The Salvation Army spends thousands of dollars per month disposing of junk donations.
Every day, charitable North Texans donate unwanted items. Most are sold in the Salvation Army's stores, which fund rehabilitation programs for men struggling with substance abuse.
But the DFW Salvation Army also ends up spending thousands of dollars every month disposing of donations that are nothing more than trash.
"In the past, we have spent $5,000 to $8,000 a month just to dispose of these items," Maj. Carl Earp said.
Among the most common junk donations:
- broken TV sets
- pet-soiled furniture
- old tires
- dead car batteries
The money spent on landfill fees is a fraction of the Salvation Army's overall budget. But Earp said it could still make a big difference "in feeding and housing and clothing men."
For anyone wondering if something is worth donating, the Salvation Army has a simple request: Ask.
Dumping trash only hurts a good cause "because we're going to have to pay," Earp said.
