Sallies count cost of dumping
Bags of old clothes continue to be left outside the Army’s store in Five Crossroads. Hamilton – including during the recent Lockdown Level 3, when the shop was not open.
The Salvation Army spends as much as $8 from every $100 taken in Hamilton Family Stores to clean up dumped and scavenged items.
Bags of second-hand clothes continue to be left outside the Army’s store in Five Cross Roads when the store is closed, including during Level 3 lockdown.
Nigel Waters, Salvation Army Regional Manager for Retail, says very few of the items left at the shop outside of hours make it inside. The great majority are spoiled by the weather, picked over by scavengers or removed by Hamilton City Council, which regards them as a health and safety risk.
“Leaving donations outside doesn’t just create a health and safety risk, it’s also costly,” Waters said “The costs of disposal of rubbish are close to 5 percent and in some shops could be as much as 8 percent. To put that into context, for every $100 accepted over the counter, up to $8 would be spent on rubbish disposal.
The Army says they fill a need for low-cost clothing and furniture. Money raised by the stores fund community ministry operations – such as foodbanks and counselling.
“When you consider that the $100 has percentages taken out for rent of the building, staff costs, and the usual costs of running a business it’s easy to see how hard it is becoming to return sufficient money to the organisation in order for them to assist those most in need.”
The Hamilton City Salvation Army runs Family Stores in the central city, Hamilton East, Five Crossroads, Dinsdale and Te Rapa. There are also stores in Taupō, Tokoroa, Matamata, Te Aroha, Waihi, Te Awamutu and Cambridge.
Donors are asked to wait until the store is open or use the donation bins in order for their items to be able to be of most use to the community.
