The worst in-kind donations

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Comments

[Sujan Patricia]

If you're going to request donations, then really request donations. Don't put up a barely visible "Donate" link and pray for the best. But as more people feel the recession's pinch, donations have been falling at the worst possible time.

[Saundra]

Dear Evan,

Thanks for taking the time to give your thoughts on the dog food. Your point about the fact that it was made by a dog food company rather than an actual donation of dog good is well taken. This is actually the second time I've heard of dog food being donated, once was after the tsunami. I don't know if that was also just made by a dog food company or was actually dog food. The problem in this case is the perception, and unfortunately, that's a hard one to get around.

[Evan]

Are you referring to the New Zealand company that offered to retool its dog biscuit plant to provide foodstuffs for Kenyans?
I really don't think that should be considered "offensive" as it was a donation *by* a dog food company rather than a donation *of* dog food. The proposed biscuits were very nutritionally balanced unlike most of the flour-heavy supplies given for famines. And this doesn't even go into the fact that many animals in the West live much more comfortably than many in the third world. So-called "dog-food" would be a nutrional step up for many, even if its original purpose would make it seem somewhat offensive.
The refusal of the offer caused unnecessary suffering and starvation.

[Patrice]

Great post! I blogged about it here: http://schweitzerfellowship.wordpress.com/2009/06/10/bras-for-africa-knickers-for-haiti/