Editor, Times-Union: Our Father’s House is fortunate to operate in a very generous community. Everything we do is a direct result of donations. These donations range from drop-box items and our truck pick-up program items to individuals donating their time.
As with any company we incur costs. These costs are not passed on to individuals as is the case in most businesses. When our costs rise, our services diminish. Unfortunately, as utility companies raise their rates a few tenths of a percent we might not be able to give away a few more meals as a result.
One of the costs that we are trying to reduce is our waste. The majority of our waste is generated from donated items that are broken, soiled and generally unacceptable to the general public. We pride ourselves on utilizing every item in every donation. But when we encounter unacceptable donations we are forced to dispose of them.
We would like to remind everyone when donating keep these things in mind. Is it broken? If it is, we will not be able to use that item. Also, broken items can result in injuries to our volunteer staff. If it isn’t broken, is it soiled? Certain items such as furniture and beds may look relatively clean, but if they have been soiled, we will also have to dispose of them. Please keep in mind that we are not trying to discourage donations, we are only trying to give some clarity as to what we can use.
