I like your thought in regards to an alternative route with "Sharing is Caring" being a plan where people gift crafted items. In regards to the online charities... I think it would be interesting if one could donate their "old" items as they slowly renovate their lots. It would be like giving to Goodwill. A thought I have on the matter is to change the "Sharing is Caring" to the case of actually sharing your things:
Sims can come by, ask if they can use something of yours, but they cannot steal it. You can comply and if someone wants to use something on your lot, they can be it one of the new items in the pack like the recycler, juice fizzer and so forth to simply using your bathroom to freshen up, your kitchen to cook a meal, your computer to get something done. If you don't comply, you lose influence and of course have that guy who comes along and fines you for not following the N.A.P.
My suggestion would certainly troublesome, but it strikes me as a bit more of a compromise with how "Sharing is Caring" works right now (which I think may have been meant to be troublesome to give a sort of challenge for Simmers) and the desire to not lose your things to anyone... though they may break one of your appliances and you'll have to fix it or hire a Repair Sim. Ideally it would be the case of an annoying neighbor or two stopping by every day to use something on your lot and actually leave when finished rather than dawdle - unless, of course, you make them stay by keeping up a conversation or something.
