Most of us in the United States (and many other developed countries) eventually end up owning too much stuff. Even careful buyers end up with outdated electronics, clothing and books we have read or no longer need. Increasingly, many of these items are ending up in thrift shops.

According the NARTS: The Association of Resale Professionals, resale, consignment and thrift stores make up one of the fastest growing segments of the retail market, experiencing a 7% growth in number of stores during the past two years (at a time when many other retailers are closing sites). Part of the reason for the growth is certainly the economic need to save money. However, many more are visiting these shops for non-economic reasons. Growth in retro fashion has erased any social stigma involved with such shopping–now it’s kind of trendy. Also, because many of the estimated 30,000 retail sites are nonprofits (or donate their proceeds to charitable causes), many of us shop, volunteer and/or donate because it is a simple way to do good in our communities.

Think about the clutter in your own living or storage space. How much of what you no longer use could be of use to someone else? Even outdated computers with little to no market value can sometimes be donated. Although many nonprofits that recycle computers won’t accept anything beyond five years old, Goodwill stores (last time I was there) has an arrangement with Dell to accept all computer equipment. Instead of paying the dump to dispose of an ancient computer gathering dust in my basement, Goodwill received money for my junk.

Although my seach for Seacoast thrift stores didn’t yeild a completely up-to-date listing, here’s one with many of the major locations: http://www.thethriftshopper.com/city/Portsmouth/NH/1.htm

Another reason I prefer giving away goods instead of having a garage/yard sale–besides less time and hassles–is the tax deduction. If you itemize on your taxes, donated goods are worthy of a tax deduction–often worth nearly as much as if you had that garage sale. The only challenge is estimating the gift’s donation valuation for taxes. The Salvation Army has a good evaluation guide to a wide range of clothing and other goods: http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn_2.nsf/0/d477340ffa28755c8525743d0049d1ef?opendocument

Okay, so if you are one of those people who really enjoy the garage/yard sale or flea market scene, consider the possibility of having a sale for a good cause. It feels good, plus it gives you a little extra negotiating power on the final purchase price (“I guess the poor children in Africa can go without shoes so you can get a better deal on this pair…”).

Whether you’re doing some New Year’s organizing or early Spring cleaning, consider donating some of the stuff you no longer need. It will feel good, do good & be green.

–Patrick Klingaman

Just as children have their gift wish lists this time of year, so do area nonprofits. This holiday wish list comes from a recent newsletter from Cross Roads House, an emergency and transitional shelter in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. In addition to financial contributions and volunteer support—during the past couple years they built a new house shelter building and rebuilt another—the holiday wish list for their residents includes:

Gift Certificates for:

• Local restaurants
• Grocery stores, other retailers
• Fox Run Mall, movie cinemas
• Gas stations, auto supply stores
• Chuck E Cheese
• Bike shops
• Pharmacy/drug stores
• Hair salons

Newly purchased items:

• Hats, gloves, mittens, rain ponchos
• Socks, thermal underwear (all sizes)
• Travel alarm clocks
• Wallets for men and women
• Padlocks with keys, bike locks
• Small daily planners
• Toiletries: toothbrush/paste/floss, deodorant, razors, shaving cream, nail clippers, shampoo

Your donated items will become part of the gift bags every resident receives during the holidays. Those who want to provide one or more of these gifts can mail or drop it off (unwrapped) by December 18 at:

Martha Stone, Cross Roads House, 600 Lafayette Road, Portsmouth, NH 03801

(603) 436-2218   www.crossroadshouse.org

Those with questions can contact Martha by phone (ext. 110) or email: martha@crossroadshouse.org

(Cross Roads House is located at the south end of the Route 1 By-Pass across from Bowl O Rama)

Anyone else? Are you affiliated with another area nonprofit and have a wish list of your own? Or do you know of any other needs in the Seacoast community others should be aware of? If you have wishes to post or want to report wishes fulfilled, please respond. Thanks!

 

From the state of area retail shelf displays, it seems that it’s never too early to start thinking about the upcoming holiday season. Since many opportunities to do good require more planning than last-minute Christmas Eve shopping trips, I’ve included a couple great resources that have come my way the past few days.

Those wanting to do good on the Seacoast will want to look through the annual Guide to Holiday Giving and Volunteering, just published by the United Way of the Greater Seacoast. This 24-page information-packed guide lists opportunities with 75 different local nonprofits. The entries, conveniently organized by location, describe adopt-a-family programs as well as other food and gift needs. For example, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that 39 Seacoast nonprofits offer holiday adopt-a-family programs. We’ve found buying presents for a family (or families) in need to be a rewarding holiday tradition, particularly when we join forces with friend and/or neighbors, which also makes it a fun social event. Thanks to United Way’s Robin Albert for alerting me to this great resource guide. Here’s the link:  http://pubs.hawthornpublications.com/unitedwayholidayguide/index.html

To fulfill your global holiday do-gooding efforts, I can recommend the World Vision Gift Catalog, which I received in the mail over the weekend. You have the opportunity to give an extremely targeted donation, ranging from a couple chickens to a well for a village–and you will receive a nice card to communicate the gift given in their name. Also, more tangible gifts from a handful of exotic locations can be purchased for a donation. Here’s the online link: www.worldvisiongifts.org

It’s never to early to start planning for doing good for the holidays, particularly if you’d like to get others you know involved. My plan is to investigate adopt-a-family opportunities nearest me, then invite a few of my neighbors to join in. Together we can spread some much needed holiday cheer this year.

–Patrick Klingaman

 

Those on the lookout for a great fall outdoor event should consider participating in the 25th annual Walk by the Sea on October 2. Enjoy a beautiful 5K (3.1 mile) walk up & down New Hampshire’s Hampton Beach while supporting The Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire.  

Founded 25 years ago by Michael Painter, himself a brain injury success story, the event seeks to raise awareness of brain injuries, as well as to help fund the education, advocacy, support & injury prevention efforts of The Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire.  Until I read their brochure, I was not aware that traumatic brain injury is the #1 cause of disability & death for children & young adults–more frequent than AIDS, cancer & heart disease combined. Half of all brain injuries are caused by car/bicycle crashes; falls, firearms & sports/recreation injuries are also significant contributors.

Although much work remains in terms of education and prevention, there are signs of progress. For example, when I grew up, none of us wore helmets while bicycling–I’m not even sure they were available back then. Today, most children I see on a bike are wearing a helmet–even most adults. Given that even a minor spill can result in a major brain trauma, this one action has already prevent countless injuries.

The Walk by the Sea begins and ends at the Hampton Beach State Park, with a walk route up & down one of the nicest (& cleanest) beaches in the nation. In-person registration & check in is at 11 am, with the walk starting at noon. Although pre-registration that qualifies you for a t-shirt has ended, you may still register, join a team & gather/give donations online. Here’s the main page for the event: https://sna.etapestry.com/fundraiser/BIANH-BrainInjuryAssociati/WBTS/aboutEvent.do

Many of those walking have formed teams to “compete” with each other in terms of recruiting people to walk and donations. If you’d like to join or support a particular team, consider Hollywood’s Dream Team, headed up by my friend & event founder Michael (aka Hollywood) Painter. As I am writing this, his team has just been bounced from second to third place in terms of raising donations, so a donation of any size will be greatly appreciated. Here’s the link to the team’s page:

https://sna.etapestry.com/fundraiser/BIANH-BrainInjuryAssociati/WBTS/team.do?participationRef=2531.0.32300078

The goal for the event is to attract 1,000 participants & raise $50,000 for brain injury education & prevention efforts. Enjoy a scenic fall beach walk & support a great cause.

P.S. If you’d like to learn more about Michael Painter, read the newspaper feature on his story & how he started Walk by the Sea: http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110920/NEWS/109200349&emailAFriend=1

Opportunities for good often come in the most unlikely situations–like doing taxes. You can help put more money in the pockets of low income working families by serving as a volunteer tax preparer in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program. They are looking for volunteers to help out next tax season (Jan.-April). Since the first training opportunity begins this month, they want to see interested people respond by September 15.

You don’t have to be a CPA–they will train you. If you are one of those people who doesn’t mind preparing taxes (or even secretly enjoys it), this could be the perfect volunteer opportunity for you. For details, I’ve included the information submitted to me by the United Way of the Greater Seacoast Volunteer Action Center below: 

Help families file taxes and claim the Earned Income Tax Credit for which they are eligible.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program provides free tax preparation services to qualified working families in Rockingham and Strafford Counties in order to help residents retain more of their income and develop assets to reach their financial goals.   Last tax season, volunteer tax preparers assisted more than 600 taxpayers with their tax returns; representing more than $800,000.00 in refunds. 
To provide this service, the CASH Campaign of Southeastern NH needs volunteers during tax season (January – April) each year. Some knowledge of tax preparation is helpful, but it is not required. You do not need to be an accountant or a financial wiz to volunteer! 

Tax Prep Volunteers will receive:
-Professional training on the use of IRS provided tax preparation software and basic tax law
-Training materials free of charge
-The opportunity for flexible scheduling: daytime, evening and/or weekends 

In addition to tax preparation, there are opportunities to help with intake and scheduling.  Find out more here.

For more information please contact Katherine Fredette, CASH VITA Tax Site Coordinator, (603) 430-4934 or kfredette@rcaction.org

We are offering information sessions in September if you’d like to learn more about this opportunity and other opportunities with the VITA program. Please register here by
September 15th:
https://volunteer.truist.com/uwgs/survey/vitaorientation

♫ “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” ♫

No, it’s not Christmas in August–just back to school time. I associate the carol with this season because of a classic Staples TV commercial.  In it, a father dances with glee as he merrily tosses school supplies into the shopping cart he guides down an aisle at Staples. His two glum-faced children trudge along behind him, with the song being sung throughout. One of my favorite commercials of all time. If you’d like to see it for yourself on YouTube, here’s a link: http://youtu.be/mPIIMbG9R4w

What’s my point? Well, many of us associate the holidays with giving–both to our loved ones & to those in need–but not back to school shopping. For families facing economic hard times,  however, providing basic school supplies & clothing for their children is often out of their reach.

Fortunately, Kittery, Maine’s Fair Tide is offering a special back to school event this year. Their thrift store has been a donation source for much of our clothing & other used items because their mission of providing transition housing for the homeless is an important one.

Here are the details, direct from Fair Tide’s news release:

Fair Tide’s 2nd Annual Back to School Supply Drive runs through the end of August at the Fair Tide Thrift Store to raise awareness about homelessness while also helping families acquire necessary school supplies for their children.

According to Fair Tide’s Barbara McGaughey, there are several ways people can become involved.

“People can either donate gently used clothes, backpacks, or books and any new school supplies like paper, pencils, and binders, or they can simply come in and purchase something at our store,” she said. “Any purchase made at our Thrift Store directly supports our transitional housing program for the homeless.”

To make a donation, stop by the Thrift Store at 15 State Street in Kittery, or call (207) 439-2427. For more information about Fair Tide’s services, visit www.fairtide.org.

If you have school-age children, throwing a few extra items in the shopping cart is a convenient way to help others. For all of us, this is a great opportunity to help make this a more “wonderful time of the year” for another Seacoast family.

~Patrick Klingaman

 

The Memorial Bridge connecting the downtowns of Portsmouth, NH and Kittery, ME is closed until a new bridge is constructed and completed (current estimates: June, 2014). Most people living in or visiting the Seacoast have discovered this hardship—some the hard way. Although the bridge’s unexpectedly early closure has proved inconvenient for drivers, it could spell disaster for some Route 1 area businesses on both riverbanks.

Citizens of the Seacoast banded together with a lengthy, determined Save Our Bridges campaign to successfully secure funding to replace the ailing structure built as a memorial to those who served and died in World War I. Now, with the certainty of nearly three years without a bridge connecting Route 1, we may need another ongoing concerted effort to ensure that stores, restaurants and other businesses survive until then.

Which side of the river is more at risk for business failure? I’ve heard concerns from all over, both online and in person, but my sense is that Kittery may be more dependent on Portsmouth customers than the reverse (particularly those that are part of the informally-named Gourmet Alley). During the peak of tourist season, the impact may be harder to measure. Local shoppers going the extra mile or two might prove more crucial during the colder months of the year.

The Save Our Bridges website has raised this issue, including highlighting some Kittery businesses for area resident to support. Perhaps other Seacoast-based business support organizations—and all of the rest of us—should consider coming together in a more strategic manner to Save Our Bridge Businesses. Here’s a link to the existing Save Our Bridges site:

http://www.seacoastbridges.com/

The sections of Route 1 long connected by the Memorial Bridge contain many of the commercial gems that make the Seacoast unique—both a wonderful place to live and to visit. Together let’s help ensure that those places will still be contributors to our communities when the new bridge opens in 2014.

Patrick Klingaman

August 7-13 is National Farmers’ Market Week. It is also New Hampshire Farmers’ Market Week, part of the New Hampshire Eat Local Month line-up during August. This is a simple way to support your local farmers, as well as other area food producers and businesses.

If you haven’t attended a farmers’ market for awhile, you might be surprised. I remember attending my first small-town market back in the mid 1990s: a couple pickup trucks in an empty parking lot. Even then I found enough fruit and veggies to keep me happy.

Today, both the size and number of markets are growing. According to the USDA, there were 1,755 operating farmers’ markets nationally in 1994. By 2010, the number swelled to 6,132, including 900 winter markets. Even during the current economic struggle, farmers’ markets have been growing at a strong double-digit annual rate.

Numbers on the Seacoast are equally impressive.  The Seacoast Harvest’s annual guide to local food lists 176 farms (many with their own farmstands or stores), 31 summer farmers’ markets and 8 indoor winter farmers’ markets. You don’t have to travel far to find locally raised food any day of the week. The Seacoast Harvest site also has detailed information on each of the area’s farmers’ markets:  

http://www.seacoasteatlocal.org/seacoastharvest/index.php?page=farmersmarkets#marketinfo

For those living or traveling outside of the Seacoast this week, you can check the USDA Farmers’ Market Search engine for a location near you. Some of their information hasn’t been updated from 2010, so you might want to confirm locations from local sources.

http://search.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/

Besides keeping local farmers afloat, Farmers’ Markets often provide a test market for aspiring restaurant owners or food producers. The next Stonewall Kitchen might be making an appearance at your next local market–and you can help them get discovered!

–Patrick

 

Throughout much of the country, August is a time when the harvest begins to arrive in earnest, making it fitting for celebrating NH Eat Local month. August boasts formal events like the NH Growers’ Dinner, with proceeds to support the NH Food Bank. For more information on events and a link to their Facebook page, go to: 

 http://nheatlocal.org/

Besides events listed on the website, here are a few other ways to eat more locally during August and beyond:

• Shop at a Famers’ Market or farmstand. The second week of August is National Famers’ Market Week, so you have an opportunity to celebrate two events with one visit. Even though the Seacoast is better known for its coastal recreation, historical sites and restaurants, locally produced food has become a growing participant in our economy. The Seacoast Harvest’s annual guide to local food lists 176 farms (many with their own farmstands or stores), 31 summer farmers’ markets and 8 indoor winter farmers’ markets. You don’t have to travel far to find locally raised food any day of the week. The Seacoast Harvest site also has detailed information on each of the area’s farmers’ markets:  http://www.seacoasteatlocal.org/seacoastharvest/index.php?page=farmersmarkets#marketinfo
• Eat out at one of the Seacoast’s unique local restaurants. Although sometimes it seems easier to grab a bite to eat at the mall foodcourt or fastfood drive-thru, visiting one of the area’s many inspiring local eateries will prove more rewarding with little extra effort. It’s easy to forget that foodies from all over travel here to sample some of the best food offerings in the nation. Don’t ignore the treasure that’s just down the street from you. If you hate standing in line with tourists, make a point to visit Sunday evening or early in the workweek. Also, a number of Seacoast restaurants have been at the forefront of the farm-to-table movement, meaning that they buy much of their food from local farmers and/or, in some cases, grow food themselves. This is a great way to support both local restaurants and food producers at once. Seacoast Eat Local has a partial list of restuarants serving locally raised food:  http://seacoasteatlocal.org/find-local-food/restaurants-that-use-local-foods/
• Buy more locally produced food and drinks when you shop. Besides farm-raised food, the area is filled with wonderful producers of specialty food items, as well as breweries and wineries. Even many local residents don’t know that Portsmouth was the nation’s top ale brewing location in the early-1800s–and is still an important producer today. If you’d like to expand your horizon for what is available, visit the Made in NH website:http://www.nhmade.com/
• Help others eat local. If you have a green thumb and are harvesting all the produce you can handle, consider sharing some of that with others. You can always foist your surplus on your coworkers, but you may want to consider dropping off a bag or two at your local foodshelf. Most area food pantries are happy to accept fresh veggies. Seacoast Eat Local also has a page with more detailed information to guide you with local food donations: http://seacoasteatlocal.org/get-involved/food-for-all/

Happy eating!–Patrick Klingaman

In past posts, I’ve touted the benefits of “gardening for good”–growing extra food to share with those in need. Recently, I’ve learned more about another type of beneficial gardening: economic gardening. Instead of spending huge sums of money competing with other locales for potential relocation of the small number of “big fish” employers, economic gardening involves helping innovative local companies instead. Communities like Littleton, Colorado have concentrated resources (like market research and high-tech assistance) on home-grown businesses and have seen dramatic employment returns on their investment.

Just as gardeners with green thumbs know that there are many different ways to nuture a garden, I believe economic gardening has similar potential for variations, both individually and collectively. The Seacoast has a number of inidividuals and groups actively involved in these efforts. Two of them, Seacoast Eat Local and Seacoast Local are listed on my Sites for Good links listing on the far right column on this page.

Seacoast Eat Local has helped bring together many of the different elements that have made the Seacoast an emerging “foodie mecca,” especially those often neglected food producers. The flourishing local farmers’ market scene (even during the winter months) is just one of the fruits of their labor. Seacoast Local works with a growing base of locally owned, independent businesses and seeks to raise awareness of the impact of even a small shift in consumer spending on the Seacoast economy. Visit both their websites for more information on their activities:

http://seacoasteatlocal.org/

http://seacoastlocal.org/

As individuals, is there more we can do than simply buying from innovative local businesses when we can? For me, I’ve found a number of owners that have been quick to accept and implement business-enhancing ideas (both large and small) from the public. I enjoy dropping an idea from my areas of expertise, be they business (marketing, in my case) or product related. One tiny example is Kittery’s own Carl’s Meat Market. They have a small space devote to craft beer, but it is thriving because they have been faithful in seeking customer input on what they carry. They only had to tell me, “write it down and we’ll order it,” once. Now they carry nearly all of my favorite craft beers, making it easier for me to shift much more of my beer and meat spending their way.

Regular gardeners always trade tips with each other–so maybe economic gardeners should as well. How about you? Do you have any tips, ideas or examples to share on how to better grow our Seacoast economic garden? Please share them here.

You can learn more about the practice of economic gardening by clicking on the link below:

 http://growinglocaleconomies.com/economic_gardening