Neighborhood Donations

a child-centered organization would be ideal.

Exactly, so Wbottom should not apply.

Goodwill on 79th.

The Intergenerational Residence on 83rd and West End.
http://intergenerational.org/index.php

uwsmom: I faced/am facing the same conundrum. I think Goodwill may accept, but ends up throwing away most of the kids' things that they receive. I generally freecycle, but there are a lot of kooks on that. I stopped letting freecycle people meet me at my place, meet someplace like Sbucks or at a park bench.

Not sure if it's true, but I once heard that big thrift-shop operations sort clothes into:
1. saleable in shops
2. export to third-world charities
3. sale as bulk rags for industrial applications

rather than throw away.

That's what I meant - I would rather the kids' stuff was used by someone locally, rather than exported or processed into rags. I've had success with freecycle, when I have a burst of energy, I deal with stuff that way.

The late great Mrs. Astor noticed that, while programs came into existence to provide real apartments to homeless families who had been in the shelter system, the families had nothing -- especially in the way of furniture -- to set up homes. She created an organization that was basically a free furniture "store" for them to go shopping in when they got new apartments.

I forgot the name of the organization, don't know if they still exist, and don't know if they carry any goods beyond furniture. Presumably kitchen housewares.

i remember you mentioning you use a cleaning service, ask one of them if they need anything. basically, offer it to everyone who does any work for you in any capacity. give it to someone you know. the rest you can craigslist/free it, or lot sell on ebay for a dollar. someone who needs it will still be getting it.

There is a new Housingworks between 96th and 97th street on Broadway.

There's also the St Francis thrift store on 96th bet B'way and Amsterdam and of course Salvation Army on 96th bet WEA and B'way.

I like how St Francis handles their donations--they seem to take great care in sorting things like books into categories.

Thanks everyone!
I wish I had the energy for freecycle or knew someone personally who could use all of this (most people I know are not in great need ;).
I called the West End Intergenerational Residence and they accept donations 24/7 (easy drop-off). Thanks W81!