Goodwill is starting to go downhill, especially with their "discounted" pricing. I refuse to donate…read moreto Goodwill any longer due to them charging full price for what would be a brand new shirt... only if it were new. $10 for a shirt, $20 for pants? Excuse me? But aren't you supposed to be helping the less fortunate and not ripping them off? Goodwill used to be good. However, this is a junk collection place now. I've seen empty pasta containers, dollar store, items self for triple the price. Items that are "less than" sellable. What gives? The only good things that are priced, would be the books, some electronics due to their 24 hour warranty, and some random knock knacks.

Prices at this Goodwill location have become unreasonable. Many dresses and men's shirts with…read morestains, wear, or other flaws are priced at $13.99 or more, despite being donated items that Goodwill receives for free. I understand that costs have increased, but these are still used items. At these prices, shoppers can easily go to TJ Maxx and buy brand-new clothes on clearance for the same amount. Goodwill was meant to offer affordable second-hand shopping, and unfortunately that no longer seems to be the case.

We were more than pleased with the personal service given to us by the manager Shawn and all the…read morepeople who worked at Plainville Goodwill. Shawn went out of his way to help us in a difficult situation when a box was donated that shouldn't have been. He was patient, kind and made us feel at ease. He and his staff made a big difference and we will certainly be repeat customers to the Plainville Goodwill. The picture below is of a couch that we bought for $20! Great shape and a great find.

Fairly good sized spot. Parking lot was a little tight as Lot of people don't know how to park. But…read moreoff you look around you can find something. Store was set up nicely but the shelves seemed overcrowded. Lot of nice bags and baskets in the store. Saw an electrical check station, see the picture. First time I had seen one of those. So that was nice.

I had a highly dissatisfactory experience with MACC Charities. The worker I spoke with (Shan non)…read morelacked empathy and there was a sense of her gaining satisfaction in her efforts to humiliate. She was unsupportive and verbally tried to discourage me from my life's aspirations. She went so far as to pretended to be an expert in a field she is not, all in efforts to derail. I asked her not to speak to me in a condescending manner, and she continued to abuse her false sense of power. I reached out to this organization during a time of need and was told by the worker that they don't "do hand outs". That if I was a worker for a company instead of being self-employed or unemployed (with no UE benefits), they'd have helped. In other words, they try to bait people into mediocrity and don't help those who need help. It's also been brought to my attention that their employees are not reflective of the population they supposedly serve (ie: lack of staff diversity). Perhaps they need to be audited to ensure their funds are being appropriately allocated, and ensure fair business practices. I discourage businesses from investing in or with the MACC organization. I also advise that their employees be mandated to take (and pass) unpaid sensitivity training and do mandated volunteer work in urban communities so they can gain perspective. I advise you donate, invest or partner in an organization that's more customer centric in their approach to humanity.

The Church Mouse is opened and looking great! A beautiful children's corner with many adorable…read moreoutfits from 3-6 mos through teens sizes... clothing as well as Shoes, sneakers, books and toys and stuffed animals.. The new designer corner is the place to buy high quality clothing, shoes and bags for very low discounted prices. Books, many cards for all different occasions for a mere 25-50 cents each. A nice variety of books, scarfs, pocketbooks and a variety of men and womens, jeans, pants, shirts, shorts and bathing suits. Take some time to browse and pick up some great bargains.

This is just not a food bank, Karen Thomas and all the volunteers, go above and beyond, they have…read morehelped me with much needed medical care for our son, and got us in quickly, they help individuals and families with unexpected such as a refrigerator dying on Karen out to see if anyone could help this . They were open Christmas Eve and I only did. I receive food for my family, a gift card and love and support from everyone there. I am truly grateful for the Friendly Hands community and the support that they give us all.

Great variety of food ! Very friendly staff! They treat everyone with respect and kindness!read more

Connecticut Foodshare Headquarters is located in Wallingford, Connecticut. Connecticut Foodshare…read moresupports individuals and families from one end of the state to another by addressing root causes, creating long-term solutions, and distributing nutritious food through local partner programs to alleviate hunger. I got the opportunity to volunteer at Connecticut Foodshare from a fellow foodie who invited other foodie content creators. We had a great time, and we were able to help families all across the world. We had to go through an assortment of foods to ensure they were good, and we made boxes with assorted foods. We packed 16,637 pounds of food that would provide 13,864 meals for families. I'm excited that we had the chance to volunteer at Connecticut Foodshare, where I became an integral part of a team and provided essential support to those facing food insecurity.

Connecticut Foodshare HQ is located in Wallingford, CT with 85,000 square feet of space running…read moreoperations with 120 employees and gets assistance majority from volunteers. They have a beautiful mission to deliver an informed and equitable response to hunger by mobilizing community partners. I got the opportunity to volunteer with a group, all invited by word of mouth to sort produce separating spoiled products from the good ones. The staff were incredible with giving us the information we needed to directing us on how we can assist multiple families in need. At the end of the day, as a group we boxed 16,637 pounds of food that would impact 13,864 meals. That's incredible for 3 hours! It is amazing work and I commend all their staff for what they are doing every day to feed families in need!

This place definitely put other thrift stores/consignment shops to shame. I'm in that store at…read moreleast twice a week because of the deals. I've bought beautiful designer work suits from Bananna Replublic, Ralph Lauren etc for $12.99. But here's what's going on as of April 2015-they shipped out most of the clothing to other SA so now the Newington store is strictly furniture and electronics, anything for the home.. I was told Newington is the furniture distribution center for all CT stores and I'm telling you the sofas (few leather sofas) are priced under $300 which you probably pay well over 5xs the price. I was impressed and tell people every chance I get to go there. Over 9 - 10 trucks a day come into the store a with goods. Savers and Goodwill doesn't even compare with the quality goods I've seen at Salvation Army in Newington, CT. Signed, Savvy Shopper

Nice quiet store to browse. Not too much on the shelves but still interesting to go around and…read morelook. Was a little hot in the store as they seemed to be only using fans. Seemed like a few items were lacking prices again.

I have brought many donations to Gifts of Love over the past decade. They provide a valuable…read moreservice to those in need.

I understand that this organization has guidelines for donations it can and cannot accept. However,…read morethe general approach of personnel is not one of gratitude, but rather, 'attitude.' I always donate usable and high-quality items that are in very good condition. However, they are frequently not met with genuine appreciation, but rather, with interrogation and rejections. Since this has happened on several occasions, I will donate to other organizations in the future.

Wow! What an inspiring place! The Community Services Director Janet Mellon gave me a tour. They…read moreprovide services for Southington residents, and there are some programs for anyone at all, for example, if anyone needs a coat, hat, and gloves. Such an organized place! They have a huge food pantry, there is an amazing well-stocked Community Closet, and you will see the many volunteers there helping the community! Please donate food and gently used or new clothing and other products here. They will take anything. It's easy to donate, they have plenty of parking in the back, there's an area to donate in the front with huge bins and food carts. I really enjoyed learning about their many programs, like making Easter baskets for kids, back to school packages, and so much more. They also provide financial assistance. The Community Closet smelled good, the items were clean. I highly recommend you visit this place for services or to help their cause. They have fundraisers. Check out the website. You can stop by weekdays from 8:30-4:30 to drop off clothes or food and other items. They provide services during these hours, but as the director said, she's even there working on the weekends to care for the community.