What items does the program collect?

Critical Goods Update
Charlie Mulholland, Critical Goods Coordinator

As many readers of our website may be aware, Covenant to Care for Children no longer accepts donations of used beds due to the outbreak of a bedbug problem in Hartford and other towns. While CCC has never had such a problem with any of the beds donated to us, we cannot afford to risk handing out beds that have become infested with bedbugs. In order to furnish the clients of social workers with beds, we are now depending solely on grants from various foundations (a list is provided at the end of the article), the $500.00 in gift cards (monthly) and trailer loads of beds and furniture (periodically) that we receive from Bob’s Discount Furniture, and the money raised by Bethany Covenant Church during their annual Bed Drive.

Unfortunately, the bedbug problem has not only restricted the number of beds that we can accept from those who want to donate furniture, but at the same time, it increased the need for beds since people living in affected buildings have to throw out their beds when they become infested. For six years the Critical Goods Program had not received any requests for beds that cited bedbug infestation as the reason for the request. Since the Fall of 2006, however, the program has received a number of requests to replace beds that have become infested, and these requests appear to be increasing in frequency.

Recently, the Critical Goods Program received a request for beds from an urban social worker for a mother with six children living in very cramped circumstances. Their beds were infested with bedbugs and one of the children had developed infections from the bites. Bedbugs are not only a nuisance, but can constitute a serious health risk. Due to the generosity of Bob’s and Bethany Covenant Church we had gift cards and money on hand to purchase two sets of bunk beds and a twin bed for the family. They also received a nice dining table with six chairs, a sofa, and several dressers that Bob’s had donated. Since we had funds on hand to purchase beds, the family was able to throw out the old beds, have the landlord bring in an exterminator that day, and receive the new beds the next day. Not all families are so fortunate. This case demonstrates how businesses and faith-based volunteering can make a tangible difference in the lives of those caught in circumstances not necessarily of their own making. As this problem grows, it will become increasingly important for more advocates for children to step forward to meet the need that this problem will engender.

As coordinator of the Critical Goods Program, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the various organizations and foundations who have generously funded the program and provided money for beds over the past year: Bob’s Discount Furniture, Bethany Covenant Church, United Way of the Capital Area, William and Alice Mortenson Foundation, Ensworth Foundation, SBM Charitable Foundation, Swindells Charitable Foundation, and Schaller Auto World Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain. It has been a real pleasure distributing the goods made possible by their generosity, and witnessing the joy and gratitude of the children and families who benefit from their largesse.

Covenant to Care for Children only collects the following items:

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 * Policies regarding Cribs:

Covenant to Care for Children can no longer accept “drop-side” cribs as donations nor will we purchase drop-side cribs for the children and families we serve.

According to Inez Tenenbaum, Chair of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there is a movement toward having all drop-side cribs banned. With the information of safety concerns for the children we serve now made available to us our only course of action was to discontinue providing such items to our children.

We cannot pass along these cribs to other children due to safety issues, and as a result do not accept them as donations. If the crib is part of a larger donation, we will offer to take the crib and dispose of it for the donor.

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