Duchy of Lauenburg (GB). The appeals for donations from social department stores in the Duchy of Lauenburg have been increasing for a long time, and not just since the start of the stream of refugees triggered by the war in the Ukraine. Donors are often uncertain when it comes to donating furniture and everyday items. Madeleine Wingeß from the regional management of the AWO social department stores provides information about which items can be donated to a social department store of the AWO education and work non-profit society.
“Well-preserved, used items are always suitable for a donation to an AWO department store. These items can be checked by each individual from various aspects to determine whether the following criteria are met:
- – no damage (scratches, cracks, holes, chips, etc.)
- – for upholstered furniture: seat not worn out
- – in the case of furniture: the piece of furniture corresponds to the current (modern) or timelessly classic requirements of the customer
- – Household goods/dishes: in principle no individual parts of services, sets from a number of pieces for 4 people; Pots and pans with Teflon coating: absolutely undamaged, otherwise there is a high health risk
- – Electrical appliances: working
- – Clothing: no real fur coats
The list is by no means final and can only serve as a rough guide. In addition, the following considerations can be helpful: I would like/must part with the piece of furniture because
- – I would like to move in with someone else/reduce household size; there is still good furniture left for the social department store.
- – the cupboard has really become too old, then dispose of it.
- – the couch is no longer beautiful in some places, then probably not for others either.
It should be emphasized that there are no general, universally applicable standards for evaluating a donation. The decision as to whether an item on offer is suitable as a product and for sale in a department store and whether it meets the customer requirements of our clientele can only be finally decided on site by our trained driving teams who (want to) collect the donation,” says Madeleine Wingeß and emphasizes : “If donations offered cannot be accepted, this is usually done from the point of view of our customers. The majority of our customers have only a low income. Nevertheless, these people, like everyone else, are interested in well-preserved, modern and attractive products. We always try to take these aspects into account when making a decision about a donation.”
Madeleine Wingeß hopes that this declaration will contribute to increasing the transparency of decisions regarding the acceptance or rejection of a donation. It should be noted with the donations that there is a need for armchairs and small pieces of furniture, since the customers of the social department stores in the Duchy of Lauenburg only have small apartments.