Controversial charity wins skirmish with town over collection boxes
Hours after Planet Aid sued Ashland over a town order to remove its ubiquitous yellow boxes, the town agreed to let the boxes stay.
The charity sued Ashland in US District Court on Friday - and asked for a temporary restraining order - charging a June 1 order from the town building inspector that it remove its ten collection boxes within ten days violated its First Amendment rights. At issue was a proposed town bylaw to regulate donation boxes and charge fees for them.
In its complaint, Planet Aid argued:
The solicitation of donations such as clothing, shoes and other textiles via collection bins is a form of speech fully protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
But not long after filing the suit and request for a temporary restraining order, the charity filed a motion to withdraw its request, at least for the restraining order.
In their request to withdraw the restraining-order request, Planet Aid's attorneys wrote the town would notify all property owners - which include Ashland public schools - that the boxes could stay.
Planet Aid sells the clothes and shoes it collects to fund charity efforts in the Third World. It is not without its critics. The boxes have proven controversial in Worcester.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
Planet Aid complaint | 796.7 KB |
Letter from Ashland schools to Planet Aid | 153.68 KB |
Planet Aid's motion to withdraw request for temporary restraining order | 108.29 KB |
Ad:
Comments
Who are local reusing organizations with great reputations?
Who are local reusing organizations with the greatest reputation?... for textiles, for books, etc.?
For books
More than Words
https://www.mtwyouth.org/
ugh
Thanks for the earworm.
la di da da di da
Yikes!
Sorry! If it's any consolation, now *I* have the earworm!
Boomerangs, Boston Building Resources
For clothing, furnishings, and housewares: http://action.aac.org/site/PageServer?pagename=boomerangs_donations
For things like kitchen cabinets and building supply reuse: http://www.bostonbuildingresources.com/reuse-center/
Huge 2nd on Boomerangs!
Their location in Central Square has a great selection of used books, 50% off on Thursdays.
Huge 2nd on Boston Building Resources
Boston Building Resources is an incredible place to donate and to find useful building materials for your own projects. I love browsing that place!
Prison Book Program
http://prisonbookprogram.org/donatesection/donate-books/
http://www
http://www.extrasforcreativereuse.org
Big Brother Big Sister
They accept clothing and household goods - and they pick up at your place!
http://www.bbbsfoundation.org/
Local reuse groups with great reputations that pickup reusables
What other local reusing organizations with great reputations pickup reusable textiles, books, etc.?... besides bbbsfoundation.com
I'm REALLY interested in
I'm REALLY interested in textiles - not clothes, textiles - recycling --- I do a lot of hobbyist sewing and end up dumping fabric scraps into Planet Aid boxes because they're the only ones who take them. Or the trash, which kills me, because they're recyclable into cushion padding, etc.... but charities was clothing, not cloth.
Textiles
These guys, recycle all kinds of textiles in just about any condition, even shoes.
http://baystatetextiles.com/
This 'charity' has always seemed very suspicious
Ashland might not have mustered sufficient attorney power, but maybe now they'll ask the state DA/AG or feds to take a look.
If Planet Aid is bad, they might have just sealed their national doom by fighting over a few boxes in Ashland.
Planet Aid is the worst
Not sure they donate too much to third world countries. It's more about making the backers rich. It's worth looking into. Locally, FAMILY Movement does a quarterly clothes drive in Dorchester. Bags of clothes are sold for a dollar to families in need.
How to Get Rid of junk...
> Got Junk? Here's How to Get Rid of It
> Is your attic, basement, or garage full of stuff you no longer use, but somehow you just can't throw it out. Get rid of it! From old furniture to electronics, here are places that will take the junk off your hands.
http://consumerworld.org/
I assume this is the same
I assume this is the same Planet Aid that a public radio show has been ripping recently. It's run out of Denmark, and the Africans involved are scammed and treated like dirt. Allegedly.
Yes, it is one and the same.
Yes, it is one and the same.
The investigative reporting
The investigative reporting site, Reveal, did podcasts on their cult leader and how very little helps Africa.
https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/alleged-cult-leader-plays-shell-game...