A Long Chilly Wait For Coats, Sweaters (Wichita, KS once again)

[hatrack]

Kyra Fenderson knew the lines for free coats would be long Wednesday at the Salvation Army in downtown Wichita.

So she arrived two hours before the Salvation Army opened its doors for people to receive coats and other winter items. The 43-degree temperature didn't make it the most pleasant wait, but she needed a coat. So did her two sons, ages 2 and 4.

She was near the front of the line, which had stretched to more than 100 people by 10 a.m., when the Salvation Army began letting people in.

EDIT

The Salvation Army expects to provide coats, sweaters, gloves, scarves, blankets and other winter items for more than 7,000 people during its annual coat giveaway, which wraps up today. The coats are donated by various companies and people. There are no financial guidelines for people to meet -- anyone who wants a coat gets one."

EDIT

http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/local/10093041.htm

[Rockholm]

1. Are they passing out republican registration forms too?

Maybe giving out passes to the next Bush rally?

SARCASM.

[Cha]

5. I hope the poor people

didn't vote for bush..I hope it was just all those Millionaries who don't want to give up their money for the Country!

[Hello_Kitty]

13. C'mon don't blame the poor people

They had their votes suppressed or were intimidated at the polls most likely.

[Rose Siding]

14. She didn't blame them

I also hope they didn't vote for Bush.

[Fovea]

19. More than likely, they did not vote at all

Most of the severely poor don't even have ID, never mind an address.

[Javaman]

2. In this new republic, the lines are only going to get longer...

Remember, it didn't matter to the voters that poverty rose at a staggering rate under *. Unlike the first depression, which came on in a blunt fashion, this shall creep in on cat paws.

[one_true_leroy]

18. Creep in...

No, it's here. It's just setting up shop. Rearranging the furniture. Fung Shui-ing the economy, if you will.

[DBoon]

30. More desparate people willing to work for low wages

Is good for Bush's "base"

[Javaman]

31. and yet, they will probably still vote repuke...

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. The richest most powerful country in the world!

Fuck this place.

[Randi_Listener]

4. Don't wait in line...pray...Pray.....PRAY

All you need is God and Fuckface

[durablend]

6. And if that doesn't work...

"Just drop dead...we already got your vote. You're no longer needed for the operative"

[Randi_Listener]

7. The kool aid drinkers don't worry about that

Drop dead, freeze to death, can't pay for groceries and the heating bills, doesn't matter. A little prayer will be sufficient.

[Catfight]

10. cuddle in the warmth of jesus assholes! n/t

[Kat 333]

8. Maybe while standing in line ...

they can peruse "Whats The Matter With Kansas How Conservatives Won The Heart Of America". :eyes:

[cubsfan forever]

29. Indeed. As ye sow, so shall ye reap n/t

Professor 2

[snacker]

9. But, but it's all about moral values like

abortion and gay marriage.

[eternalburn]

11. On a side note...

The Salavtion Army requires people who come to them for emergency shelter to attend church every Sunday. It does not matter if the charity recipient practices another religion, or is non-religious. Church attendance is a manditory requirement for those accepting shelter charity from the Salvation Army.

If you have spare coats, blankets, etc....take a trip to the seedy side of town and hand them out yourself. No strings :)

[MadHound]

20. Salvation Army is a goddamn leech of a "charitable" organization

I know, I've seen how it works first hand

In those little second hand stores that the SA runs, the staff makes a killing. Whenever some good soul drops off some stuff to donate, the entire store staff descends on it like flies on shit. The vast majority of these people are into antiques and collectibles, many run booths in flea markets or have their own little storefront. They paw through the shit, looking for goodies, and when they find them, they're gone. The loot is divided up, sometimes based on seniority, sometimes first come, first serve, sometimes they simply take turns. It truly is obnoxious. I have seen with my own eyes colletibles worth hundreds of dollars going out the back door, while the crap is put out front for sale to the general public.

I did volunteer work at two of these SA stores. The first time I saw this happen I thought it was an abberation peculiar to that town. The second time my girlfriend at the time took me along to do volunteer work and I saw the same thing happening. I called her on it, and she was unapologetic, as was the rest of the staff including the manager. These people were making good money off of other peoples' good intentions. We broke up shortly thereafter.

So whatever you do, don't go donating goods to the SA. Rather, go out and find other charitable organizations to contribute to. And if you even suspect that you have something collectible or antique, get it checked out before you donate it. It you still want to donate it, sell it and give the organization the money.

[aquart]

21. Different experience here.

Salvation Army was a clearinghouse for supplies for WTC rescue workers. I watched them stock the trucks and send them downtown. During the blackout, when we couldn't get food or cook it, the Salvation Army table with coffee and bagels was the prettiest thing I ever saw.

As for the good stuff going to the staff, I dunno, but I know it's not as much as what gets leached out by Housing Works which runs thrift shops dubbed Salvation Armani in Manhattan. Most of my cashmere sweaters and my alpaca skirt are from the Salvation Army and I LIKE paying under $10 for cashmere and merino wool sweaters with the tags still on them. Hell, the pc I'm using right now is from them, a Gateway PIII 450 I got for $60 with the disks for Office 2000 thrown in.

All the actors in NY know about the Salvation Army Coat Sale. I went last year for the first time and leather trenchcoats were going for $60. Cloth coats were $10 each. Handbags were $2.

[Red State Rebel]

24. That's despicable!

Thanks for the warning! I don't mind donating used clothing, etc. but I'll make sure if it's anything of value I sell it and donate money.

[grasswire]

25. aw come on

The Salvation Army provides a whole range of services with no requirement made of the recipient. Millions of food boxes, help with utility bills, Greyhound bus fare for people stuck somewhere, clothing and furniture, baby food and diapers, and so much more. Don't single them out. St. Vincent de Paul, the Catholic church's charity, is even more intrusive into lives of recipients, refusing to provide assistance to unmarried people living together.

[eternalburn]

28. Sorry...

I will never support or accept help from a charity that makes a religious requirement on people in need in any sector of their organization.

I didn't single them out. They are the charity being talked about at the moment. No worries, I despise most of the "charities" out there.

[jrthin]

12. Too bad, so sad,

and totally no sympathy.

[Malva Zebrina]

15. And will they give a job to a gay person?

will they balk at giving a coat to a gay person? Or make him'her wait in line and get the least of the coats? How about taking that money they use to lobby against hiring gay people, and giving a job to a gay person? It is our money--we, the tax payer contritribute our money to the SA.

I have not put a single dollar in the bucket ever since they showed their bigotry (religion) and won't do so for the rest of my life.

My local firehouse runs that same coat campaign and I will contribute to them rather than give a penny to these religious bigots.

[Rockholm]

17. Marianne, that would be a BIG NO!

Fuck the Salvation Army. Homophobic assholes!

[Zero Gravitas]

16. It could be worse

At least gays can't get married. Fools.

[Benhurst]

22. Not to worry. God's in his heaven and Bush* is in the White

House.

[llmart]

23. Hey, it's a faith based charity.....

so what better place for all these god-loving people to get their clothes and goods. If they voted for Bush, you have no sympathy. If you voted for Kerry, I feel very sorry for you.

[devilgrrl]

26. Who cares - not my problem!

:nopity:

[booksenkatz]

27. What's the complaint? Morals are more important than coats. nt

[Cinletharwi]

32. Coat lines today, soup lines tomorrow n/t

[xchrom]

33. christian action at work!

some one should keep a page of the failures of christian moral action at work like this.
something we can remind people of.