Wig gemach read b4 u donate a wig

BREINDEL1

Mon, Feb 16 2015, 8:47 am

so...
I donated a wig to a needy lady a few years ago while I lived in America.
it was in great condition, the size wasn't right for me so I a new one.
I wanted to send it to a gemach in Israel but saw an ad in the paper of a lady who needed one so I mailed it to her instead and boy am I GLAD I DID!

I heard a lot about wig gemachs in Israel and took my friend to one gemach last week.

she does not have any extra money to spend, and got no wig to wear, we walked into the home of a nice old lady, who is running the gemach.
she showed us SOME sheitels in horrible condition, the price of these wig started at $60 up to $200 none of the wigs were fixed, some were okay some had holes and bald spots some had bad hair.
she was also selling new ones for a cheaper price $450-650.

NOW PLEASE TELL ME! how come my friend was charged 650 shekels for a wig that was donated
why the wigs are for sale and not given for free??? THE NEW ONE OKAY I get why but the used ones who were given for free...why charge?

I am wondering, where does the money go? ok so u need to cover the gemachs expenses, but this gemach does not offer no cutting or styling, you basically buy as is! so why charge so much and not less?

can someone recommend of a gemach in Jerusalem that wont charge much and help my friend? I am willing to put money in too. she is divorced and needs a wig for shiduchm.

thank you.

zaq

Mon, Feb 16 2015, 10:43 am

Just so you know...there are gmachs in which the chessed is to you, the client. There may be no charge at all, or a small charge to help cover the gmach's operating expenses such as cleaning, repairing or even buying merchandise. Then there are "gmachs" that are stam small cottage businesses whose proceeds are given to one Tzedaka or another. For example, someone may decide to sell high-end makeup and donate all profits to Chai Lifeline. Why doesn't she just give money to CL? Maybe she enjoys meeting people. Maybe selling is in her blood and gives her satisfacion even though she herself does not need the money. Maybe her profits from selling the stuff are more than she would be able to afford to give on her own. Maybe this is because people are willing to spend beyond their comfort zone when they know the profits are going to tzedakah. So is this an actual makeup gmach? I guess it depends on your definition of gmach.

But like anything else in life...there are good ones and bad ones, honest ones and shady ones, well-run ones and mismanaged ones

BREINDEL1

Mon, Feb 16 2015, 11:11 pm

rivkahb wrote:

I just saw this- maybe it could be of help

http://www.imamother.com/forum.....43620

I heard about this gemach I will try to find the number, I also heard she is lovely, thanks.

UPDATE
we went back to the gemach last night to replace the wig, she ended up asking for 800 for the wig that was already paid for she said she made a discount because she thought that my friend will buy 2 or more, so my friend told her she really can not pay extra but the lady said she already gave the money to the needy so she cant return the wig, my friend had to add the 200 shekel and felt really bad.

what I think is right to do is donate a wig but write a note that this wig can be given for free or for no more then 200 shekels, its unfair that this gemach is giving money to "needy" people but taking money from the needy , this makes no sense... she paid 800 shekel on a used wig, she could of gotten a malky remy wig on ebay for that price! I am trying another gemach but might be able to get most of the money from our mutual friends so I hope to get her something nice.

I am not saying the gemach is not allowed to charge but should at least understand that women who come to her home for wigs are not trying to save money and look like they wear a dead animal on their head! some wigs there in my opinion anyway needs to be put in the bin and not sold to anyone.
also this lady should of given her the discount seeing her face when she told her she needed to add more money was heart breaking.

imasoftov

Tue, Feb 17 2015, 3:27 am

BREINDEL1 wrote:

we went back to the gemach last night to replace the wig, she ended up asking for 800 for the wig that was already paid for she said she made a discount because she thought that my friend will buy 2 or more, so my friend told her she really can not pay extra but the lady said she already gave the money to the needy so she cant return the wig, my friend had to add the 200 shekel and felt really bad.

That's beyond outrageous. Once they agreed on a price, neither side can change it. That she gave the money away already is not someone else's problem (and possibly untrue as well).

BREINDEL1

Tue, Feb 17 2015, 11:11 pm

imasoftov wrote:

That's beyond outrageous. Once they agreed on a price, neither side can change it. That she gave the money away already is not someone else's problem (and possibly untrue as well).

it is very upsetting, all of the great wigs are being sold for a higher price so those who can't afford it have to buy the cheaper ones with holes , bald spots or bad hair.
she is selling a blonde European wig with a bald skin part at the front near the bangs for 750 shekels!!! just because the rest of the hair looks soft.

FUNNY THING! I just got a Miri K wig yesterday from an ad I saw online for 1600 shekels great condition and silky soft, she reduced the price down to 900. it was while I was looking for a wig for my friend that I found my dream wig, I offered it to my friend at first but she wont wear a BOB cut, anyways I will keep on looking for wigs online and hopefully will come across a nice piece for her, and hopefully as good as what I got.

strawberry cola

Wed, Feb 18 2015, 8:54 am

"we went back to the gemach last night to replace the wig, she ended up asking for 800 for the wig that was already paid for she said she made a discount because she thought that my friend will buy 2 or more, so my friend told her she really can not pay extra but the lady said she already gave the money to the needy so she cant return the wig, my friend had to add the 200 shekel and felt really bad"

Sounds like a shady business- if I were you I would report what this woman does to a Rav who specializes in choshen mishpat. I think such behavior needs to be stopped.

BREINDEL1

Wed, Feb 18 2015, 12:24 pm

Quote:

Sounds like a shady business- if I were you I would report what this woman does to a Rav who specializes in choshen mishpat. I think such behavior needs to be stopped.

I honestly think I should post a letter in a frum news paper saying this should be stopped all over the gemach who DON'T OFFER SERVICE, meaning if you buy the wig as is and she wont wash and set or cut and fix then you won't pay over 250 shekels or something and if the lady is very poor she wont be charged,

think about all of the nice women who donated a GREAT wig thinking someone needy will enjoy it, but then the truth is only a needy who CAN AFFORD it will enjoy it, in this case we might as well just give the wig to someone we know who needs it.