How to donate shoes so that they'll be given away rather than sold?

• I have managed to accumulate (over time and several bad buying decisions) three pairs of quality-make men's shoes of different types, all in nearly-new condition, that I don't want or can't wear, and I'd like them to go to someone who could really use them. The thing they have in common is each has a non-obvious flaw that would cause buyer's regret in anyone who actually paid money for them, so Goodwill is out. There is nothing seriously wrong with any of them and they'd great shoes for someone who badly needs something decent on their feet. But a thrift store would probably price them at their apparent value, and inadvertently snooker someone who could ill-afford that. Is there a charity that gives clothes to needy people rather than selling them in thrift shops? I'm in the Portland, OR area if that helps. Aside: I've been told that hospitals keep a kind of bank for clothes for ER patients who have nothing wearable at discharge; these tend to be fairly needy types without much of a support system, so failing any other suggestions I'll go with that.

• Answer:

  But a thrift store would probably price them at their apparent value, and inadvertently snooker someone who could ill-afford that. Depends on the thrift store, actually. Where I live (Vermont c. 1950) every pair of shoes that goes to the thrift store isn't priced more than $5-8. Church thrift stores are especially like this, I've found. We also have local community organizations of the type treehorn+bunny mentions that help people find professional clothes for work options. Our local vocational high school also keeps a collection of "interview clothes" for the kids so they can look nice for a job interview even if they don't own any professional clothes. If your location in your profile is accurate, I'd contact https://oregon.dressforsuccess.org/ who could direct you appropriately. Obviously that is for women but I'm sure they'd know who serves men in that area.