Cystic Fibrosis Clothing Drive: 'If the Mountain...'

Late last week I found two packets on my front stairs and porch purporting to be bags for a collection of clothing by a cystic fibrosis organization.

The informative flyer stapled to the bag (which may be readable in the next two pix, showing top and bottom of the flyer as wrapped around the bag, tho my camera sometimes has a hard time focusing on flat surfaces) said that they would come by on August 18th — tomorrow — to pick up suchever clothes as are offered, and to "Please have bags out before 9:00 a.m."

I'd never heard of any charity going door-to-door to collect for a clothing drive, and the collection seemed a little soon after the date the packets were dropped — hurried, which is one sign of a scam, where the scammer doesn't give the pigeon time enuf to think carefully to evaluate what's being said or offered. So I thought I'd check it out, for me (I admit I have some clothes I no longer fit into, some of which have a button missing that I will never sew on, plus a few other things I might donate), and for readers who might also be suspicious.

I found the outfit at issue, the New Jersey State Organization of Cystic Fibrosis, mentioned on and linked to from a State of New Jersey website. So I sent this inquiry today via feedback form at their website:

Two bags were left on my porch and front stairs late last week by someone purporting to be you for collection TOMORROW of shoes, handbags, linens-bedding-curtains, stuffed animals, costume jewelry. Is that one of your functions, or a scam? Please advise as soon as possible, because I'd like to let my readers know TODAY if they can confidently put out such items in such bags or if they must NOT give to a scam.

I got the following reply.

Yes, our organization benefits from our clothing program. If someone donates clothing to the drive, a receipt will be left thanking them for their donation. Not a scam, feel free to inform your readers.

Thank you,

Debra Sikkema
NJSOCystic Fibrosis

So now I've got to look thru things I might donate. I didn't give myself much time, and I gave interested readers even less time, but perhaps the collection will occur after 9am tomorrow, depending on how wide an area they plan to cover in a single day.