For further information contact Maureen Donovan, 703.204.1040. Donate art supplies, potential theater props and old costumes to schools or cultural organizations for creative projects. Give extra pet food, toys, beds and leashes to an animal shelter. It will reprogram the used phone to only dial 911, then donate the phones to social service agencies that distribute the phones to neighborhood watch groups. Started in 1998, ExcessAccess works with groups throughout the country but is most active in Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, Miami and Houston.
Donors receive a receipt for tax deduct able contributions.
To date ExcessAccess has filled requests for 10,000 recipient groups. All donations go to nonprofits. It also provides technical assistance to help start local reuse centers such as the ones mentioned. Now that the low-carbohydrate diet phase seems to have run its course, people are eating bread again. French bread, pita, rustic Italian loaves and American artisan breads are everywhere and too tempting to pass up.