DONATE: And keep it local

There are a lot of thrift stores in North Idaho and they all do a lot of good serving our community. For instance, Hospice of North Idaho has one that helps provide a better quality of life during your last days, Humane Society has one that helps provide funds for animals, North Idaho Domestic Violence Center has a store that benefits women who are abused, Senior Center has one for activities and St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho has two: one in Coeur d’Alene and one in Post Falls, both provide the funds so we can operate 24 community services. It is fantastic to see our communities support these thrift stores because they all serve our friends, family and neighbors locally.

Lately, I’ve noticed a trend on our community. What concerns me are those donation boxes that seem to be sprouting everywhere. Brown ones and blue ones, they are everywhere. I am constantly asked, “Who are they and where does the money go if we donate clothing to those boxes?” My reply is, “Who are they and is that money used to employ people here and help people here?” “Is there a store for the donations they are gathering?”

From the info on the boxes, the brown boxes are out of Spokane. They don’t have a store here in Idaho and I have no idea if a Spokane company is serving our friends, families and neighbors here in Idaho. The blue ones are a national organization but, again, no store. Now, I’m not saying local stores are better than a drop off box. Those boxes are meant for convenience, and I get that. But St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho has trucks that will come to your home and pick up your donations. How convenient is that? I have a strong passion for helping those in our community who need it, and hate to think funds are being shipped someplace else and not being used to help here.

I can only speak for St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho, but 100 percent of the donations, both thrift store and monetary, stay in our area to serve our friends, family and neighbors. Those who donate to our thrift stores know that the money earned from the sales of those T-shirts, pants, furniture, etc. goes to provide food to those who don’t have a meal, clothe those who desperately need help and seek warmth in our shelters — all here in our community. We operate a Men’s, Women’s and Children’s Shelter ALL through the revenues we receive from our thrift stores. In 2012, we provided help to just over 2,900 unduplicated people, friends, family and neighbors in our community, with the help of our thrift stores. I am positive that our other community thrift stores can quote you their statistics as well. Our local donors have satisfaction knowing they are helping our community just by donating. Do you get that same satisfaction donating to a parking lot corner drop box? Do you get a receipt or a heartfelt “Thank You?”

I am proud of our community and the work we are doing. On behalf of the Board of Directors, and my staff, thank you for supporting St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho and the work we are doing.

JEFF CONROY

Executive Director

Society of St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho