re: The Salvation Army. I was surprised to find out that they don’t always give clothes donations directly to the poor. They sell them at thrift stores, and not necessarily at prices or in locations the truly poor can afford. And the people running the stores are paid employees. And they pay rent on the stores etc. etc.
That may be true, and to some degree it makes sense if they are trying to convert donations into cash which can be more effectively targeted. I don’t worry about SA’s motives as I would the RC and United Way. A generation ago, United Way’s excesses and questionable donations to politically motivated groups (e.g., Planned Parenthood, etc.) were exposed for what they were. I wouldn’t give them a slug penny.
The stores are part of their job training program.