Donations of household items and clothing are down by an estimated 50 per cent this summer, compared to last year at this time at the Salvation Army’s thrift stores in Abbotsford and Mission.
Spokesperson Deb Lowell said this decrease means the agency is not only having difficulty providing supplies to people for whom it finds housing, but less money is coming in from the sale of these items in the thrift stores.
“It does have a ripple effect with the programs we’re able to offer in the long run,” she said.
Lowell said the summer is typically a time when people sort through their belongings and get rid of furniture, housewares and clothing.
She speculates that the slow start to the summer this year may have delayed this purging, or that people are still suffering from the economic downturn and are holding on to their items.
But the need is still there for people to purchase good quality used items at a low cost.
“There’s still a lot of demand. We’re seeing a lot of folks who are under-employed or have been laid off,” Lowell said.
The pickup of large items – such as tables, dressers, beds and futons – can be arranged by calling the Salvation Army’s Centre of Hope at 604-852-9305.
Other items can be brought to the centre’s drive-thru drop-off at 34081 Gladys Ave. or to the Mission location at 7221 Park St.
More information is available online at careandshare.ca.