Tameside homelessness charity Emmaus Mossley has launched a campaign urging donors and supporters to ‘Sift Before You Gift’ to reduce the substantial disposal costs of unusable donations.
Emmaus Mossley’s Secondhand Superstore supports the charity’s vital work, helping people to progress after homelessness. The charity relies on good-quality donations but is keen to reduce the costs of disposing of unusable items so that more funds can be used to support vulnerable people.
Like many charities, Emmaus Mossley works tirelessly to keep items away from the waste chain. This includes repairing certain furniture items, upcycling materials and through recycling of items that cannot be sold. Despite the charity’s best efforts and because of external forces such as the global rag trade, the waste disposal bill is currently around £1,500 per month.
Alison Hill, Chief Executive Officer at Emmaus Mossley, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to the vast majority of our supporters who do sift before they gift and only donate the items they know will be of value to our charity. The ongoing challenge we have is to educate everyone, highlighting the items we can and cannot accept but also explaining why certain donations cannot be accepted.”
“Gone are the days when charities could receive donations of anything and everything. The costs of disposing of unsalable and usable items are ever increasing and for small charities like ours, those funds are much better directed to the people we support, helping them on their journeys away from homelessness.”
Emmaus Mossley supports people who have experienced homelessness by providing them with a home, companionship, tailored support and work opportunities. The charity is home for up to 26 people at any given time, with each person supported to build their confidence, self-esteem, skills and work experience to achieve their goals.
Emmaus Mossley’s ‘Sift Before You Gift’ campaign will run throughout September. It will highlight the need to donate right and remind people not to donate unusable items, such as damaged crockery, broken or incomplete toys, and worn-out clothes. The charity is also requesting that people not to leave bags or boxes of donations or furniture outside their Secondhand Superstore but instead drop off donations during opening hours only.
To find out more about donating goods to Emmaus Mossley and see a list of the items that can be accepted, visithttps://emmaus.org.uk/mossley/
