Donating Cub Scout Uniforms to Pack

[JosephMD]

I have 4 cub scout unifoms that I've been thinking about donating to my younger son's pack.  He's moved to the boy scout uniform as a webelos and I have no younger children that will use them. 

 

1 small and 1 medium short sleeve

1 small and 1 medium long sleeve

I even have one good pair of cub scout convertible pants, the other didn't quite make it through two scouts.

 

I was thinking that I should sew the required elements on properly.

 

My wife is the pack committee chair, and while she thinks this is a good idea, she doesn't really know exactly how to handle it.  They could go to new scouts, first come first serve.  They could go to scouts in financial need.  They could hang in the scout closet for scouts that forget their uniform.  They could even be used as models for recuriting display, to show parents how the uniform is supposed to be put together.  Or any combonation of these.

 

 

[Stosh]

My extra uniform go to scouts who can't afford one of their own, even off of Ebay.

 

If I can't find one on Ebay for the boy, I buy a new one for him.

[JosephMD]

Oh, I also have a ladies extra small.  It actually looks like a good size for a webelos scout, but I don't know if that's the best idea.

 

 

My extra uniform go to scouts who can't afford one of their own, even off of Ebay.

 

If I can't find one on Ebay for the boy, I buy a new one for him.

 

Yeah.  That was the first thought, but then again, it is really hard to know with new scouts to the unit.  Her unit basically does, if you get a campership from the council, you can qualify for assistance from the unit budget too.  From what we've heard, there were some problems with the unit not having good standards for financial assistance, and people taking advantage of the programs.

 

I suppose adding something to the new parent orientation, "if you can't afford a uniform for your son, we have a few to offer"  wouldn't be the worst idea in the world.

[King Ding Dong]

I am in the same boat as you JosephMD, several old cub uniforms and even a pair of official pants. On one hand they do no good sitting in a closet and on the other hand you don't really want to hand them to a MDs kid either, eh? (Channeling Beavah)

 

So the question is how to identify those most in need? No perfect solutions but I generally tried to have some conversations with the single Moms at tiger round ups. Another way to handle it is anounce you have a few uniform shirts that are available for those with financial difficulty and to contact you directly to discuss.

 

I also attempted to contact the parents of scouts who left the pack and request a donation to our uniform closet, also asked the parents of Webelos crossing over.

 

Sewing is a lost art in this age so if you have a person in the Pack who can do it as a service to the pack that would be ideal. Most shops charge $3-5 per patch and that can add up fast. Never had much luck with Badge Magic as it only lasts half a dozen washing S before starting to peel.

[blw2]

i thought of setting up a donation closet several times while I was CM.  Even had a few off things handed to me by parents over the years for that purpose.... old neckers, hats, etc...

 

The problem is that in any donation or swip/swap arrangement... you need someone to sort of deal with it... and when you can't find people willing to sign up to bring snacks to the pack meeting, you're certainly not going to find someone to manage such a thing as this.

so the stuff goes into a box, and into the storage closet or shelf.... to get either buried or remembered the next time there is some random need.

[Stosh]

As SM, I make the announcement to parents that everyone needs a full uniform.  Those that have a problem with that will come to me and we can discuss options.

 

I have had cases where the boy wants to join, needs a uniform and is on his own for the expenses.  Usually the family is broken and this kid needs scouting, big time.  I buy the uniform and ask the boy to pay back as he is able.  Either he does or he returns it to me after he uses it.  (By the way, I have never accepted a returned uniform, with all the boy's bling on it, I never have the heart.)  I have had these "loans" going for many scouts over the years.  Uniforms, summer camp, Philmont, etc. and they all seem to get paid back when the boy's do their fundraising, they repay the "loans" as they are able.  Camporee costs $15.  Troop will pay $10, boys owe $5.  Boy shows up with $15, $5 goes to the unit, $10 to the "loan".  Which I drop back into the troop "kitty" anyway.    All records of such transactions are verbal agreements between scout and SM. 

 

Have I ever gotten "burned" with such activity?  Sure, but those that honor the process generally turn out to be some pretty fantastic scouts would never have had the chance otherwise.  It kinda balances itself out over the past 35+ years. 

[meyerc13]

Our Pack serves three of the most economically disadvantaged schools in our District.  They are all in the same inner city neighborhood, and one of them has the City homeless shelter in its area.

 

Every year, right around recruiting time Goodwill puts out its Halloween costumes.  For whatever reason, Scout Uniforms fall into their Halloween section.  I hit up every Goodwill within reasonable driving distances several times in August-October and buy any uniform with patches sewn on (I've spent way too much time removing glue residue to even consider doing that again).  Our Pack buys the Council patch (which by itself is $5, so I definitely pick up any uniform that has our Council's patch already on it), unit numbers, and international Scouting crest.

 

At our new parent orientation, I announce that our Pack never wants to make financial need be the reason that a boy doesn't participate in Scouting.  I let everyone know that the Pack has uniforms available.  Generally we give out most of them each year.  On one occasion the Pack had to go out and buy a uniform brand new for one boy (he was a larger size than I was able to find).

 

To cut down on people gluing patches on these loaner shirts, we bought some of the vinyl diamond emblem holders and gave those out along with the Bobcat badge once the boy earned that.

 

It takes some coordination, but generally we find an announcement at the first few meetings is all it takes to get parents who need it to take advantage of the program.  This year we still have a few extra shirts, but we probably gave out a dozen (maybe more) shirts to families who needed it.  To some of these families the $25 for the shirt, and the $15 or so for the initial patches is a lot of money.  Add in the neckerchief, slide, belt, hat, pants, socks and it becomes crazy expensive.

 

The one thing I almost never find is belts... I wonder with the new program using so many belt loops if we'll begin to see more Cub Scout belts donated to thrift shops.