To see how many people have gone over the cliff....

[Neecy]

I was browsing my local Craigslist a couple of days ago and noticed that there were loads of people in desperate need of children's Christmas gifts. One woman offered to clean your home or office in exchange for a present for one of her 4 young children. Another was selling off his stuff to pay his heating bill so his kids didn't have to go through winter without heat. And many, many people just needing something for their kids to open Christmas morning.

I mentioned this to my sister last night. She has two grown sons and she still has stored away some of the board games they liked to play as children - NFLopoly, Risk, etc. These aren't expensive electronics, video games, cell phones, MP3 players or the like - just inexpensive, used board games. She said she'd be glad to donate them to a family in need this year.

I listed them in the Free section of Craigslist about an hour ago and said that any family truly in need who wanted them for their kids this Christmas could have them.

And in an hour my mailbox is filling up. For cheap, used board games. Welcome to Republican America.

If you have any toys or games your kids have outgrown, please dig them out and list them in your local Craigslist. There's more need out there than we realize.

[OneGrassRoot]

1. Wow, that is a GREAT idea. I have toys I tried to take to Goodwill ...

but with the whole lead crisis, they aren't accepting them.

I use Craiglist faithfully and never thought of this. Thank you so much!!!

[Neecy]

9. I like Craigslist, too

It's a great resource.

I give to Toys for Tots every year, but they require new toys. I never thought about how many people would welcome used toys, but I'm sure learning a new life lesson with some of the responses I've gotten. Some are truly heartbreaking.

[Richard Steele]

2. This is a great post, Neecy. Sad that it's necessary, but important to talk about. recommended.

[gateley]

3. The richest country in the world.

Thank you for posting this.

[pinto]

4. Great idea.

[demnan]

5. Thanks I gave you an R for that

Also in great need are any organizations which help immigrants. Many come from warm countries and do not have warm clothing for winter. There is a critical need for clothing this winter. Children's clothes are greatly needed. Your local foodbank and many churches will help as dropping points.

[AndyTiedye]

6. Kicked This One Onto the "Greatest" Page

:kick:

[Cabcere]

7. K&R.

:toast: :thumbsup:

[babylonsister]

8. This is so sad! Thanks for the post. nt

[Asgaya Dihi]

10. Check locally as well

For years now my wife and I have donated to a local group called The Clothes Closet, they take outgrown or unused clothing and donate it to families in need. I'd imagine most of us have something of the sort local these days. Food banks are also something to support, if you've got canned goods or whatever else you probably won't eat any time soon forward it to a family who will. Better than leaving it at the back of the shelf until it's years old. Wrong time of year for this one now but it's the right time to order some seeds maybe, most areas have groups that support a "plant a row for the hungry" program which feeds needy neighbors from backyard gardens, web search for the term should eventually lead to a local program or a group that could refer you to one, your city name added as a search term might help ;)

Good idea for a thread, Neecy.

[Hydra]

11. Pathetic

"We're #1!"

How long will the blindness continue?

[ThomCat]

12. That is a wonderful idea.

I know families that have piles and mountains of toys their kids don't play with anymore that are still is good shape. I'm going to recommend this.

[Usrename]

13. You're a real mensch. K&R

[Richard Steele]

14. KICKing this into the late afternoon...nm

[Neecy]

15. an update...

So far I've gotten more than 35 responses and I've got to tell you guys I'm deeply depressed and saddened. Some of the responses are very nice - people sponsoring families and would like this handful of games to complete their gifts, one woman who babysits a family with 12 children who aren't getting anything and she's desperately trying to put together clothes and toys for them, one woman who has a sister going through hard times and has very little to give her children this year. It's nice that people are doing so much to help and that brightens me up a little.

But oh, my god...the need out there is really shocking. People are practically begging for this handful of used board games and I don't have enough to go around. Things are bad out there and seeing photos of Bush flitting around a senior center for the poor while doing essentially *nothing* for the poor makes me sick. I'm going to hit some thrift stores tonight and find a few more clean used games and do what I can, but my god...what the last seven years of unbridled greed and corruption of the 'have mores' have done to our fellow citizens. It's just stunning.

[Donnachaidh]

16. you might also want to try the FreeCycle lists on yahoo

They are set up by county - but you should be aware that there are people working those lists for items to sell, either on Ebay or somewhere else. I gave away my washer and dryer to a cat rescue organization on FreeCycle.

But I definitely WILL be adding things to Craigslist -- thanks for the heads up.

[K Gardner]

17. Excellent idea, thanks :-)

[lonestarnot]

18. Hell no. Not putt'n nutt'n on that thang. LOL

[Auntie Bush]

19. K & R and Merry Christmas.

[Ignis]

20. Two Americas... K&R! (nt)

[NuttyFluffers]

21. breaks my heart. if only i had my games nearby...

i think some are in storage. i gave away a few months ago a complete $50+ set of LEGO Technics and a decent radio-controlled 12" monster truck to the Salvation Army. but there's still oodles of stuff in storage, buried deep, deep, deep in the bowels of nameless crap...

crap! i forgot to drop off my excess old textbooks for "Books to Africa"! crapola!

hmm, all i have left for children's entertainment is quite a few video games. but there's always that compatibility issue going on -- who owns what etc. oh, and collectible cards; don't think parents will want cards about death, decapitation, and destruction... i do have a few lonely beanie babies look alikes that could use a good home. but that China toy scare really put the fear about everything...

[TheWatcher]

22. Neecy, it's people like you that make me hold on to Hope for this country

I cannot Kick, Or Recommend this highly enough.

:yourock:

[Didereaux]

23. I know very few needy families who have computers AND an internetlink...

fewer still use public ones. I would bet many shiney new pennies that the vast majority of responders to a craigslist offer are 'opportunists'! Please take your stuff down to or call the Salvation Army, unless you are personally aware of a needy family the SA is the ONLY org you can trust to get your gifts to those who need them.

This is an endorsement of a religious org made by a devout fighter of ALL religions!

trust me on this

[IndyOp]

24. Neecy - Thank you so much for this post! :-)

:hi:

[Echo In Light]

25. Love your sig photo!!! Speaks volumes n/t

[spinbaby]

26. Something I noticed at Target yesterday

I was at Target last night, not for Christmas shopping but for picking up the usual kinds of stuff--shampoo, glue, bread, socks... But the socks I usually buy weren't there. In fact, most of the plain utilitarian socks had been bought--presumably for Christmas presents. The fancy socks with Christmas decorations were still there aplenty. A quick trip aound the store revealed gaps in Target's supply of practical stuff like socks, underwear, jeans, even disposable diapers. The "giftware" seemed untouched. I'm guessing that people are getting more practical stuff for Christmas this year. I'd like some furnace filters and socks.

[OneGrassRoot]

27. kick .... this is such a great idea. At lunchtime I'm meeting with a woman ...

who posted on Craigslist, asking for any toys and such for her two little girls.

I couldn't donate to Goodwill (not accepting toy donations due to China-made toxic issue), so I'm delighted to be able to take perfectly good second-hand things to her for her to gift to her girls.

[ceile]

28. Thank you , neecy.

And a kick!

[knitter4democracy]

29. Local Christmas programs are asking for formula.

Men's work pants, diapers, food. It's worse than anyone in power wants to admit.