The worst in-kind donations

Here are the winners from the stories submitted for the worst in-kind donation contest (related post: What is an in-kind donation). You may have your own personal favorites, all submissions can be read here, please feel free to add more. Thanks to everyone that submitted their stories!

The most common in-kind donation

Shoes of all sorts; soccer shoes, running shoes, flip flops, etc... (see post for why this might not be a good donation)

The most ridiculous in-kind donation

Knickers for Africa and bras for Haiti - recent requests were made for donations of both of these items recently by two different organizations

The grossest in-kind donation

Used soap from hotels are collected and sent to Uganda

Worst in-kind donation as a tax write-off
Skeleton shaped suckers leftover from Halloween sent to survivors of Hurricane Mitch

Worst in-kind donation as a political stunt

Spam (spiced ham) hand delivered by a US Senator to Muslims after the tsunami (this donation was also a contestant for the next category)

Most offensive in-kind donation
The offer of dog food to Kenya to help with their food crisis

In-kind donation that wasted the most recipient time
This was a toss-up between a broken computer that the recipient organization spent years trying to fix or the 15 pallets of random medicine sent after Hurricane Mitch. Critical time was wasted sorting through the medicine and throwing 3/4 of it away.

Most dangerous in-kind donation
Baby formula donated after Hurricane Mitch - if mixed with contaminated water could kill a baby from diarrhea within 24 hours.

Related posts:

What is an in-kind donation?
5 questions you should ask before donating goods overseas
Sending sports equipment to needy children seems like a good idea, but is it...
The most useful in-kind donations
Donating shoes and other aid fads
Why do we so often give aid in ways that does not support the local economy?

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/