Op Shop urges people to apply the ‘donate to a mate’ rule of thumb

IF you would give it to a mate, it’s OK to donate.

That’s the guideline St Vincent de Paul Society (Vinnies) Op Shop management is asking the community to follow when considering what to do with unwanted household goods and clothes.

Vinnies Area Manager for the Coffs Coast, Katie Cox, told News Of The Area that when the charity shops are closed and goods are left outside, they attract looters, leaving a mess for the volunteer retail assistants to clear up when they come in to work.

Too often people choose to drop their old possessions on the front or back doorstep of their local Op Shop out of business hours, not thinking what might happen when they walk away from the boxes and bags they leave behind.

“Outside on the street, the items can get damaged by animals, the weather, or [by] others going through them, and they end up unsaleable,” Ms Cox said.

“It costs us to dispose of them.”

At Vinnies, the staff do not wash donated items, so Ms Cox reminds people to donate their items in a saleable condition.

“When you have something to donate, come in and see our lovely volunteers who will welcome you with a smile and a friendly chat.”

There’s no other retail environment like Op Shops, said Ms Cox, where the staff are volunteers and they make decisions on pricing and even whether it’s likely to sell or not.

Vinnies Regional Manager Retail North East Paula McCormack, reminds the community that they are very grateful for the generosity of donors in Toormina and ask people to please donate responsibly.

“The best way to donate is leaving your quality items with us during opening hours and, if the shop is closed, holding onto your donations until an appropriate time.

“Over the last year, we (Vinnies) have supported over 1800 people in Coffs Harbour and surrounding regions.

“The demand for assistance in Coffs Harbour is much greater than what we are seeing across the state, with one in four reaching out for the first time and seven in 10 people experiencing housing stress.”

When items are donated responsibly, they can be stored, sorted, and resold in the shops, which ultimately allows the charity to raise funds to help locals access essentials such as food, clothing, accommodation, and general support.

By Andrea FERRARI