After-hour donations dumped at thrift store cause headache for employees, hurt services

Two stained couches, a broken baby swing and a console television were just a few of the items carelessly tossed onto the parking lot of the Salvation Army Thrift Store over the weekend.

Karen Parks, manager for the store located at 601 South Ohio Ave., arrived for her Monday morning shift and found numerous, large pieces of furniture, stuffed animals and broken, plastic crates strewn across the store’s lot beside a garbage bin. A large red sign hangs nearby which reads, “Donations are accepted Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. We have no repair capability. All items must be in working order and good condition. We are unable to sell or recycle dirty, wet items.”

Parks said the lot was completely clear when she clocked out at 5 p.m. Saturday.

“We never leave anything outside,” she said.

According to Parks, who has managed the store for two years, finding donated items Monday morning is not unusual.

“It’s always a mess Monday,” she said, “but this is just frustrating.”

Monday’s mess included several bags of clothing that had been gone through and left out overnight. Parks said all the donated clothes would have to be thrown away because they were wet and filthy.

“They are disgusting and wet,” she said.

Parks said the unusable items, which included a broken baby swing, would have to be picked up by the city and the Salvation Army also would have to pay a fee to have the garbage bin emptied to make room for the store’s daily trash. Parks said this service costs approximately $160, which means the Salvation Army’s ability to help people declines 6 percent.

“That money could be used to buy food for a family or pay someone’s light bill,” Parks said.

Sunday dumping also costs the thrift store man hours.

Willene Hardy, who has been employed by the Salvation Army for three years, donned plastic gloves and spent almost an hour picking up the soggy clothes and toys and tossing them into the garbage bin. Hardy said cleaning up the mess would end up taking more than an hour and would put her behind on her sorting, tagging and hanging responsibilities.

“People don’t seem to understand they can bag this stuff and the city will pick it up for them,” Hardy said.

The Salvation Army Thrift Store accepts donations of clothing, household items and furniture that is in good condition from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Employees and volunteers are on hand to accept donations during that time.

Parks said the Salvation Army is willing to work with people who are unable to drop-off during those hours.

“They just have to call and we will set-up a time,” she said.

Anyone wishing to make arrangements for drop-off can call 473-6546.