attempting kindness to strangers: failed
at about 8am this morning, i read a craigslist ad from a stranger desperate for help, an animal rescue organization with about 70 animals in tow in the parking lot of a borders book store in need of emergency assistance and supplies due to their recent evacuation. this san diego fire has of course inspired us as a community to come together and help one another, and i immediately phoned this woman to see how i could assist her.
i don't have much money to contribute and i'm not able to do much, but i'm an animal lover, so i offered to house some of her animals she'd been keeping in cars and she said she didn't want to split them up, so instead i took down a list of supplies to buy from her and by 9am, my sister and i were making the rounds to stores of all kinds to buy supplies ranging from wood chips for farm animal litter to leashes and buckets and food dishes, litter boxes, etc. EVERYTHING she asked for. and more! we bought toys for cats and dogs and treats and more. we put in every penny we could to try and help this poor woman and the animals she has rescued.
between all those purchases and picking up necessities for the evacs at qualcomm mentioned on the news (toothbrushes and toothpaste, razors, deodorant, soap, hand sanitizer, tons of sunblock, sunglasses, crayons and coloring books for kids, feminine hygiene products, paper towels and toilet paper, aspirin, antacids, paper plates and plasticware, garbage bags, first aid kits, batteries, combs, etc.etc.etc.) we spent hundreds of dollars and had filled our car up to the roof with things we had been told were desperately needed -- either from this woman with the farm sanctuary or the news as of 9am. we had donated all our bedding to qualcomm the day before and saw how many people were over there so knew we really had to stock up to make a difference.
by 11am we got to the animal rescue person's set-up in the parking lot and she completely turned us away and said someone else had already fulfilled her needs at that point (she had both of our phone numbers so i don't know why she allowed us to continue shopping for her needs list) we ended up with all kinds of unwanted pet goods we had purchased just for her like 40 leashes for animals.. she didn't even take the food dishes. she said "i don't need them anymore, but i'm sure someone else out there needs them" -- i hesitate to think someone else out there is in need of woodchips for their goat to pee on or temporary litter box set ups...or ceramic pet food dishes...) we left feeling defeated and taken advantage of (but we did give her some toiletries as when we offered those as well, she accepted those although they were not on the shopping list she gave us.) we headed over to qualcomm.
after waiting at the gate in a long line of cars of both volunteers, donators and evacuees for two hours, we were again turned away!!! despite the urgent and ongoing pleas on the news and radio for sunblock, toiletries, paper goods, etc, (it was even on the radio as we waited to enter!!!) by the time we got to the turn lane, a police officer told me qualcomm was not accepting any more donations (this was around 1:30 pm) and had everything they needed at this time. we told them they should notify the news or at least post a sign at the highway exit so people dont' wait for hours as we did to unsuccessfully make donations, but she said basically "oh well" and to try some other shelter, or to try again tomorrow.
we called four radio stations to get info on where to take these hundreds of dollars of toiletries, (including the items that were really meant specifically for qualcomm people such as the sunblock) where to take the pet supplies, and they basically couldn't help us. we called the ASPCA and they didn't answer their phones 'due to the emergency situation' so we went right over there and they took in the pet items but said they may not have a use for them. by the time we left, around 3pm, we felt so defeated that we just sobbed.
so, i guess i'm sharing this story to say please be sure your generosity is truly needed (at qualcomm stadium or otherwise) before you put effort into helping people who may not appreciate or need it, despite what the news or anybody else infers. and be wary of people asking for help, you may be taken advantage of.
i learned a difficult lesson today about being cautious about helping strangers. (our less compassionate/impulsive friends have been saying "i told you so" all day to us.)
if anyone knows an evacuation center or shelter that has a real use for some of the items i mentioned above, please let me know and please provide a phone number i can call to confirm that need.
once again, as it may not have been clear in my anecdote, donations are not being accepted at qualcomm -- at least not when i went. even though the news said otherwise.
i don't have much money to contribute and i'm not able to do much, but i'm an animal lover, so i offered to house some of her animals she'd been keeping in cars and she said she didn't want to split them up, so instead i took down a list of supplies to buy from her and by 9am, my sister and i were making the rounds to stores of all kinds to buy supplies ranging from wood chips for farm animal litter to leashes and buckets and food dishes, litter boxes, etc. EVERYTHING she asked for. and more! we bought toys for cats and dogs and treats and more. we put in every penny we could to try and help this poor woman and the animals she has rescued.
between all those purchases and picking up necessities for the evacs at qualcomm mentioned on the news (toothbrushes and toothpaste, razors, deodorant, soap, hand sanitizer, tons of sunblock, sunglasses, crayons and coloring books for kids, feminine hygiene products, paper towels and toilet paper, aspirin, antacids, paper plates and plasticware, garbage bags, first aid kits, batteries, combs, etc.etc.etc.) we spent hundreds of dollars and had filled our car up to the roof with things we had been told were desperately needed -- either from this woman with the farm sanctuary or the news as of 9am. we had donated all our bedding to qualcomm the day before and saw how many people were over there so knew we really had to stock up to make a difference.
by 11am we got to the animal rescue person's set-up in the parking lot and she completely turned us away and said someone else had already fulfilled her needs at that point (she had both of our phone numbers so i don't know why she allowed us to continue shopping for her needs list) we ended up with all kinds of unwanted pet goods we had purchased just for her like 40 leashes for animals.. she didn't even take the food dishes. she said "i don't need them anymore, but i'm sure someone else out there needs them" -- i hesitate to think someone else out there is in need of woodchips for their goat to pee on or temporary litter box set ups...or ceramic pet food dishes...) we left feeling defeated and taken advantage of (but we did give her some toiletries as when we offered those as well, she accepted those although they were not on the shopping list she gave us.) we headed over to qualcomm.
after waiting at the gate in a long line of cars of both volunteers, donators and evacuees for two hours, we were again turned away!!! despite the urgent and ongoing pleas on the news and radio for sunblock, toiletries, paper goods, etc, (it was even on the radio as we waited to enter!!!) by the time we got to the turn lane, a police officer told me qualcomm was not accepting any more donations (this was around 1:30 pm) and had everything they needed at this time. we told them they should notify the news or at least post a sign at the highway exit so people dont' wait for hours as we did to unsuccessfully make donations, but she said basically "oh well" and to try some other shelter, or to try again tomorrow.
we called four radio stations to get info on where to take these hundreds of dollars of toiletries, (including the items that were really meant specifically for qualcomm people such as the sunblock) where to take the pet supplies, and they basically couldn't help us. we called the ASPCA and they didn't answer their phones 'due to the emergency situation' so we went right over there and they took in the pet items but said they may not have a use for them. by the time we left, around 3pm, we felt so defeated that we just sobbed.
so, i guess i'm sharing this story to say please be sure your generosity is truly needed (at qualcomm stadium or otherwise) before you put effort into helping people who may not appreciate or need it, despite what the news or anybody else infers. and be wary of people asking for help, you may be taken advantage of.
i learned a difficult lesson today about being cautious about helping strangers. (our less compassionate/impulsive friends have been saying "i told you so" all day to us.)
if anyone knows an evacuation center or shelter that has a real use for some of the items i mentioned above, please let me know and please provide a phone number i can call to confirm that need.
once again, as it may not have been clear in my anecdote, donations are not being accepted at qualcomm -- at least not when i went. even though the news said otherwise.