Donating clothing to a thrift shop, food kitchen, distribution center or church group is a generous, thoughtful gesture. The benefits are twofold: the needy people have clothing to keep them decent, warm, presentable; the donor has aided other people in their daily struggle with poverty. Warm emotional feelings all around.

Volunteers at these charitable organizations are grateful to receive items of clothing, but not so grateful to lug and unpack huge garbage sacks full of soiled, ragged, torn, damp, smelly shirts, trousers, socks and underwear. Imagine digging into that vat of reprehensible rubbish, hoping to find a useable shirt or a wearable sweater. After a few minutes and several tentative grabbings of unmentionables, the volunteer surrenders, ties it all shut and lugs it to the dumpster. A quick note: These charities must pay for rubbish collection.

In a perfect world, the donations arrive washed, folded and stacked neatly in a box (banana boxes are terrific). In our somewhat imperfect world, clean and wearable in smaller trash bags is desired and acceptable. Volunteers sort, size, store and distribute the shirts, socks, trousers, coats and shoes. The recipients are warm and happy. Volunteers suffer no angst, no moaning, no fear of the great unknown monster black trash bag, no trips to the dumpster. Serenity reigns.

Clothing distribution centers could not function without donors. If people do not give, clothing centers cannot give. But, please, always donate clean clothes. Keep the neat and clean clothes coming.

Charlene Hagen
South Portland