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Post by Rennie Ellen on Jan 28, 2010 0:25:03 GMT -5
As I was getting refills of my prescription meds today, I had an idea -- the doctors and medical teams in Haiti could use these! So I'm going to call Convoy Of Hope here tomorrow and ask if they'll accept donations of clean, empty prescription bottles with the labels removed.
If they won't take them, the outreach ministry would have contacts with ministers and missionaries and they would find someone down there in need of them.
So I'm asking you to clean out your medicine cabinets, take the labels off the prescription bottles you don't need anymore, get your friends to do the same, and donate them. It's such a small thing, but in Haiti, I'm sure it's something much needed.
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Post by eagle on Jan 28, 2010 8:35:06 GMT -5
My Women's Club has been collecting empty prescription bottles for Haiti for a couple of years, maybe longer. We have a couple of members whose churches go once or twice a year to do missionary work and they carry the prescription bottles and kid's tennis shoes with them when they go.
The presciption bottles are used by the medical clinics to dispense one-time doses, rather than long-term dosing.
The shoes are for kids who don't have shoes that fit, or no shoes at all (obviously.)
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Post by 60isolderthanithot on Jan 28, 2010 17:24:45 GMT -5
I had no idea this sort of thing was needed. I once threw away bags of old bottles because I finally realized I had no real need for them. Fewer than a dozen were ever used for anything, they just piled up. It's too bad there isn't a localized bulletin board for coordinating this kind of thing.
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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on Jan 28, 2010 18:17:31 GMT -5
- NO! This is probably a BAD idea! PLEASE read my post "Haiti doesn't need our hoarded stuff! takeonestepatatime.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=general&thread=9107Regarding eagle's comment that she knew a group that sent prescription bottles to Haiti ... that wasn't right after a disaster!. Right after a disaster, the need is for MONEY. Sending THINGS can clog the relief effort. ask if they'll accept donations of clean, empty prescription bottles with the labels removed. Rennie, I know you meant well, But ... You titled this thread "Donate" as if you were sure it was helpful ... and lots of people might not read your message carefully. Inside your message, you say you're going to ASK if it would be helpful -- implying that you don't know yet. Wouldn't it have made more sense to title this thread: "Does Haiti need empty prescription bottles?" ... as a QUESTION. Please do let us know what you find out. I will amend this post if I am wrong. Thanks. Edit to clarify: I hope I didn't sound harsh. I know your heart is in the VERY best place! -
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Post by DJ on Jan 28, 2010 20:49:41 GMT -5
if you can donate them to an appropriate charity it is a great thing. if you can't, please as a hoarder don't keep them for forever. they are not recyclable in most places and are only rarely reused in the US. from what i have heard donations of stuff -is- good if it's donated through appropriate channels with those able to distribute it. soles for souls DOES want gently used practical shoes some clinics DO want prescription bottles and there is likely a group of great people somewhere near you who WOULD like your old prescription glasses.
They don't do anyone any good just sitting in your home making your own life a disaster zone and as a general shipment to a place in absolute turmoil and without infrastructure they are just someone elses clutter.. if you can find a place that processes and distributes these items it's a great thing but it can take quite a bit of poking around sometimes to find someone who does...
i just agree with both rennie and lioness's point. How about donating them to any of the other many places who live day to day much like the Haitians have and who will now most likely receive less in private aid from donations as everyone hops on the disaster de jour...
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Post by sparkle on Jan 28, 2010 21:10:20 GMT -5
Rennie, I'm afraid these would not help people in Haiti. They can barely deal with the donations of food and water. I do keep one in my car with change for parking meters and whatever, but the rest I had to let go of. I really don't miss them though it wasn't easy to do at the time. Oh, how we hate to part with containers. The only useful thing I've seen is a friend who used to make mobiles and balance them carefully and take them to friends in hospital or long time care. In that case, they were quite amusing and ingenious.
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Post by sporadic on Jan 28, 2010 21:43:08 GMT -5
Please just toss the bottles in the garbage. You don't want to cross-contaminate any medicines and the bottles are worth just fractions of a penny. Toss them and donate a few dollars to a Haiti relief organization. The bottles aren't worth the time and effort to "save"....and don't need to take up space in anyone's home. Recycle where possible.
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Post by Rennie Ellen on Jan 29, 2010 0:22:10 GMT -5
There IS a need for empty prescription bottles in third world countries. Many medical missionaries and clinics appreciate the donations. Out in the bush, there isn't a pharmacy on every corner like there is here.
The Lion's Club takes donated prescription glasses. After my daddy died, we donated his glasses to them. They take out the lenses (I don't know what they do with them) and the frames can be given to someone else who can't afford glasses but really needs them. When my brother and I were little, we needed glasses and my parents couldn't afford them. The Lion's Club provided glasses for our 1st 6 years of elementary school.
It's not like I hoard prescription bottles. If I did that all through my years of illness and disability (which is back to 1978), I could make an entire freaking HOUSE out of them! I just realized how many I do throw away each month as I get my refills and remembered I'd heard of a ministry who needed them. I'm trying to remember who they are.
I can't pack up and go down there and dig people out, or serve them food, or do anything physical. I have no money to donate. I have $2 in my checking account right now. But I can do something like this. But I guess my idea isn't worth much, after all.
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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on Jan 29, 2010 0:35:44 GMT -5
- Rennie, you really DO have a good concept. I'm sorry my tone was so harsh. You are absolutely right about the Lions Club and eyeglasses. They accept all used eyeglasses. Eagle said above that prescription bottles were needed in Haiti at one time. It's just that they probably won't be needed right NOW -- due to chaos at the shipping ports and the airports and the lack of place to store ANYTHING at all right now -- due to so many demolished buildings. Perhaps ... in a few months ... when the immediate crisis has settled down, and shelter has been created, and the country is beginning to rebuild, then the prescription bottles might be needed. If you give later on ... several months from now ... you'd still be helping. The process of recovery will go on for a LONG time. Years. What DJ said makes sense ...i just agree with both rennie and lioness's point. How about donating them to any of the other many places who live day to day much like the Haitians have and who will now most likely receive less in private aid from donations as everyone hops on the disaster de jour... DJ's idea makes sense to me. After Hurricane Katrina, people wanted to help New Orleans dogs. As a result, there was much less help for local animal shelters. Due to lots of money now being donated to Haiti, there will be less money donated to local organizations. So ... when you do have items (even if very few) ... if you know a LOCAL charity that could use them, then go ahead and donate the items to your local charity. Even if they don't go to Haiti directly ... they will benefit some local organization that will be suffering financially ... because Haiti is currently getting the bulk of monetary donation. It's all part of the same process, whether direct or indirect. -
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Post by Butterfly on Jan 29, 2010 1:40:38 GMT -5
Just a small request that, if you don't mind, please don't bold every word in a post. My eyes aren't great and it gives me a headache. Please don't take my request as a criticism. I don't intend any harm, just trying to make sure I can read everyone's posts. Also, please feel free to ignore my request if it causes you distress.
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Post by illuminata on Jan 29, 2010 2:50:37 GMT -5
And the apartment inspector might not be too happy with a sack of "prescription bottles for Haiti", even if it is a small Walmart sack. If they are as picky as you say, then anything sitting out like that might be construed as a "mess".
If you do decide to go ahead, local charities could be an idea. Sometimes (ideas via Google) homeless shelters or free clinics can use them, as can local veterinary clinics. Maybe your home care aide could drop them off. And I read somewhere that some places will refill your script using your own bottles from the previous time, if they are the same pharmacy and the same medicine. But that's only if you are really and totally sure that you will get it to them. Otherwise...honestly, I'd just pitch 'em. To paraphrase rory, it's more important that they go.
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Post by CaringFriend on Jan 29, 2010 4:48:04 GMT -5
There have been many stories on the news about the ports and airports being clogged with food, water, and basic medical supplies. One particularly unfortunate incident was a ship loaded with gallon jugs of water and containers of food. Because of the earthquake, the ship was unable to get anywhere near the dock where equipment could unload large containers. The officer in charge told how every jug of water and box and bag of food had to be removed by hand and transferred to trucks on land. She said that it would take 35 days to unload that ship alone. I googled donating "empty prescription bottles", getting many links of course. Most gave practical uses for them in the home, but we are not interested in those. Glancing through the articles, I found mention of places where they could be donated for use here and now. The most practical one that hadn't occurred to me was: "....people hold drives across the nation collecting empty medicine bottles and then donating them to a homeless shelter who reuse them to put in shampoo, hand cream, and other semi-liquids in so that homeless people can have a small supply of health products that are easy to carry." As others have indicated, sometime in the future, after basic human needs are more under control, I'm sure the charitable organizations will advertise the needs and be grateful for our response to those needs. SOS is a good community which cares about others and wants to help in any way possible. Hugs to all who are concerned, worried, and looking for solutions.
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Post by clutterfree on Jan 29, 2010 13:35:16 GMT -5
Your heart is in the right place--be sure and take a moment to feel good about that.
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Post by Rennie Ellen on Jan 29, 2010 14:05:56 GMT -5
I found a website where a young man WILL accept empty prescription bottles:
waste-not-want-not.tripod.com/id14.html
He donates them to a community supported free clinic in his area. There is also a link on his website to the free clinic where these donations go.
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Post by Rennie Ellen on Jan 29, 2010 14:20:46 GMT -5
illuminata,And the apartment inspector might not be too happy with a sack of "prescription bottles for Haiti", even if it is a small Walmart sack. If they are as picky as you say, then anything sitting out like that might be construed as a "mess". I have a hook on the inside door of my linen closet. My Walmart bag of prescription bottles (4 so far, I just started) are in there. The inspector doesn't look in the closets.
I also don't like the accusation that I'm a hoarder because I had an idea that might help others. As I said in another post, if I had saved ALL the prescription bottles I'd used over the years (back to 1978), I could build a freaking HOUSE with them!
I realized the other day that when I get refills on my medications each month, I toss out the other ones when they're perfectly good. They could be used again. I'd much rather find ways to reuse them than having them fill up the landfill.
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