Charities Hoping You Reach Into Your Wallet To Help This Holiday Season
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – On Giving Tuesday, local non-profits hoped to shift the donor mindset just a bit – from reaching into their closets for used clothing and housewares to reaching into their wallets for cash and checks.
Pittsburgh is known as one of the most generous cities in the country and charity organizations that run retail stores say they would never want to discourage people from donating their belongings.
But those organizations also rely on monetary contributions, so Giving Tuesday gave their programs a boost.
Michael Smith, CEO and President of Goodwill in Southwestern Pennsylvania, acknowledges the stores are jam-packed this time of year, as families are feeling more charitable and as taxpayers donate their last-minute write-offs.
Goodwill's policy is to never turn a donor away, but the organization also looks forward to the cash-flow of Giving Tuesday.
"It's an opportunity for people to give a monetary donation and it's much better for us because we can put those dollars to work right away as opposed to having to process and sell the donated material," said Smith.
KDKA's Kym Gable caught up with one donor from Slippery Rock who says she tried to donate a truck-full of belongings to 4 different non-profit stores before the Goodwill in Butler finally accepted the load.
"You know I would have gladly dropped a couple bags each place," said a frustrated Betty Walker. "But they didn't want them. They were too full they said."
Goodwill's policy is to never turn a donor away, but they do acknowledge the shops are packed.
Giving Tuesday puts the focus on cash contributions.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul also encourages year-round store donations.
Giving Tuesday is another way to fund much-needed programs like housing, utility, and burial assistance. "We need to fill the gaps," said Executive Director Keith Kondrich.
"You know, we get a lot of great donations through our food pantries throughout the diocese. But if we need to get fresh meat, if we need to get different things like diapers, we have the ability to do that with people's cash donations."
For more information on St. Vincent De Paul click here.
For more information on Goodwill click here.
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