Beware of For-Profit 'Donation' Boxes

They say it's better to give than to receive — but some businesses don't agree.

For-profit organizations are using the widely-accepted non-profit method of collecting donations in order to make money for themselves.

Recently, some local municipalities have banned donation boxes as a whole, claiming they are deceptive. Many boxes appear to be for non-profit charities but instead resell donated merchandise in other countries for a profit.

After an extensive search through Shorewood, the boxes found are linked to well-known, legitimate non-profits.

For example, the boxes behind the Massage Envy and Jimmy John's on Route 59 are for the Childhood Disease Research Foundation, a 501(c)3 charity.

Helping Hands helps themselves

Helping Hands is one company using donation boxes to turn a profit. Helping Hands has numerous boxes in northern Illinois. The company claims to help the environment by saving landfills from discarded clothes and shoes.

"We are a commercial recycling organization dedicated to making a difference," according to the light gray, hard-to-read type on the boxes. "We are not agents or partners with any other organization."

The Helping Hands boxes have white lettering that reads "Clothes & Shoes Donation Center" with a blue and white checkerboard border.

This is similar to the Children's Disease Research Foundation's boxes that are the same color blue, also with white letters that read "Clothes & Shoes" without the checkerboard border.

Helping Hands Sales Manager Frank McDonald responded to a call for comment but when he learned he was talking to a media outlet, McDonald said he would not answer any questions except through email.

When asked how many boxes they had, he said "I don't even know, I couldn't even tell you," then abruptly hung up. He did not respond to the email questions.

A wolf in charity's clothing

Dozens, if not hundreds of Helping Hands and other for-profit boxes are popping up in surrounding areas. These organizations are aggressively contacting local business owners, some who say they are misrepresenting themselves as charities.

"I was led to believe that it was a donation for the needy," said one Will County business owner.

A representative from Helping Hands came to his store. The representative kept using the word "donation," the owner said.

"Never once did I have a clue that they were taking the stuff out of there and reselling it," he explained. "Whenever you say 'donation' you are thinking about the church or cancer drives or charities like that."

The business owner said he didn't think much about it. He said he was under the impression he was helping people. He didn't know his kindness was in fact helping line somebody elses' pockets.