Your stuff did this! October spotlight
What an unbelievable month it’s been! Like the fall colors, Ridwell members’ generosity has brightened this chilly time of year, and we’re excited to share the incredible things your stuff made possible this month. While it may seem as simple as clearing out some extra space in your home, participating in a featured category pickup provides a lifeline to people in our communities who need a hand.
Here are a few of the great things you (and your stuff) made happen in October:
DENVER
Ridwell members in Denver cleaned out their coat closets and collected over 1,500 pounds of coats, hats, and other winter warmth items to help support several of our area partners in keeping Denver warm. A few of these partners include Clothes to Kids Denver, who provide local children with the clothing and confidence they need to thrive (and who needed to repurpose a dressing room as temporary storage for all these wonderful coats!), as well as ARC Thrift store, who is Colorado’s largest employer of intellectually and developmentally disabled people and depends on donations to help make these vital opportunities possible.
PORTLAND
Portland members shipped over 2,500 pounds of crayons off to The Crayon Initiative, who supplies kids in hospitals with free crayons. Being sick is no fun, and for kids in particular, a hospital stay can be a scary ordeal. The Crayon Initiative gives children this simple, important medium to help them face their challenges and express themselves through art. They efficiently use the crayons we collect from Ridwell members in any condition, melting down broken ones to create new sets of crayons and bring joy to the small patients they serve.
BELLINGHAM
The ability to repair things that are broken requires both skills and supplies that many of us take for granted. Handy Bellingham members put the power to fix stuff in their neighbors' hands by donating 240+ pounds of hand tools to our partner, The RE Store, whose number one priority is to make building materials available for everyone who needs them and to keep useful tools and building supplies out of the landfill.
SEATTLE
Pet leashes, collars, and harnesses from Ridwell members in the Puget Sound region got a new life helping our partners, Pawsitive Alliance and Saving Great Animals, support critters in their care and give community members in need a helping paw.
Here’s what Pawsitive Alliance had to say about Ridwell members’ impact!
“We will use these donated items at our upcoming free pet supply clinics as well as share them with our rescue partners. It takes a village to support the many cats and dogs in need across our state, we are honored that Ridwell partnered with us on these efforts.”
Want to start putting your old things to great use in your community? Join Ridwell today — or, if you’re already a member, spread the word about the magic of Ridwell’s featured category to make our community an even bigger force for good. Let your friends know how you gave back to people near you by sharing this blog on social using the buttons below!
