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Changing
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Why do we only take new clothing? |
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The children on the reservations that we serve are living in extreme hardship. The adults may be disabled and homeless, and are likely among the 70% who do not have a car or transportation. The people in these communities may go a day or two without food, and a week without any food of substance. They may or may not have heat, blankets, coats or matching shoes.
Clearly these are the most burdened people in our country.
Over the past year, Changing Winds has accepted some used clothing and In Kind donations. Some people drop off beautiful used clothing, such as is impossible to tell whether or not it has ever been worn. There is not one single bit of evidence that it has been worn by others. We are very happy to accept that clothing, and even still, we wash everything that comes through here, regardless of the quality or fabric of the garment.
Why? Because it might smell of someone else's basement or attic. Because it might carry germs or even lice, which happened
to us in the past She called two weeks later asking us if we had already sent them out. Thankfully, we had not. Many people drop off beautiful items that must be dry cleaned. There are no dry cleaners in the areas we serve. Beautiful wool coats may well be cut up and used for blankets.
Clothing with no sign of wear is accepted as the best of circumstances. Sadly, we also see the worst. People drop off stained, torn, overly used and worn out clothing that may smell or be so dirty we hesitate to touch it. Shoes with worn down heels, jackets with ripped pockets and torn linings, holes and broken zippers or missing buttons.
We believe the reason that these items are brought to
us is because and it is the love you are trying to pass on. However, for the person who did not share your experiences, it feels as if you have sent burdens and trash.
Please be sensitive to the fact that the people we serve
have a sense of pride,
Everything in that box must say,
We love you. We care about you. We want the best for you. We want you to see the world as a place that embraces you, Not one that sends you its garbage.
If you choose to send used items, Do Not send them to the reservations. Send them to us for inspection, and send them freshly washed. Do not send anything that shows ANY sign of wear. We will not accept stained or ripped items, or anything that needs to be repaired.
Remember that the sacredness is not in the cost of a garment but whether or not it brings comfort and a sense of love.
And please remember that we are all volunteers, our time is valuable and rare, and we have many other ways to serve than to spend it doing laundry and reshipping the goods to South Dakota. The cost of shipping an item to us, laundering it and sending it out to South Dakota is often the price of new coat. When you buy a New Coat, you make everyone's life easier. New coats can be bought for as little as $25.00, and will
serve not just one child,
Thank you for your understanding! |
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Changing
Winds Center for American Indian Advocacy © 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 - Changing Winds Seminars, Inc. |