?? about bringing school supplies through customs!

Heading down Friday with a large group of people and we are doing a school donation drive which we have done the last previous 3 years. People are bringing lots of stuff this trip, in some cases a whole suitcase full. We just had a post on our message boards about going through customs with that much stuff and if you get searched you will be taxed on the supplies and someone threw out a number of $100 US. First, can you be taxed and if so is there any one thing you should say that would make it exempt. People are starting to worry about it and reconsidering bringing everything that they collected. Please advise.

My last trip I had a big food processor and an entire suite case full of school supplies for St. Anthony's. I put down on my declaration that I had donations. When my wife and I reached the desk for declarations we were asked about donations. I said school supplies and a small kitchen appliance. They had us go to station one along with some doctors bringing in medication and dentistry stuff. They had us put the luggage on the bench, opened it, and the lady looked over the stuff in the suite case. Asked about the food processor and where it was going. Told us to zip up the luggage and told us to have a good time and thanked us for helping the children of Jamaica. No tax at all. Hopefully that calms down any fears.

Thanks jsteil!! Most people are just bringing a single backpack with stuff inside, but a couple of people have been getting donations from friends and family and those are the ones a little concerned. It was not so much the money, but they starting to worry if they would get in trouble. This trip we have just around 100 couples in the group and we hope to have 60-80 backpacks to donate. We also have three brand new laptops and I have told those people to take them out of the boxes and claim them as personal if asked. Last year we were able to donate to Newcombe Valley School which was quite a drive from Negril (St Elizabeth Parish) and from what I understand a school that got very little support from the JA government. Two years ago we went to two different in Lucea, one being a special needs school. Thanks for the note...I will pass it on! ;)

I will actually be in Negril the same time as you 3/19 - 3/26.

I bring atleast one if not two full size suitcases full of just straight donations every trip. i do usually get opened but they ask where going and thank me. never have had to pay a fee and maybe that is luck but I have brought: meds,1st aid kits, womens supplies,baby supplies, lots of meds,lots of shoes, baby clothes,hundreds of balls, books,phones,tooth stuff. I just be honest every time and have never paid a fee and never not been thanked.

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Originally Posted by Face Down

Thanks jsteil!! Most people are just bringing a single backpack with stuff inside, but a couple of people have been getting donations from friends and family and those are the ones a little concerned. It was not so much the money, but they starting to worry if they would get in trouble. This trip we have just around 100 couples in the group and we hope to have 60-80 backpacks to donate. We also have three brand new laptops and I have told those people to take them out of the boxes and claim them as personal if asked. Last year we were able to donate to Newcombe Valley School which was quite a drive from Negril (St Elizabeth Parish) and from what I understand a school that got very little support from the JA government. Two years ago we went to two different in Lucea, one being a special needs school. Thanks for the note...I will pass it on! ;)

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Where's this year donation going to be ? So thoughtful of you!

That is great Face Down! About 10 years ago my daughter ,for a community service project, collected school supplies .
She had put donation boxes around our town and collected a unbelievable amounts of supplies and money for a school in Clarendon
where one of our farm workers children went to school. My wife and I were real nervous about what we were bringing and how to procede with
customs. The ministry of education on their website had a process of how to get through without taxing. We needed a letter from a teacher explaining
the items needed . We proceded to the line where you need to declare items. After a few calls to Kingston they went through all the bags and boxes. (over 15)
The inspectors picked a few items out and asked if they could have some items for their children and let us procede.
The school principle had all the kids come into the school yard and sang a thank you to my daughter,have it on video somewhere.
She used this when applying to colleges and got acceptances for every college shr applied to .It took my rental car and a PU truck to drive the supplies
to the school. The school received so much that they shared with other schools in the area. She had also collected a little over $3000 in cash
that we used to buy paper and other heavy items in Jamaica . It was worth the time we spent and was quite the site to see my daughter in the
middle of 100 plus students !
Farmer

We bring donations down every time, usually spread among the suitcases. We have never had the first problem with customs.

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Originally Posted by farmer

That is great Face Down! About 10 years ago my daughter ,for a community service project, collected school supplies .
She had put donation boxes around our town and collected a unbelievable amounts of supplies and money for a school in Clarendon
where one of our farm workers children went to school. My wife and I were real nervous about what we were bringing and how to procede with
customs. The ministry of education on their website had a process of how to get through without taxing. We needed a letter from a teacher explaining
the items needed . We proceded to the line where you need to declare items. After a few calls to Kingston they went through all the bags and boxes. (over 15)
The inspectors picked a few items out and asked if they could have some items for their children and let us procede.
The school principle had all the kids come into the school yard and sang a thank you to my daughter,have it on video somewhere.
She used this when applying to colleges and got acceptances for every college shr applied to .It took my rental car and a PU truck to drive the supplies
to the school. The school received so much that they shared with other schools in the area. She had also collected a little over $3000 in cash
that we used to buy paper and other heavy items in Jamaica . It was worth the time we spent and was quite the site to see my daughter in the
middle of 100 plus students !
Farmer

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I have been shipping school supplies to Schools, etc. in Jamaica for almost (10) years, but what your daughter did was incredible...........Thanks for sharing!

Wow, how wonderful for all of you to donate all these items! Huge compassionate heart, all of you...Bless!