What Makes A Hoarder Decide To Give Things Away To Charity?

The present study attempts to understand what makes hoarders agree to give their unwanted possessions away to charity. Our findings indicate that it is important for hoarders 1) to know the profile of the end-recipient (“who is the item going to?”) and 2) to be able to assess the legitimacy of the end-recipient’s needs (will the items go to “the right people?”). Charities tend not to disclose such information, limiting hoarders’ trust in them. Our results extend current knowledge on deterrents to charitable giving by showing the negative impact of lack of communication regarding what becomes of the donated items