Charitable donation bins, the large steel and metal boxes often found in parking lots, began appearing in the U.S. in the 1950s. By 1960, Portland had more than 70 goodwill bins, collecting tens of thousands of bags of donated goods a year. But there is a cost that comes with charitable giving. New reporting from The Believer found more than 30 documented cases where people have died while trying to access donated goods. Many of the deceased were people experiencing homelessness, and the documented number of deaths is believed to be an undercount.

Paul Collins, an English professor at Portland State University, wrote about this issue for the publication. He joins us to share more about the people who have died because of these bins and why they are so deadly.

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News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/04/17/think-out-loud-charitable-donation-bins-oregon-us-deaths/