LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — City leaders are warning residents about dozens of donation bins appearing around Louisville, saying most of them are not legitimate.
Many of the illegal bins are concentrated along Dixie Highway. Metro Councilwoman Crystal Bast said the bins claim to represent charities that don’t exist and often display fake phone numbers and email addresses.
“No one knows where they came from. If you really look at them, the organization does not exist,” Bast said. “We have some footage of vehicles dropping them off. They have fake license plate numbers.”
Bast said the bins are often placed in parking lots using forged permits and signatures. Even though business owners did not approve them, they are still being cited and held responsible.
“It’s not fair that the business had to cover the cost of something they didn’t ask for,” Bast said.
Removing the bins will also be a challenge, according to Bast.
“It’s going to require a lot of trucks, a lot of manpower and money,” she said. “We also have to have somewhere to store these until we figure it out.”
Beyond being illegal, the bins can be dangerous. Bast said someone in her district died last year after climbing inside one.
She also said the bins could be connected to larger criminal activity, similar to cases seen in other states.
“It could be money laundering or cartel drug drops,” Bast said. “They may be using them as a cover to move money overseas. I’m not saying that’s definitely what’s happening here, but we’re still in the early stages of figuring it out.”
Amy Luttrell, president and CEO of Goodwill Kentucky, said donations placed in these bins often do not stay in the community.
“When you put your items in one of those bins, it’s going to a for-profit company that’s almost certainly outside of Kentucky,” Luttrell said.
Bast said fewer than 10 of the dozens of bins across Louisville are legitimate. Most charities, including Goodwill, do not place donation bins around the city.
Luttrell said local charities operate differently by reinvesting in the community.
“We place people in jobs,” she said. “We provide many other services that remove barriers and help people move forward in their lives.”
Bast urged residents to watch for misspelled words, vague charity names, and missing or fake contact information before donating. She also recommended giving directly to trusted local organizations, including Shirley’s Way, Exodus Family Ministries, Southwest Community Ministries, Southend Street Angels, and Goodwill Kentucky.
Bast said LMPD and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department are aware of the issue. Anyone who sees a suspicious donation bin is encouraged to report it to their Metro Council member. The reports will be compiled for discussion at the February council meeting.
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