NY politician wants to force clothing donation bins to say if they actually benefit needy —as he warns they’re often no help

Jesse O’Neill
·2 min read
Greenburgh Town Hall
Greenburgh Town Hall

Your donated threads may get shredded instead.

That’s the warning from a Westchester County Democrat who is proposing a law that would force clothing donation bins to include signs spelling out exactly where the gifts will actually end up.

Clothes tossed in the ubiquitous bins — typically found outside places like shopping centers, houses of worship and government buildings — don’t end up on the backs of the needy and instead are sold by the ton for profit to recycling companies, longtime Town Supervisor Paul Feiner told The Post Wednesday.

Clothes tossed in the ubiquitous bins don’t end up on the backs of the needy and instead are sold by the ton for profit to recycling companies, longtime Town Supervisor Paul Feiner told The Post Wednesday. greenburghny.com
Clothes tossed in the ubiquitous bins don’t end up on the backs of the needy and instead are sold by the ton for profit to recycling companies, longtime Town Supervisor Paul Feiner told The Post Wednesday. greenburghny.com

“This is really something that has bothered me for about a year or so. You know, I frequently make donations to these clothing bins, and then I learn that most of the donations just get shredded,” said Feiner, 68.

“Sometimes the bins have really colorful photos [of people in need], and you feel like you’re doing something nice for people or children who are poor or people who just can’t afford the clothing,” he added.

A public hearing on the proposal was set for Wednesday evening, but Feiner said he did not expect any objections for signage to be “as specific as possible” about the nature of the bins — even if profits from the recycled clothes are donated to charity.

“I know my wife will sometime clean and fold the clothing that we drop off, so it’s very upsetting to learn that the clothing doesn’t really go to the purposes that people think it does,” said Feiner, who has led the suburban town for 32 years.

Feiner advised that there are specific locations in Greenburgh where residents can give clothes that will get worn, like Midnight Run in Dobbs Ferry or hotels housing migrants in Ardsley.

“This is really something that has bothered me for about a year or so. You know, I frequently make donations to these clothing bins, and then I learn that most of the donations just get shredded,” said Feiner, 68. The Sharing Shelf / Facebook
“This is really something that has bothered me for about a year or so. You know, I frequently make donations to these clothing bins, and then I learn that most of the donations just get shredded,” said Feiner, 68. The Sharing Shelf / Facebook
Feiner advised that there are specific locations in Greenburgh where residents can give clothes that will get worn, like Midnight Run in Dobbs Ferry or hotels housing migrants in Ardsley. bigswestchester.org
Feiner advised that there are specific locations in Greenburgh where residents can give clothes that will get worn, like Midnight Run in Dobbs Ferry or hotels housing migrants in Ardsley. bigswestchester.org

However, the clothes that end up in the donation bin outside of Greenburgh Town Hall end up getting destroyed, the town executive said, explaining that a for-profit company pays the government $75 a month to set up shop there — unbeknownst to most donors.

Feiner expected the measure to be voted into law by the town board in two weeks following a public review.