Goodwill Employee Finds $10,500 Cash in Donation

Goodwill Employee Finds $10,500 Cash in Donation

news.yahoo.com...

While sorting through donated books, Stockton, California Goodwill employee, Lakiesha Williams, discovered an envelope filled with 105 $100 bills. As reported by KXTV News 10, Lakiesha joked that she briefly thought of keeping the $10,500 but then handed it over to her boss.
She said, "My concern was, somebody was out that money and I wanted, I would have liked for them them to get it back."

But a month after her discovery, the cash has yet to be claimed. Goodwill President David Miller explained that mistaken items included in donations are not unusual.

Lakiesha, a relatively new Goodwill employee, didn’t know the company policy and said, "It would have been nice for them to say, 'Hey.’ Give me some kind of kickback and say, ‘Hey, thank you for being honest and turning it in.'

" Goodwill’s policy is to keep any large amounts of accidentally donated money in an account to allow the owners time to reclaim it. Miller said that if the cash has still not been claimed 3 months after the donation was made, Lakiesha will get 10% of the money as a reward for her honesty. It would be a welcome blessing to Lakiesha and her husband who are struggling to advance their fitness business.

I'm sure I would have been tempted to keep the money too, but only because my finances are so poor at the moment. But I think I would always feel guilty, or scared that I would get caught, so I would probably turn it in too. I'm really not sure. I suppose the condition of one's bank account would influence one's decision either way.

What about the rest of you? I'm curious...what would you have done in a case like this?

Its MINE!!!
Can I have it back now please.

my girlfriend volunteers in a charity shop and she found 600 euro in a donated jacket.
she immediately put it in her pocket and.....
i jest. she told the boss, who knew the person that donated the jacket.
she didnt get a reward, put was'nt bothered by that at all
its good to be good, great to be great, and honesty is just so beautiful...

Faith in humanity restored. (Well... sorta)

I know it would be extremely hard for anyone to give $10,000 up, but she did the right thing. Good on her.

reply to post by sled735


You all realize that Goodwill is a very shady organization, right?

Huff Post Article

Orange County Register

NewObserver.com

They aren't helping anyone but themselves..

If your going to give money, make sure you thoroughly check out the organization first.

Lakiesha joked that she briefly thought of keeping the $10,500 but then handed it over to her boss.

Dude that money would have been in my pocket sooooo fast!!!!!!

I'm not joking. (am i bad? i don't care i have $10,500!!!!)

Originally posted by 3NL1GHT3N3D1
Faith in humanity restored. (Well... sorta)

I know it would be extremely hard for anyone to give $10,000 up, but she did the right thing. Good on her.

edit on 8-8-2013 by 3NL1GHT3N3D1 because: (no reason given)

She's a fool!

reply to post by gotya


Nope. Honesty is the best policy.

reply to post by 3NL1GHT3N3D1


You wouldn't take the money?



Hmmmm.... I'm not going to repeat my thing but....I'd be going on vacation!

reply to post by sled735


I agree that honesty is the best policy and at the end of the day that is what really matters.

Though I couldn't help but to make a somewhat jocular observation . ..

It would be a welcome blessing to Lakiesha and her husband who are struggling to advance their fitness business.

Now, the last time I checked my math 10% of $10500 is only $1050

You really can't do much to advance a business with a $1050, unless, they are looking to upgrade their stair climber.

Originally posted by AllInMyHead
reply to post by sled735

 

You all realize that Goodwill is a very shady organization, right?

Huff Post Article

Orange County Register

NewObserver.com

They aren't helping anyone but themselves..

If your going to give money, make sure you thoroughly check out the organization first.

WHAT?!!! No, I wasn't aware of this!

Well then... hummm...... Even though I do try to practice my high moral standards, this might make me think twice!

Thanks for those links. How sad is that?!

reply to post by sled735


That is a tough question. I'm sure most people here will say they would do the right thing and turn it in, but in reality, no one knows what they would do in that situation until they are in it. And, as you stated, I think it would depend on how desperate the person was for money at that time.

At this point in my life, I would say I would turn it in. But, in all honesty, if it had happened to me several years ago when I wan in more of a bad financial situation, I probably would have kept it.

Just being honest in my reply.

What about the rest of you? I'm curious...what would you have done in a case like this?

With no record of the donation amount? It would have so been in my pocket. Others can lie all they want, and feel superior about themselves...but c'mon, seriously? I'd be $10,500 in the black....Anyone dumb enough to store that kind of money in a book, and THEN donate it obviously isn't too worried about it. You know what they say about fools and money.....

And yeah, Goodwill is as shady as they come...

My guess would be that whoever donated the boots had no idea the money was in them or they were eccentric and wanted the money to be found by an individual as opposed to donating it directly to the charity, lol, and potentially being used on "administrative costs" rather then directly helping people who could use the money.

I think I could justify keeping the money for those reasons, but I also think I would have shared a large portion of it with people in need. The older I get the more the "Laws of Karma" seem to apply...that whole pass it forward thing..

Im a jerk, that money would have went straight into my pocket