Charitable Organizations That Accept Stamp Donations?

I've donated materials to both the APS and AFDCS in the past, but am wondering what other charitable organizations accept stamp donations? Also, how "picky" are they as to the donated material?

I've read anecdotal accounts running the gamut, of organizations thankful to receive anything at all, to organizations refusing certain types of noncash donations because they weren't EXACTLY a certain type or organized a certain way, e.g., AFDCS only wants covers, not stamps. What I donate varies from year to year. It may be collection remainders, intact lots of material I don't collect, leftover albums, catalogs, supplies, etc... it's somewhat random. For example, two years ago I sent quite a bit to the AFDCS whereas last year I didn't have anything to send them.

I had considered "Stamps for the Wounded", however they have some rather idiosyncratic requirements that are outside of IRS reporting procedures.

Any others?

Thanks.

-Dan

Two things to remember about donating any stamps ,first someone in that group is going to pick over any donation for better material and it will disappear before it is given to a new collector .The second thing with any donation group is that a lot of material donated ends up going out the door with the trash man .

Anything factual to back that up or is that just personal opinion? I strongly doubt that the APS throws stamps away.

yeah me! lol Seriously though that is a great question that I may post on other boards to draw a consensus if you don't mind?

My story --------Two years ago I was at a Regency Stamp Auction and had purchased about $3,000 or about material for myself and was waiting for a bulk lot to bid on .I try to buy one large lot to work on thru the winter as I watch the football games on t.v. David ,the owner was handling a few big bulk lots for the APS which he was doing for free .These lots were not getting any bids ,so I raised my bid card and took a few lots because other wise he would be hauling back to his business a few hundred pounds of material and trying to figure out what to do with them . I loaded my pickup truck with a few hundred pounds of boxes and wrote a check for a few hundred dollars .I considered it a donation , I drove to my business that Sunday night and parked next to my huge metal dumpster and started to go thru everything .From those 15 huge boxes ,only two boxes went home with me ,guess were the other stamp related material went . But it was to help a friend and make a donation to the APS.I didn't need to see my name in a APS journal to know what I gave .

Ok, just because YOU personally decided to throw philatelic material into the dumpster (I'm both shocked and disappointed by that) doesn't mean that the charities do, which is what you implied in your initial response.

Long before I would just throw out the material, I would give it to our local stamp club for the Kid's Club and for the 2-cent table at our annual show.

Throwing it out is just wrong on so many levels. :(

You can talk to Neil C. at Regency ,because he knew what I was doing ,or I can scan the invoice here and you can follow the link to Regency Stamps prices realized with the APS bug next to each bulk lot . THE APS DOESN'T THROW IT AWAY ,THEY SELL IT TO ME AND I THROW IT AWAY .lol

You might consider donating to the Stamp Out Cancer annual auction organized and held by the Quad City Stamp Club of Moline, IL. I gave them some covers a couple of years ago and was satisfied with how the donation was handled.

The 2014 auction is scheduled for May 4th. I believe that the auction is available on line so you can see what types of material they receive. I think the club also has an online presence, but haven't looked recently.

Don

Stamps for the Wounded accepts stamps and supplies for service members. From the link: "Doing whatever we can to stamp CANCELLED across the face of the deadliest foe the hospitalized service personnel must fight - ENFORCED IDLENESS and its deadly allies: boredom, loneliness, frustration, futility, and despair."

The FRCS Holocaust Stamp Project accepts all stamps, even damaged ones. The stamps are counted, toward the goal of 11 million representing "6 million Jews and 5 million other victims perished during the Holocaust," and used by students to create mosaic artwork. From the link: "Each stamp that is collected symbolizes one wasted life, 'thrown away' as having no value, much the same way as an envelope bearing a cancelled stamp postage stamp is tossed in the trash."

Edited to add the "obvious" local organizations that may accept donations: Boy Scouts and/or Girl Scouts - check with local councils' offices; veterans' clubs, homes, or hospitals; Boys and Girls Clubs or other after-school programs

Here in metro Denver, the Rocky Mountain Philatelic Library is a .501(c)3 charity under IRS regulations (meaning I can write stuff off on taxes.....).

At the end of the past two years, I've donated left-over albums and old catalogues to RMPL. They auction things off to help fund the library, which is entirely operated by volunteers. They will also have a kids' booth at the upcoming Rocky Mountain Stamp Show. Those of you who live near one of the philatelic libraries; consider them as a recipient.

To emphasize what Zuzu posted above, please look at what the Holocaust Project is trying to do with stamps. They're trying to collect a stamp for each of the 11 million people who perished in the holocaust. So far, they're only 3.3 million in. They can take them in any condition.

http://www.foxboroughrcs.org/studen...amp-project/

So, please, anybody who doesn't otherwise know what to do with extra stamps, please send them there.

The Girl Guides take them.

In 19 years I am only aware that the APS has discarded any stamps or covers twice. One gift was bug infested and the second was moldy. At one time we got a gift of over 150 pounds of three very common U.S. stamps on paper. I was questioned why we would accept it but we used/distributed the entire gift within 18 months. Assuming there are no restrictions we accept all stamps and covers. We have declined a number of gifts where the donor has wanted guarantees of permanent displays.

Most material donated to the APS is used for youth and educational programs such as Stamps Teach, school based All Star Stamp Club, Young Stamp Collectors of America members, for scout merit badge programs, and for show youth areas. Unless restricted otherwise items may be added to our Reference Collection.

Material not appropriate for youth and not needed by the Reference Collection may be sold to support our educational programs. (If the donor claimed over $5,000 we will hold the material for a minimum of three years before selling any of it.)

Ken Martin

Thank you Ken Martin for clearing that up. Since APS is a non-profit, there is nothing wrong with it selling donated material in order to fund programs (and I believe there always has been a bit of discussion about APS selling some very valuable donated items to fund expenses ....)

It's beyond me why someone would want to brag about destroying huge quantities of stamps, when of course they easily could have been re-donated to a worthy cause

"guess where the other stamp related material went " I can't believe people read that as "huge quantities of stamps" . We have a problem of people not reading correctly .-------Around Chicago ,I was haul into court about 5 times and faced all kinds of lawyers ranting and raving to a judge about me breaking this law or that law .Every time I showed the judge what is written and what the lawyer is crying about is not the same thing ,much like the people crying here ,not reading and posting the same thing .......shees .

Ken and me at the stamp show----[URL=http://s463.photobucket.com/user/stamp12345/media/kenandme.jpg.html"][/URL]