Needs vary this time of year at Western Pa. charity thrift stores

At the Goodwill store in the Hollywood Square shopping plaza just off Route 22 in Salem, things have been busy the past few months.

“We have way more business here than we did in the Murrysville location,” said assistant manager Jenny Desport.

Part of it, she said, is due to opening a new store in a location with better access, but charity thrift stores such as Goodwill, St. Vincent DePaul and the Salvation Army have seen a strong increase in foot traffic over the course of the pandemic.

“Material donations are the lifeblood of Goodwill stores and the success of our stores is largely driven by the donations we receive,” said Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania President and CEO Michael J. Smith.

Desport said the Salem Goodwill store receives a fairly wide variety of donations, but could use more clothing donation for older teens and adults.

“We do get an overabundance of kids’ stuff,” Desport said.

At the St. Vincent DePaul store in Jeannette, president Marilyn Lander said that right now, they have an abundance of everything except space after moving from Clay Avenue to the former Arlington Shoes & Repairing building at North First Street and Harrison Avenue.

“We definitely are a good bit busier here than we were at our other location,” Lander said. “But we’ve also gotten way more donations. We’re hurting for space, rather than hurting for items to offer.”

At the St. Vincent DePaul store in Monroeville, assistant manager Katie Hagood said that while their clothing stock is in good shape, they could use some other items.

“The donations we’re usually low on, especially this time of year and with covid, are household goods,” Hagood said. “Pots and pans, kitchen stuff and furniture.”

Smith said Goodwill officials are hoping residents may do a bit of early spring cleaning, checking closets, attics, basements and garages for clothing, housewares, books, jewelry, computers and electronic equipment.

“Donations are important now more than ever due to the high demand from the community who count on our stores to have the goods they need,” he said.

At the Goodwill on Pittsburgh Street in Cheswick, assistant manager Shane Bourne said that while the pandemic has brought more families through the door, it has also helped bring in additional donations to meet that demand.

“Our business has been doing really well, and I think that’s part of why we’re making this push to have folks donate,” he said. “We’ve been selling so much of our stock. I think we were lucky in part because people spent a lot of time at home, and ended up doing some cleaning — which resulted in a lot of donations.”

To find a charity thrift store near you, see GoodwillSWPA.org, SVDPpitt.org or EasternUSA.salvationarmy.org/western-pennsylvania.