What is your immediate thought on this?

[Anonymous]

Our school has a lost & found. Twice a year, families bring in old clothes that get mixed in with L & F Andrew everyone is invited to take anything they want / need. Whatever is left after that is donated.

I think it’s a much better approach, which recognizes that there are probably plenty of people in your own community who could use some extra help with clothing.

[Anonymous]

We moved away from the DC area to a colder climate. Our kids' elementary school has a mix of incomes. 33% FARMS with the rest being a mix of middle class and upper middle class. They make every effort to get the lost and found items back to the owners. At the end of the year they keep coats/hats/gloves. A volunteer washes everything and then it goes into the need closet. If a child comes to school and asks they are given a coat to keep. If a child comes to school on a field trip day not dressed for the weather they get sent to the office and are given a coat/gloves/hat. The system seems to work great. My kid forgot to wear a coat one day that started warmer then it ended and came home in a coat. We washed it and sent it back for the next kid. The school also collects shorts and pants to have on hand in case a younger child has an accident. It has been a great way to pass on the bottoms my kids have out grown.

[Anonymous]

OP, if that woman wants to think she's "needy" enough ...

[Anonymous]

It's fine. Chances are they aren't donating the items directly to "needy families" but to an organization like Goodwill that's going to sell it for more than needy families could afford anyway.

[Anonymous]

Meh, it's kind of gross but doesn't totally turn me off. If your kid lost his/her north face coat and you didn't bother to check lost and found at school for the entire year I feel like you've kind of given up rights to it. And the whole "taking from the poor" argument is a stretch.

I'm assuming none of these items are labeled with names because otherwise wouldn't they have already been "found" or returned to the kid? That's how it works at my kids school.

[Anonymous]

I am planning to do the same thing Thursday night.
I am a single mom in a high COL area.
I know people would judge though, so I will do it discreetly and have my child wear the stuff on weekends and holidays.
I also know that a lot of free lunch families are not needy, they just have cash jobs. And they get tons of free stuff, while I struggle between rent, aftercare, and such.

[Anonymous]

tacky

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't see how this is a problem, honestly.

Let's say the PTA is in charge of moving the items from lost and found to Goodwill. I am on the PTA, let's say. I am boxing the items for goodwill...I'm putting them in my car. I find nice pants, a jacket, a lunchbox, and more. Can't *I* take those items?!? What difference does it make if I take it, or if I give it to goodwill (which throws a lot away).

You are gross. The items are not yours and are being donated to Goodwill. Goodwill makes money from items and is a place many needy families are given vouchers to shop by local organizations. You are stealing.

I once dropped off some picture frames at Goodwill. A lady also dropping stuff off said they were hers and she had”changed her mind”. She walked out and I told the attendant she was lying. The attendant got a manager and he literally waved her car down to tell her she couldn’t take from the bin. She looked so embarrassed. It was so satisfying.

[Anonymous]

PP here. For those of you who think taking the items is ok, why not just propose that to your school. Ask for them to have a last day “give away” before the items get donated. If there is nothing wrong with just taking them there certainly is nothing wrong with asking if you can take them, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't see how this is a problem, honestly.

Let's say the PTA is in charge of moving the items from lost and found to Goodwill. I am on the PTA, let's say. I am boxing the items for goodwill...I'm putting them in my car. I find nice pants, a jacket, a lunchbox, and more. Can't *I* take those items?!? What difference does it make if I take it, or if I give it to goodwill (which throws a lot away).

Goodwill throws a lot away, but are the things they throw away the same as the things that you'd take? Or are you taking things that are higher quality and would have decent resale value?

I'm a teacher. I've raided lost and found at the end of the year end then traded with teacher friends at other schools, so I have age appropriate stuff to give my kids who don't have enough, and they don't run the risk of meeting the person whose pants they are wearing. But that's taking what was headed for charity and using it for charitable purposes. Taking what is headed for charity for yourself or your own kids is stealing.

That is some questionable logic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here. For those of you who think taking the items is ok, why not just propose that to your school. Ask for them to have a last day “give away” before the items get donated. If there is nothing wrong with just taking them there certainly is nothing wrong with asking if you can take them, right?

Huh? The school literally already announced this. It's the last day of school. After that point, the clothes are fair game because it's assumed the owner is willing to donate if not picked up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't see how this is a problem, honestly.

Let's say the PTA is in charge of moving the items from lost and found to Goodwill. I am on the PTA, let's say. I am boxing the items for goodwill...I'm putting them in my car. I find nice pants, a jacket, a lunchbox, and more. Can't *I* take those items?!? What difference does it make if I take it, or if I give it to goodwill (which throws a lot away).

Goodwill throws a lot away, but are the things they throw away the same as the things that you'd take? Or are you taking things that are higher quality and would have decent resale value?

I'm a teacher. I've raided lost and found at the end of the year end then traded with teacher friends at other schools, so I have age appropriate stuff to give my kids who don't have enough, and they don't run the risk of meeting the person whose pants they are wearing. But that's taking what was headed for charity and using it for charitable purposes. Taking what is headed for charity for yourself or your own kids is stealing.

That is some questionable logic.

Oh wait-does “my kids” mean your students? That’s makes more sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't see how this is a problem, honestly.

Let's say the PTA is in charge of moving the items from lost and found to Goodwill. I am on the PTA, let's say. I am boxing the items for goodwill...I'm putting them in my car. I find nice pants, a jacket, a lunchbox, and more. Can't *I* take those items?!? What difference does it make if I take it, or if I give it to goodwill (which throws a lot away).

Goodwill throws a lot away, but are the things they throw away the same as the things that you'd take? Or are you taking things that are higher quality and would have decent resale value?

I'm a teacher. I've raided lost and found at the end of the year end then traded with teacher friends at other schools, so I have age appropriate stuff to give my kids who don't have enough, and they don't run the risk of meeting the person whose pants they are wearing. But that's taking what was headed for charity and using it for charitable purposes. Taking what is headed for charity for yourself or your own kids is stealing.

That is some questionable logic.

Seriously! So the teacher can take things from Lost and Found and swap with other teachers and it is not stealing, but only the other non teachers who are doing that are stealing. Some twisted logic.

[Anonymous]

Strange

[Anonymous]

I kind of want to care, but don't.