Suspicious Clothing Donation Boxes Surface on the Lower East Side
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A suspicious donation box on Norfolk St.
You may have noticed the rash of rogue drop boxes popping up around the Lower East Side the last few days. In just under an hour, we spotted no less than five pink collection bins (Ludlow, Norfolk, East Broadway, et al). Each donation box is stenciled with “Our Neighborhood Recycling” and “clothes shoes drop.”
The proliferation is not solely relegated to Manhattan, though. Some residents in Queens told the local Times Ledger that they’re worried about whether the goods donated are actually going to legit charities. Dozens of complaints were made to local electeds there some six months ago.
There is a phone number included front-and-center that belongs to an organization called “Our Neighborhood Recycling.” We weren’t able to connect with anyone at this number, and their mailbox is currently full. Times Ledger apparently did talk with someone who said only that the goods are “shipped overseas.”
A woman who answered a call placed to the phone number on the box said Our Neighborhood Recycling ships the clothes overseas but hung up without giving more details. Community leaders said they fear whomever is placing the boxes around the neighborhood is taking the clothes donations and selling them for personal profit.
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