While the mailboxes are flooded with letters asking for monetary donations, there are also opportunities to do good with non-monetary things, and I thought I should start a thread for that. How do they say? One person's trash is another one's treasure.


2 x Christmas - collects just everything

For those who have received unwanted Christmas gifts:

From now until January 6, the Swiss post accepts gift parcels with unwanted Christmas gifts and takes them to the Swiss Red Cross. Just pack a parcel with the gifts, address stickers are available at the post. Half the gifts will be distributed to poor families in Switzerland, the other half in Eastern Europe.

In particular, they want long term food items, sanitary products, things for small children, new or almost new shoes, and school items. But you can give just everything.

Pet items

For the pet lovers: If you have stuff that your animals (dogs, cats, horses) no longer need (collars, transport boxes, toys, leaches, dog baskets, etc.), you can send them to the following address - or probably to any animal shelter: Susy Utzinger Stiftung für Tierschutz, Zürcherstrasse 119, 8406 Winterthur, tel. 052 269 20 01, email info@susyutzinger.ch. They collect such things and send them to animal shelters and animal protection organizations in Switzerland and other countries.

Old spectacles

You can drop them off at Fielmann's.

Happy New Year to all
Idgie

Old books

Old books can be donated (and just picked up, again) at the Grossmünster's administration office:
Kirchgasse 13, 8001 Zürich
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8-22, Sa 9-18, sometimes closing a little earlier
Telefon: 01-261 53 11

bookcrossing
n. the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise. (added to the Concise Oxford English Dictionary in August 2004)
If you have read a book and don't want to throw it away, you can just leave it at a place with a message that it is for whoever wants it, for free. You then register it at www.bookcrossers.com, if you want to, and if the taker registers, too, you can see where your book ends up.

Take care
Idgie

For people moving and looking for moving boxes: The Salvation Army has introduced the "Brocki Box". It can be picked up at 23 Heilsarmee Brockenhäuser all over Switzerland for a deposit of CHF 2 per box (of course, you get the money back when you return the boxes).

The idea is to put the stuff that you want to give away into the boxes, and the boxes are then picked up, just call 0848 276 254. But, of course, you can also do your move with the boxes and not donate, but then, the empty boxes will not be picked up.

Addresses at http://www.brocki.ch/

Good clearout
Idgie

Old clothes and shoes (but please only in usuable condition) get collected by some organisations that will distribute them in Switzerland or abroad, or they sell it in second hand shops to make some money for charity.

Caritas: Some containers in the region of Luzern, main shop in Emmen, and every other Caritas shop in Switzerland will take them. In Zürich, the shop is between Bahnhof Wiedikon and Werd and has an opening where bags of clothes and shoes can be inserted 24/7. Also interested in bedclothes, tableclothes, terry cloth items and hats.

Texaid: Containers and bi-annual collections off the street in most parts of Switzerland, special plastic bags are distributed by the Swiss Post. Also interested in bedclothes, tableclothes, belts, purses, pillows and blankets.

Old cell phones

Swisscom is collecting old cellphones. A project for disadvantaged people in Geneva repairs the phones, and CHF 5 for every usable phone go to terre des hommes for projects for children in Africa, Asia and Latin America. You can just drop off the phones (if possible, with the equipment) at any Swisscom store.

For more details, go to
http://www.swisscom.com/GHQ/content/...mm.htm?lang=en

So, by donating, you avoid electronic waste, you help people re-entering the job market in Geneva, and you help children in poorer countries.
(Of course, the alternative is to give your cell phone to someone who has just lost or ruined his...)

Have a fun day
Idgie