DONATED GOODS

As year-end donations of used clothes, canned goods, and old toys pour into charities, the task of separating the useful and valuable from the junk mounts, reports The Washington Post. Much of what is donated must be thrown away, such as worn-out furniture, ripped clothing, and food that is too old to eat safely, so some charities are urging donors to review their contributions before giving them away. “If you wouldn’t eat it, don’t assume because someone’s hungry or homeless, they would eat it,” says Scott Schenkelberg, executive director of Miriam’s Kitchen, a homeless shelter in Washington.