Where To Send Clothes For Philippine Charity

[Bundy]

We have just now sold our house (yippee!) and are now going through all our belongings trying to sort out what we will bring to Cebu and what we want to get rid of. We have quite a lot of clothes that we would like to donate to Philippine charities, and or flood/disaster relief.We are willing to pay the balikbayan box costs but does anyone know where we can send them so they WILL be given to the needy?

[Dave Hounddriver]

When there is a disaster, people generally pitch in to get clothes to the needy. The latest one that I recall was Sendong, over 2 months ago. It is likely the victims of that one already have replacement clothes. Anything you send to help now will no doubt end up in someone's ukay ukay store for sale. All the charitable donations end up in these establishments. Its not always a bad thing. Sometimes its a local person who is making a living providing cheap, second hand clothes to their neighbors. Sometimes it is a rich person who has found a way to get something for nothing and sell it for a profit. The worst abuse I saw was a Japanese national, married to a filipina, who brought all the relief supplies shipped to Japan for their disaster, (I saw the labels on the packaging), and sold the things in Philippines.If it was me, I would have no hesitation donating to the 'right' ukay ukay establishment. That being one run by a legitimately poor family who needs a little help making a living. Unfortunately, I have heard stories of government people stepping in when that happens as they have not received any 'customs duties'.To make this long story short, any clothes I have to share are always gratefully accepted by the poorer members of my wife's family. If you don't get a better offer, then send me the box and I'll be sure that the poor folk in her neighborhood get the goods.

[Bruce]

HEY too bad you are not in the US! I could give you a tax duductable receipt!But if you pay shipping, I can see that all clothes are GIVEN away to poor squatters and not sold and can post some pics to prove it.Shipping here is:Pam Valenzuela410 Purok 9Canlapwas, CatbaloganSamar, Phils, 67000929 756 6865Same information on the website below.

Edited February 26, 2012 by Bruce

[Mike S]

Yup ..... Bruce maybe a lot of things :attention: ... but at least he is honest ....... my bet would be on him ...... seriously

[Tatoosh]

Ron Rae is a bishop in the Evangelical Episcopal church who does counseling work in Philippine prisons and also for the poor that live and work on the Manila garbage dumps, very very poor families. He's real, I've met and talked to him. He was even giving away clothes from his brother to larger sized expats, since the Filipinos couldn't use them. He's a good guy, very honest, and spends his off time up in Baguio City, but his primary area for his charity work in Manila. He is a US citizen, out of Texas, I think. His website is: ronrae.org

[Bundy]

Thankyou all for your ideas, we'll make sure that these get to genuine needy people. The missus has now come home and also has a few more ideas. We will also have some other household goods which we will also send, i'd rather everything go to needy families in the Philippines as opposed to being sold off for next to nothing here.

[billten]

One other suggestion is to box the cloths and send them to yourself and once you get a place set up give out the clothes to the people that are needy within your own circle of neighbors. You will certainly find they will be very grateful.

[daisy]

Thankyou all for your ideas, we'll make sure that these get to genuine needy people. The missus has now come home and also has a few more ideas. We will also have some other household goods which we will also send, i'd rather everything go to needy families in the Philippines as opposed to being sold off for next to nothing here.

Thanks for the idea of helping the poor Filipinos Bundy.... I could have suggest that you send it to us here, myself as the leader of ELCI but I know Bruce has done it already, let me just vouch for him as I also would like that your donations will go to the right people. Let me tell you that even during those operation sendong days, on two occasions that we distributed relief goods from he US, all the beneficiaries were all thankful and praises for what they received because it was so unlike the others they've been receiving...just go figure it out why? Again thanks and God bless you and your wife for the generous hearts. Edited February 26, 2012 by daisy

[Bundy]

One other suggestion is to box the cloths and send them to yourself and once you get a place set up give out the clothes to the people that are needy within your own circle of neighbors. You will certainly find they will be very grateful.

Yeah Bill, that is exactly what the missus has said. She wants to wrap things in the clothes inside the boxes to lessen the chance of damages, and distribute it all amongst the people we will be living near.

[billten]

Yeah Bill, that is exactly what the missus has said.

Smart lady that! You should marry that one before she gets away... ;-)