Vancouver charity asking for help as donation bins remain out of service

Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver is asking for public assistance.

The organization is just one of a number of charities that has pulled its donation bins following the death of a 34-year-old man who was trapped in a West Vancouver bin and died in December.

Police say an off-duty physician walking in the area had found an unresponsive man stuck in the opening of a clothing donation bin.

Fire and rescue crews and ambulance teams rushed to help.

However, the man could not be resuscitated and was pronounced deceased at the scene.

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Big Brothers has removed a total of 180 bins across Metro Vancouver and says it could lead to annual losses of $500,000, potentially impacting more than 250 children.

The group is hoping that donors will consider using their pick up program by calling them or going online.

READ MORE: UBC Okanagan students design safer clothing donation bins

For now, the collection containers remain stacked up outside a warehouse in New Westminster.

It’s hoped the bins can eventually be retrofitted and put back into service, but so far no decisions have been made on how or when that might happen.

“The demand is to make the bins safe and that’s why we decided to remove all our bins until we make sure they are,” Slav Gudelj with Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver said.

“We’ll look into any potential need for retrofitting or for additional pieces that need to be made or installed and our goal is to return them back to the community at some point.”

He said more than 50 per cent of Big Brothers’ overall funding comes from the donation bin program.