Hempstead Town regulates collection boxes

The Hempstead Town board passed a law this week intended to prevent profiteers from deceiving residents by misrepresenting their bins as collection boxes for charitable causes.

Under the law approved Tuesday, collection bin operators will be required to obtain an identification sticker through the town’s building department. There is no fee for the sticker, which will indicate the container is a town-permitted collection bin for use in connection with charitable purposes.

The law also mandates that the benefiting entity be identified on the bin, along with a phone number and address.

Many non-profit and charitable organizations set up collection bins that take in donations of clothing, toys and other items; for-profit groups resell many of the items and convey only a small fraction of the proceeds to charitable causes.

The board approved the law, 5-0, with two members absent.

“Our hard-working charitable organizations and kind-hearted residents deserve protection from those who prey on the generosity of our neighbors,” Supervisor Kate Murray said in a statement. “This law will ensure that items donated in collection bins will go toward worthy endeavors.”

Above: Hempstead Town Hall