Hello,

Thanks for your post! We are leaving Geneva after a year and have a number of items that we need to give away - including furniture, clothes and bedding.  I have looked online but can't find a list for the items that the Salvation Army will accept in Geneva - do you happen to have any idea?  Thanks in advance!

Amy

Why don't you phone them to ask?

R.

Thanks, Ritchie, I do appreciate the thought.  I'm afraid that my French is terrible and I was hoping that Miss Kate, the original poster, would know from experience the types of items that the SA here seems to accept or not accept. 

I will certainly call if I don't get any other responses here.  Thank you!

Have just seen this post and you have probably found the answers to your questions in the interim.

In case not, it is my understanding that the local tax authorities are only concerned with monetary donations to charities. Accordingly, donations of merchandise and other material goods cannot be recorded on the tax declaration.

Also, consult your tax adviser as to the eligibility of any cash donations as small sums are not taken into consideration.

Have you tried phoning in English?   They will surely have someone who can help.  The Salvation Army cares for people in need who come from all over the world so it has to have staff and volunteers who can converse in more than one language.

Two other local charities you can contact are Caritas (Roman Catholic) and the Centre social protestant (Protestant).  Both have sales outlets for clothes, books, furniture, etc., and both provide counselling and care services in several languages so, again, they will have folk who can speak English.  Indeed, quite a few of their volunteers are anglophone expats.

If you’d still rather talk to a North American, why not telephone the Revd John Beach, Rector of Emmanuel Church in Geneva?  He’s very approachable and helpful.  The church, and its office, are located alongside the Kempinski Hotel – see the church’s website for details.

All the very best! R.