Donations centres are reopening at Goodwill locations in Alberta, although shoppers will have to wait before getting their hands on thrifted treasures.
The organization began accepting no-contact donation dropoffs on Saturday.
Goodwill officials said the decision to begin taking donations again was made to try to keep people from throwing things away.
“We diverted about 16 million kilograms from landfills last year and people are holding onto their items right now. If they’re not donating it or not holding onto it, it’s going to landfills. So this just gives people another option,” Doug Roxburgh, marketing manager with Goodwill Alberta, said.
Donations can be made by driving up and popping the trunk, and a Goodwill volunteer will collect them at a safe distance to follow COVID-19 precautions.
Goodwill has partnered with True North Environmental Solutions to help with sanitation of the items.
Volunteers and employees wear personal protective equipment through the process, officials said.
However, there is still no date set for when the stores will open to shoppers.
“We know the government said May 14… That doesn’t mean we are going to relaunch on May 14 with our thrift stores,” Roxburgh said.
There are 24 Goodwill stores and donation centres across Alberta, including 12 in Edmonton and seven in Calgary.