Programs: Hyatt Diamond, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, UA Silver, dirt elsewhere
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I generally pack up whatever I may have and bring it over to my local food pantry along with food.
If people can't afford to feed themselves, there's a good chance they also have trouble buying personal care items, along with laundry detergent (which I donate too) and other cleaning products.
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Mary Life is too short to spend it being angry
Location: Um...I don't remember. I need to check my boarding pass.
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Posts: 14,106
We do a drive in our office a few times a year to collect these. Given that I work for an airline and many of us tend to stay in hotels frequently on the weekends, it's pretty easy to pick up extra shampoo/soap/toothpastes during the weekend, save them up and drop them in the bin during the drives.
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The comments and opinions expressed here are my own, and are not an official representation of Delta Air Lines.
Programs: UA 1K/MM; SPG Platinum; MHC Lifetime; Tarheel forever; and I "Dig the Pig" at Piggly Wiggly
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Women's safe house from domestic violence or a homeless shelter. I deliver 2-3 boxes about 4 times a year. I collect items from my travels, and coworkers bring their products to me
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My first time on a bike in 40 years. My goal is to raise $9,900 for Northern California AIDS Cycle...330 miles, on a bike, in 4 days, on a tiny, tiny saddle! Will you support me?
But in my case, I give them to my Temple and let them hit the shelters
We give these to my home city shelters, our church when they have a drive, and to the city wherever I'm working locally. Feels good to know someone will have a great shower! We have a lot of consultants at my current contract and have a box marked "Toiletries for Poverty", the various consultants dump their stuff in it. One of us just takes it every couple weeks.
I don't get the economics of this project. Soap is cheap to produce by hand and requires no modern ingredients (fat + lye).
How much does it cost to collect, recycle and ship used soap thousands of miles, versus taking that money and training/paying someone to make it locally in a developing country?
Also if you have a rape/sexual assault advocacy group in your community, they always appreciate these. They make up little packages so if G-d forbid there are victims brought to Emergency rooms, the victims are given these "care packages" so they can then use them in the hospital after the evidence has been collected (and no, ER's do not have soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc. That is for inpatients only).
I stopped taking these years ago. I'm saving the environment by not having the hotel replace these things.
I have been told that hotels throw out all the shampoo bottles etc after each guest since they are not tamper proof. Don't know if that is true, but it makes sense ( well, sort of)
But in my case, I give them to my Temple and let them hit the shelters
Life is too short to spend it being angry 
