Item:Resource Bank
Notes: A "resource bank" is a place that gathers up "offers" by manufacturers and other donors and matches the offered items to agencies and/or relief groups that register their wish lists.
The resource bank may or may not limit the types of oraganizations that they focus on. They may only limit themselves to 501c3s, or they may be more inclusive. Or they may be more exclusive, like the one in LA, which only supplies homeless shelters in the LA county.
These are great to register with, because you could get a steady stream of donated supplies. But it's often hard to tell what kind of supplies and/or when you'd get them.
They will contact you when a donation offer is made to see if you want it, so you usually don't "have to" take it. It's usually optional until you make a commitment. These places are "brokers".
Their identity is wrapped up in being in the middle of the transaction. So beware. There will probably be some kind of application required, and their may be some requirement to "give" something of yourselves, either a photo op, or some other PR thing, or an actual "fee" for delivery of the item(s).
Feel free to ask questions of the Resource Bank. Here are some that I would ask:
- does it cost ANYTHING for our organization to get the items? administrative fees? delivery charges?
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