Adam Prudhomme
Beaver Staff
A string of thefts coupled with the upcoming cold weather has prompted the Napanee Salvation Army Thrift Store to ask that all donated items be dropped off during their business hours of Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
That way they can ensure they actually receive the donated items they count on to raise funds for the community. Anything left outside is at risk of being stolen or destroyed by weather.
“We’ve got people coming and taking all the stuff,” Salvation Army Thrift Store manager Terry Howes said of items that are left outside after business hours. “The good people that are donating to us, we’re not getting some of that stuff.”
She says there’s been several instances where people have rummaged through bags of clothing, taking what they want and leaving the rest scattered in the parking lot.
The volunteers often wind up throwing away clothes that are left in the snow or rain as they get mouldy when damp. Howes says they are working with the local OPP to better monitor their property, but can only do so much.
Compounding the problem is people are also leaving garbage in the donation bin, which only serves to deplete an already stretched budget. They are then forced to waste hundreds of dollars to have the trash removed. It also makes for an unpleasant experience for the volunteers who have to sort through the donations. So much so that Howes says she’s concerned she may lose volunteers if the problem doesn’t get better.
At the end of the day it’s the community that suffers, as money raised from the store goes to support ministry outreach, the food bank, Christmas hampers and community assistance.
“A lot of people don’t know that all our money from the store stays in Napanee,” said Howes. “So really they’re stealing from our community.”
It’s not just lost revenue, as the donations are sometimes used to help those in need.
“If someone doesn’t have clothes, they’ll go to family services, they’ll give them a voucher and they come here to get clothes,” said Howes. “We try to put it all back (to the community).”
Howes says she’s willing to work around people’s schedule as well. If someone is unable to drop off items during their business hours, they can call 613-354-2550 to arrange for a volunteer to be on hand to receive it.
Howes says they appreciate all donations but are unable to accept mattress, car seats, helmets, life jackets and bumper pads. She says they’re always on the lookout for volunteers at the store and would be unable to operate without them.