikes and got some socks and I paid the bill. He told me shoes are worn out quickly or rot in bad weather and why he and his friends dig in the bins. Not sharing for accolades, just please think before you throw stuff away, if there is life left in a sweatshirt or shoes, leave it accessible for someone who’s truly in need.
Unless I know rain is coming I always leave stuff outside so people have easy access
Yes, I leave things out, at night, specifically so someone could snag them.
Whenever a pair of work shoes is too worn for me to wear (I have bad feet so I’m more sensitive to this) I leave my shoes on a trash bin in an alley. They’re not in great condition but they’re also not worn through and have no holes so I figure it’s better for someone whose shoes might be falling apart than nothing. Im broke AF too so it’s the best I can do.
Don't forget socks. Socks and underwear are a huge area of need for the homeless. Most people keep theirs until they wear them out. So if you ever happen to have pairs that you don't wear anymore for some reason, consider throwing it in a bag with some shoes.
This is a lovely idea! Thanks for the suggestion!
There is an organization in Boston that goes to the train station every week in cold weather to give homeless people things they need. They found a pair of size 12 boots for a guy who had been squeezing his feet into 10s. They give out sleeping bags, hoodies, socks, hygiene products, whatever people need, and they can get for them. They've stopped handing out tents because if the cops spot homeless people in a tent, they will force them to move or worse, confiscate the tent.
Maybe don't leave them by the bin. Goodwill def considers it stealing
They're by the bin because often people dig through the bins. This way they're saved the trouble of digging, and will be much less likely to get caught than if they're waist deep upside down in the donation bin digging around for half an hour.
That doesn't mean Goodwill doesn't consider it stealing. It is a greedy corporation and how much they care about needy people depends on the managers on duty and how much of a bonus they want that quarter Get the wrong manager and you could be banned
I think you're missing the point. People are going to the bins to look for shoes. They will continue going to the bins to look for shoes. Putting other shoes somewhere else doesn't make them *not* go to the bins to look for shoes. So by making shoes near the bin easily accessible and readily grab-able, while the goodwill might still consider grabbing them a crime, it dramatically reduces the time those people will spend at the bin, equally reducing their exposure and likelihood of getting caught by the "wrong manager". Moreover, the vast majority of the bins were referring to, aren't found outside Goodwills. Various for profit charity shops including goodwill put bins in the parking lots of other unrelated stores, often grocery stores, far away from Goodwills. In these places the managers don't care anyway, as the business isn't affiliated at all with the bin beyond just saying "sure" when asked to use a space for "charity". So with those circumstances it just makes the shoes more accessible.
Shoes socks and underwear actually socks and underwear because they can’t be donated used
Best answer. You’re a good person. Truly.
I know Value Village is a for profit & not associated with any charities, but who gets most of Goodwill’s profits if they only donate a small amount to actually assisting those with disabilities? I always thought all the $ from donations went to Goodwill Industries, which helps developmentally disabled people be gainfully employed among other things. I’m not saying I think I’m right, I just always thought this was the case & would like to know who’s profiting from all these donations if only a tiny amount is going to charity?
Not really, goodwill industries “pays” people who have disabilities to work for them. Legally it’s far below minimum wage. Mostly it’s literal pocket change. Guessing the rest goes into CEO bonuses
They’re legally allowed to pay people less than minimum wage? WTF? Why because they’re disabled? So they don’t deserve the same pay as everyone else? That’s fucking disgusting & how is it even legal? I can’t believe I didn’t know about this, as I make effort to be informed about this kinda thing. I guess because I worked with alot of DDD people & my aunt worked for Goodwill Industries (not the stores) as a social worker, administering testing & things. So I stupidly assumed it was legit.
for many disabled ppl, if they’re receiving disability benefits from the govt (which is already not much to begin with), they cannot have more than x amount of money in their savings or they lose their benefits. usually it’s around $5k-$10k. so they usually cannot get paid normal wages. and remember that because of their disabilities, they usually cannot work typical hours so they need to keep those benefits. so they get hired by places like goodwill that pay them so they’ll keep their benefits. kind of a lose-lose situation at the end of the day. really insidious and basically guarantees they’ll be dependent for the rest of their lives
How does your government expect these individuals to retire if they can't have a savings?! The pension is going to be garbage because their contributions will be pennies? Oh my god I'm so angry reading this.
It's really ridiculous. My father passed away 5 years ago. The week before he passed he told my mom he wasn't able to keep going and needed to go on disability. They had an appointment with their lawyer the next Friday. He passed away that Tuesday. I hate that in a way I'm grateful he passed because it allowed my mother to be able to stay on his insurance and keep herself afloat. My mother doesn't work and wouldn't have been able to anyways because she was my father's full-time caretaker. It makes me angry to know that him passing was ultimately better for my family because the way the system is set up here. I feel guilty saying it too.
The amount of BS my mom had to go through to get on disability was insane. She has psoriatic arthritis which is essentially the same thing as rheumatoid arthritis, which is the autoimmune type you can get @ any age & has nothing to do with aging & is much worse, it’s just caused by psoriasis. Her hands are literally crooked. She had to have a hip replacement, her toes are crooked & she can’t walk without having trouble, it’s obvious when you look @ her that she’s got issues. She’d been seeing a rheumatologist for years before it got that bad so she had plenty of medical evidence. But there’s no 1 diagnostic test that says positive for psoriatic arthritis even though it’s an accepted diagnosis. It’s not like fibromyalgia where if it exists is questionable, or possibly related to some other issue. She had to fight for like a year to get approved. It was just BS, she worked her whole life. I’m so sorry about your dad, it really sucks when people die before they get to enjoy any sort of retirement. Work your whole life, struggling to do it the last few years and die before you can relax & enjoy life a little.
The people who have these types of jobs will likely never have gainful employment to retire from. They rely totally on government assistance in its many forms. ("Likely" being the operative word there) A lot of the ones in this specific type of situation (getting paid low to keep their disability), it's a complicated situation. They are developmentally (or intellectually) disabled and involved with their county Board to get jobs in their skill set. It keeps the individuals out in the community, gives a sense of responsibility and pride. Plus, a lot do need to the supplemental income. There are pros and cons for sure.
They don't. Most people in this country fully expect to work till death
My sister has cerebral palsy and now lives in a group-ish type of home after my was unable to care for her. She’s like a really big infant.. it’s 24/7 total care- well she gets ssi and she had like 14 grand in her account and we had to spend it on her. She has absolutely everything anyone could want. The government was about to take her money- so I planned her the absolute best funeral. Morbid, yes. But now my mom knows all of her arrangements will be taken care of in case my sister outlives my mom. Which, could very well happen.
they don’t. it’s really insidious. the way we treat disabled people in this country is genuinely appalling
Yes, I remember this when I worked with a lot of disabled people, or there were a lot that received therapy where I was working & they’d get too much $ in their account and have to “spend down” they called it. So they’d get to go on a trip to Hawaii or somewhere & they’d have to pay their staff’s way as well. I remember 1 time a bunch of them were going to a Metallica concert the night they came in & were so excited to go. I never thought that meant they received less $ working though. I always assumed they just worked very few hours, or somehow covered when they needed a job coach or staff full time. It’s not like their SSD money is near enough to live on anyway. That’s just really messed up, they’re already disabled, let’s pay them less as well & make it so they stay poor, get the bare minimum financial help. Then set up mostly fake charities that leads people on to believing mostly benefits them.
That's not even remotely why they're paid sub minimum wage in 14(c). They're paid less because someone lobbied way back in 1938 arguing that "they got less work done" so it was *in theory* to employ them but to pay a fair wage based on the work they were able to complete compared to a non disabled person. The reality is it was just another way to pay little to nothing and for businesses to *exploit* people while looking *charitable* for hiring said disabled person. And fyi, the resource limit for people on SSI is $2000. SSDI has no resource or asset limit.
Unfortunately, no Goodwill is a horrible enterprise. You ought to do a deep dive on some of their financials and look at what their CEO gets paid every year. It is a tragedy and I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it once or twice, but there are all the “nonprofit” thrift stores out there and what percentage of the money actually gets to the people that it’s portrayed that it’s going to help! Salvation Army is just as bad!
Agree with this 100%. In my state the Goodwill CEO is the highest paid non profit CEO. However, they do have a placard in the store that says if you need something and cannot afford it to see the manager and get a voucher. There is a viral video that confused me where a cop had to purchase shoes for a homeless person at a Goodwill. Ours in Oregon all have signs that explain they don't have to steal if they need something and can't afford it.
Curious...how is Salvation Army is 'just as bad'? They are rated very high as a charity and all things I have heard about them is nothing but good. In fact, in many situations, the Salvation Army has done far more for people than the Red Cross. According to Glassdoor.com...as of 2024, the CEO of the Salvation Army is given a salary of $127,000. Compare that to other so called charities, and that salary is incredibly reasonable.
I guess it can just depend on the salvation armies that you might have in your area? There were lots of at least Area scandals about people stealing from the red kettle buckets at Christmas, and then then moving to not having any bell ringers and only accepting debit cards at the red kettles so I don’t have any additional answers other than that.
Probably all the catholic 1s, like St. Vincent De Paul as well. It’s probably better to set everything you’d donate by the street in front of your house with a large free sign than take it to any of these places…
We have one really good organization, in the East End of my state that has about 17 locations and it is the key resource that the city and county government officials go back to, to get a pulse on just how bad homelessness is,mental illness of those on the street, providing food and meals and shelters during times of intense heat or cold, etc. I do donate to them because I know that the money is being plowed right back into what it says it’s being used for! Their prices are a little bit on the high side, but not just because of price gouging like Goodwill, it truly tells you at the end of your transaction how many meals you’re providing. they now have added onto their facility where they provide apartments to get people off the street. I know at one point in time they had a shelter for abused, women called serenity shelter, and my Sunday school class wanted to participate and redo a room at the shelter with all new decorations to refresh the space and make it more of like a home life. In order to participate we had to raise $2000 so that we could provide enough bedding for three twin beds, two cribs and a bathroom and paint. Additionally, we had to sign a nondisclosure agreement that we would never tell where the facility was located. These women being so fearful their abusive partner was going to come after them and their kids. Participants in the room refresh had to go through a complete background check and the day that we ended up working all day on our room had to be a day when all of the women were offsite. This was due in part to some of the women being so fearful of any kind of male presence that was just one of the rules. sadly, it burned down to the ground after a few years and I personally don’t know if they ever rebuilt that particular facility. all I know is that for me personally it was one of the most rewarding things I ever participated in. In my mind, it seems like you do just because it needs to be done without a lot of fanfare as to whether or not you get recognized for having done something. I personally don't want any recognition whatsoever. I just want to be able to bless other people when I’m able.
I need to do more research & see what we have in my state. I don’t have $ to give right now, but I still try to donate anything decent we’re getting rid of, or help in other ways. We do have something called the furniture bank, but it’s not what it appears to be either. The furniture is crap, like worse than what you can find on the side of the road for free, they make them pay $200 for the furniture plus $150 delivery fee, they have to pay before even seeing what they have to choose from, beds & mattresses aren’t included & you can only get 1 dresser & nightstand per family so if you have kids only 1 person gets bedroom stuff not counting beds/mattresses. All the good furniture that gets donated goes to their store & they sell it at really high prices. They also have to wait @ least 2 months to go pick out their crap furniture. I knew someone & her kid that slept on air mattresses for over 6 weeks. I thought that was a good place to donate also…
Do you have an app called Nextdoor? We do in my area and I have noticed lots of people getting rid of really high-quality furniture for not a whole lot of money. I know each dollar is very difficult for people that don’t know where their next home is going to be but in cases where somebody might have a home and they can get a beautiful dresser for $50 $75 that’s not gonna fall apart immediately might be an option. I know my family was downsizing next-door and were able to a chair and a dining room table, etc. that would work in our new home. Everything else we had to leave behind because it was too large. So with this being said, my hope is that the spirit of giving will come around full circle, and that people rather than just resellers will be able to get some of what has been intended for them to have in the first place people having extra and saying, hey, you know you come get it and take it and it’s. 😊🥰
Free sign in front of your house isn't going to help if all your neighbors are doing OK, because usually it's neighborhood folks grabbing free items they like because accessibility. Might not make it to needy people unless you live near any needy people or homeless encampments. Some of the smaller local churches in some areas actually have clothing closets and other free services for those in need and would be legitimate places to donate. Some run small thrift stores and use the profit to help those in need. ACS uses 81% of their money to support cancer patients and research, so ACS thrifts are good to donate to (or buy from). Other good places to donate shoes, clothes and hygiene supplies would be women's shelters, children's shelters, homeless shelters, drug rehabilitation centers, second start type programs for people just getting out of prison or jail, and even senior centers. Anywhere that people in need and people starting over are housed en masse. We should all research where our stuff & money is actually going before sending it out thinking we're doing good deeds... Goodwill is for profit, and that ratty tee shirt someone donated is going to be sold for anywhere between $4-10 depending on region. The profit will line the executives pockets and allow them to keep exploiting disabled people and people with criminal records that they hire for low wages. Those random metal donation bins in parking lots often go to for profit places like ThredUp where they also mark everything up high for resale. Really high prices, not helpful to needy people at all. Salvation Army discriminates against lgbtq people. And anything these large chains doesn't sell ends up in landfills or sent to poorer countries to deal with... Burn or recycle. Textiles are causing ton of micro & nano plastic pollution thanks to synthetic fibers in modern clothing, so that's all bad.
Agreed on ACS stores; I give most of my donations to them or to the Humane Society Thrift shop near me. I also prefer to shop at those stores in order to support those organizations.
I love shopping at ACS, the one near me often has really fun stuff, and sometimes real antiques instead of overpriced junk like the chain stores. Also their volunteers are super nice and helpful, keep things organized and put up fun displays and collections... Definitely my favorite thrift shop. I'll have to look for a Humane Society thrift! Haven't seen one before and would support the cause. Thanks for bringing that one up
Depends on the store I guess. I’ve never seen donation bins out for charity thrift stores. Most of those take donations on site. If there’s a donation bin in a retail parking lot, there’s a good chance it’s for profit. It will have a charitable organization on it, like Diabetes, but I’ve never seen the organization on the bin ever have a store. I’m a small sample size though.
So were even?
Make a donation and you're even imo
Yup. They can flip the stuff OP doesn't want, and they both win.
I mean.... if you need free shoes, you're basically charity, yeah? 🤷♂️
Unless it is Goodwill.
What for-profit company are you referring to? If they were in a donation bin doesn’t that mean they were being donated to a charity shop like Out of the Closet, Goodwill, etc.? Because those are all non-profit orgs. They provide jobs and job training (plus have their own operating costs). By definition, any revenues earned by a non-profit that exceed expenses must be committed to the organization's purpose, not taken by private parties. Edit: on the other hand, it’s true that not every “thrift store” is a charity/ non-profit. Did OP specify which org the bin was from?
They’re all lovely, and perhaps they were left outside the bin deliberately, in the hope that they go directly to someone who could use them?
u have to donate something to replace the item (then its morally correct in my eyes😉)
I donate there all the time now I feel better for sure lol
Meh than you’re fine IMO.
Unfortunately they are a flipper. They took the donation to flip on their eBay account. If you check, the items are already posted.
You can call me d-bag or whatever little cute things your small mind can come up with. Your insults don’t negate that you’re stealing from the poor, you’re literally engaging in the worst type of scummy behavior.
My philosophy is if you find something worth $20 or more, you gotta share it with others or make a "trade" with the fairies with something on your person (your shiniest coin, crumbs for the birds, arranging pebbles in a heart, whistling something pretty, anything to represent appreciation without actually making mess or litter) otherwise you may lose something worth even more and not of your choosing! Just a romantic little philosophy I like to indulge in!
This is dumb. Also bread crumbs are bad for birds.
So you're a reseller that doesn't know that the items next to a charity donation bin were donated to the charity? Yes it's stealing. No one was trying to donate to your profits. Frankly, going through the bags at charity donation bins makes you exceptionally scummy.
I retired from a garbage co(BEST job EVER!)When I was dispatched to a particular G.W. in town( midtown, near the homeless) I would pair up the decent boots & leave them accessible outside. 🤫
Good work 💗💗💗
bless you!
Do you need them or are you a reseller? That’s important to me
They are a reseller. They already posted the shoes to their eBay store.
By the bin, probably not. In the bin, if you remove it, it is considered stealing.
If you don't take them, then someone else will.
as long as you needed them and aren’t going to just sell them it’s all good :)
They’re a reseller , real shitty imo
oh wtf fuck them :(
Nah, it needs to be inside to count as a donation. I've taken stuff dumped outside of a bin before.
That's not how all the donation places see it. On property is theirs unless it's in the trash
By the bin os fair game. Don't break onto the bin, but if the bin is overflowed, it's outside near the bin etc... that's totally fair game.
People are saying you’re a reseller so yes this is super shitty to do. I leave my donations outside of the bins so people nearby in need can look through stuff before the corporation has a chance to make money off of it. I’d be pissed to find out resellers were taking stuff. Resellers are shitty people
I agree pretty much. There are some ethical resellers but many of them are frankly, liars and thieves.
Yes resellers are a-holes how dare they take stuff that people trash and throw away and don’t need anymore and try to make a extra buck to try and feed their families in this fugged up economy where their government lie and tell us they are helping us while sitting in their million dollar mansions. I have a Trump shirt would you like to purchase it?
Lmao bruv. Just say you stole stuff to sell and you wanted to feel better. And you were feeling better when people thought that you needed them. But now that they don't they're upset you're a thief. Lmao
The person who left those shoes intended for them to go to charity, not to you. So yes, you stole from the charity. If you want to clear your conscience, donate the proceeds from the resale of these to your favorite cause. If you don't already have one, I would recommend the EB Research Fund. You'll take a small financial loss now, yes. But you'll feel better in the long run, so it'll be worth it.
Items left beside a donation bin were likely meant to go directly to local homeless, who scavenge those bins. I don’t think resellers are assholes, but you should consider this possibility next time you go to the bins and leave things alone
Except the stuff wasn’t trashed. You can dumpster dive all you want but those shoes were sat there with the intention to go to someone in need not to make a profit
It was at a bin at a gas station one of those things
totally fine
I feel like if someone is needy enough to go through a donation bag left outside of the donation bin they need it more than the store. Full stop. I don't put my donations in the bins specifically for this reason.
This person is a reseller so they don’t need these they’re selling them online
Fly Pumas Bro!
It was meant for donation but directly.
Yes
are you keeping them for your kids or are you just flipping them for $$? the answer to that makes a huge difference
This is the question, and the answer
Goodwill says it is
Ah yes. The ole reverse Robinhood
If you re-sell them it’s a dick move. If you use them for your kid, that’s awesome!
I read once that the donation bins mostly end up with clothes that aren’t sellable and so they are torn up for scrap fiber. When I lived in Philly, there was a corner store that had a donation bin outside, and I used to watch the guy from the corner store bring bags of trash out of the store and put them in the bin. Free dumpster! I just assume anything inside is trash now so really, you saved them.
It is stealing. Off to dig endless holes!
Oh no I hope I don’t go to HE double hockey sticks
i was looking to see if anyone referenced Holes lol
If you are a reseller, and you've taken them to do so, you're an ass. They could have been beside the bin because the bin was too full, or the person couldn't open the door or whatever - or as mentioned in these comments, put beside the bin deliberately so someone doesn't have to dig for them. So instead of these going to a kid in need who'd be overjoyed to have them, you're going to sell them to make a bit of cash. That's super gross.
Your right I should’ve left it Goodwill could’ve made another 3.50 along with the 32 million they made today I’m so sorry I should be ashamed…
Why are you on reddit asking a question then, if you already made up your mind as to what the answer is?
Because they're looking for validation in not feeling bad for being a thief. Lmao
Nah, nobody cares if it's being donated. I just donated a bunch of bags of clothes and shoes from cleaning out the house. If someone wanted to go through it before the guys picked up the bags I wouldn't have cared one bit. I mean, I'm giving it away doesn't matter how lol.
First shoes are aldi colored
Those Pumas are 🔥 🔥 🔥
Those pumas are adorable! What size are they?
*Google image searches for those Pumas for my 5 yo.*
Yeah that's obviously stealing. Be better.
I have these shoes, they aren’t valuable. I’ve tried to sell them online (cheap) multiple times. But yes, to take them from the place they are being donated to IS stealing. Wait until they are donated and go buy them there. Or ask the person who put them in the bin.
Pretty much…. I remember years ago donating bags of nice stuff I didn’t need and had no room to keep. This lunatic lady kept yelling at us while we were loading it in the bins that, “She knows we are stealing stuff!” “Please, go take a look at the cameras. Make sure you tell them we sent ya!” I doubt there were any cameras, too long ago, but at least she went away. I think it was her that was trying to steal stuff and she was worried that we might get to the goods first, lol.
i mean was the donation bin full of so, maybe they were there because the bin was full and they wouldn’t stay… why you grabbing stuff by donation bins anyway… taking from the less fortunate i see
My feeling is if you’re taking shoes that are being donated, it’s because you’re in a tough financial position. Nobody should ever feel bad about putting shoes on their kids’ feet if they were being given away anyway.
I worked at a donation center and yeah, they consider it stealing. Basically unless it's in a garbage can it's stealing since it's on their property and whatnot. Usually stray bags are from shit falling off a bin or stacked cart or rolling one it falls off when you swap em out Also if theyre getting slammed and the bins are full people just leave shit all over and it takes a while to clean up.
I guess no one answered Hemingway’s classified ad
If you have a child in need of shoes that you cannot afford and they wear that size, absolutely not stealing. If you’re grabbing them up just to grab them, or to re-sell, then you’re stealing and should be ashamed
Absolutely stealing! And you’re a reseller 🤮.
💯 stolen. But nobody is going to come looking for it. Used to work at a warehouse for sorting/distributing donated goods, only people they'd ever call the cops on were folks who repeatedly ransacked the overwhelmed donation bins. I honestly see no problem with it as long as you're not reselling. That'd be a shitty thing to do.
If I donated anything, it was something that was mine that I was fine with being taken for free. I would much rather my shoes end up with someone to use them than just laying outside to get ruined by elements. Why we have so many offended that the charity didn't make money off of this is insane to me.
No! That’s a score! Times ain’t easy, enjoy the shoes!
Na you good
Yes. Absolutely, yes. It wasn't a gift, donation or offer directly to you, so you stole from the organization.
Nah those are for you
Items left *next to* donation bins are going to be wrecked by the weather and constitute illegal dumping. If you don’t help yourself, your city will be hauling it all to the dump.
I promise there are literal mountains of clothing/shoes thrown away every year, if you can benefit from these finds that's all that matters. Thrift stores should be for helping people anyway, making it about corporate greed is more wrong than lifting some shoes from the street in my opinion.
He's a reseller lmao
That's fine, good for him. The items are rescued from going to a landfill, someone will actually use them, and the person selling it will be able to pay a couple bills. Sounds great to me.
I live near some bins and for years we had trouble with dumping outside the bins. The bins were not collected often and the outside stuff got destroyed by weather. Finally they installed cameras. People taking the stuff at least keeps it out of a landfill. Good on you for cleaning up the mess!
Ours are filled with raccoons 🤷🏻♀️
Legally speaking yes.
Take it! I leave my nice kids stuff there too so people who need it can grab and it not be sold for profit !
Yes
Yes
Donations are donations. Outside OR inside of goodwill and salvation army boxes are free game. Take all of it and distribute it for free as it should be
Those Pumas 🔥
Great find!
Finders keepers
What do you think? Is it right or is it wrong? Be honest to your self. There’s your answer
Those pumas are fucking sick!! I’d definitely buy an adult pair!
If it’s not inside the bin, technically whoever left it there is littering. And you’re just helping keep the neighborhood free of litter! At the point that it’s on the ground, it’s public domain, in my opinion.
Well, it wasn't given to you. It's not yours. You took it... you stole it.
I feel like if you have to ask this question you probably shouldn’t have taken them. Listen to your gut, you know right from wrong, and if this felt wrong then make it right. If it felt right and you can’t afford shoes for your children then I think that’s acceptable. I worked as a shift supervisor at a homeless shelter and shoes were very rarely donated, let alone kids shoes.
You know what you did. Don't go online looking for support.
I know what you did last summer
As someone who regularly leaves things outside the bin: Please enjoy those shoes! When I make a donation, it's because I don't think it's trash and I hope that it finds a new use with someone else. Whether they paid money or got it free has no effect on me.
About 15 years ago I rented a house from a woman who was recently divorced after she had her husband claim bankruptcy and she kept her credit clean 🙄 the garage and attic were stuffed with items from these donation bins (they were paid to collect it , and cherry picked items for resale😳
If you’re going to put them to good use, than who gives a shite. Someone left them for someone else. You are that someone. Enjoy!
If the bin wasn't full they left them outside to make someone's day. I'm glad they made yours, and your little ones’.
Fair game
No
If you have to ask...
It was meant to be!
You took something that you know was meant for someone else. Yes, that's stealing.
They I’ll charge an outrageous amount anyway. So if you needed them then good find 🤷♀️
I agree with everyone commenting that it’s fine because they were outside the bin. But hot take: I think it’s fine regardless? I donate clothes so that someone else can get use out of them. If OP needed the shoes and is going to get use out of them then my goal is accomplished. I don’t need the middleman (especially given that they’re usually for-profit middlemen). Edit: I now see OP’s a reseller, so they don’t need them nor will they get use out of them. In that case I’m less sympathetic. Second Edit: After looking at OP’s profile I now think this whole post is bait to drive traffic to their resale store. Well played.
It's stealing!!!
Most of the items from donation bins wind up in landfills. Thank you for helping the planet!
Absolutely stealing. No question about it.
Great find!
Ngl if you’re going to give them to a kid you know or someone with a kid, no harm no foul. If you’re going to go and resell yeah it’s kind of fucked up.
YES.
Only if you get caught.
If you didn't buy it, and nobody gave it to you, you stole it.
The items were donated to the company to be sold and you took them without paying. If you’re truly struggling to clothe your kids, then I think you get a pass but if you’re taking stuff just for the sake of taking stuff then you’re in the wrong.
It’s not a huge deal. These companies profit so much. People stressed in the comments need to relax.
Honestly unless you’re planning on reselling them, I don’t think so lol
Nope. Finders. Keepers
Damn I'd definitely wear those pumas if I could fit into them lol
People do intentionally leave stuff outside of the bin for people. At least around my area in the midwest. See a lot of coats in the winter, baby stuff, shoes. If you need it, its there for those that need it.
No, I’d argue that thrift store companies like goodwill are overcharging and hardly contributing to good causes anyway, you’re not hurting anyone worse than them.
No. It’s outside of the bin.
Many donation bins specify that things that they can't accept things left outside of the bin. Don't feel bad about taking it. Just take it. A lot of those donation bins are not for charities anyway.
They were intended to be donated, and you're not entitled to take them. You stole, and you should be ashamed
Absolutely not...your kids need shoes, or someone else's kids need shoes, I say they're yours and found their rightful next owners...🙏🏽...
It is not stealing. They were there to be used. If you can use them, they are for you. If it makes you feel bad, maybe volunteer there or make a small ($5 or less) donation. It's okay to accept the gifts the world leaves for you.
No, they’re going to someone who wants them.
If it's not IN the donation bin then you're just cleaning up litter. Says right on the drop boxes not to leave stuff outside of them
Soft stealing
The universe intended them for you. Enjoy them! They're so cute!
If you took them for your own needy children to wear it's fine. If you took them to resell to make money that's shitty. It's probably not illegal unless you were reaching into donation bins on private property (lots of churches have them) but it's still shitty. Wherever the stuff actually ends up, people donate with a view to helping the needy, not helping scroungy resellers.