Shady Donation Bins Popping Up Around Neighborhood Again

Those for-profit clothing donation bins just won’t go away. We spotted one on 13th Street, between 4th and 5th Ave (right around the corner from the bin that was set on fire back in July), and neighbor Carrie Miller sent us the above photo of one that made its appearance earlier this week (around 3am) on 19th Street between 10th and 11th Avenue.

As Ditmas Park residents discovered, these bins often leave quite a mess. The New York City Department of Sanitation explains on their website that, “under Local Law No. 31 of 2007, the placement of publicly accessible collection bins on New York City property or property maintained by New York City, or on any public sidewalk or roadway is illegal,” and concerned residents are invited to submit a form requesting their removal.

If you’re looking for a true non-profit way to toss those unwanted clothes, we’ve got several options in our area. The most convenient is definitely St. Mary’s Church. Give their salvage bureau a call at 718-529-7825, bag up your donation, place it on the front stoop with a tag saying that it’s for St. Mary’s, and they’ll come to pick it up.

They don’t offer pickups, but Life Boutique Thrift, located on 5th Avenue and 13th Street, accepts clothing donations during their regular business hours. All proceeds from the shop benefit Chai Lifeline, an organization dedicated to supporting children and their families diagnosed with life-threatening illness. Store hours are Monday – Wednesday 11am to 7pm, Thursday 11am to 9pm, Friday 11am to 7pm, and Sunday 11am to 7pm.

It’s a bit of a hike, but Housing Works, located on 5th Avenue and Garfield Place, accepts everything from clothing to housewares. You can find the complete list of items that the organization will accept here. Store hours are Monday -Saturday 12pm to 7pm and Sunday 12pm to 5pm.

Photo by Carrie Miller