Organization reporting issue with people dumping garbage in donation bins

(ABC 6 News) – When you donate to Disabled American Veterans, you’re doing a good cause, a good deed. But when you donate unusable and broken items, you’re not doing anyone a favor.

The donation bins in the Albert Lea Walmart parking lot are meant for quality donations. On the outside, piles of trash are getting in the way of where donations need to go, Savers stores across the state.

Instead of using the money from donations to go towards things like repairing a veteran’s wheelchair, that money is being used to get rid of garbage.

"It ends up costing someone something all the time and it’s not fair," said Robert Sharp with Disabled American Veterans. "It takes a lot of work, it’s just tough to get rid of all that stuff."

Sharp said the problem is mostly at the Walmart drop-off location. The North Albert Lea location doesn’t really have an issue. But, the issue is growing and the DAV is considering moving their bins.

"Maybe somebody pays attention and says something to these people. That you know, they need to contribute to the community. Not add to the load."

Sharp said the best thing you can do is to take your trash and dispose it properly rather than dumping it by the donation bins.