Story Published:
Dec 28, 2007 at 6:52 PM PST
The end of the tax year combined with post holiday purging, means a spike in donated goods for local charities.
All that giving is a boon for non-profits, who've found some creative uses for your old junk.
The sound of the bell means another donation at St. Vincent de Paul and in late December the bell rings almost non stop.
Terry McDonald with St. Vincent de Paul says, "It's the time of the year when people have gotten more things at Christmas time but also do that end of the year thing where they get rid of a little bit of this and that can be used as a tax deduction."
From clothing and toys, bikes and appliances, people's trash becomes the charity's treasure.
Colleen Haskins unloads a trunk load of stuff and wait for her tax receipt.
"They're things I can't use and I really believe in recycling."
Sandra Mattson says she'd much rather donate than head to the dump.
"Partly because I want to help others and partly because I have way too much."
When you pull up to donate at St. Vincent de Paul's you may not realize when your donations goes through these doors they make a real effort to not only use these goods but make sure they don't end up in the garbage.
The best donations head for retail stores, where they are sold for a bargain or given away to the needy.
McDonald explains the proceeds fund food, housing and job training programs that help nearly 40-thousand local people.
The unsellable stuff is sorted.
McDonald says, "If it can't be re-used can it be refurbished, like appliance or box springs, and if it can't be refurbished or reused can we save the components and then after that we're down to the hmm, now we have to get creative."
That creativity spawned Aurora Glass, where old glass is turned into art tiles.
Their newest invention turns old mattress cotton and spent candles into an all-weather fire starter. McDonald shows us how it burns in the wind and rain "it is basically a cotton laden candle."
Every scrap has potential to be reused, recycled, or reinvented.
"We're trying to find value in everything that people have to dispose in one form or another."
It is something the folks who donate, like Sandra Mattson, don't see, but count on.
She says, "I just know that somebody is using them over and I'm glad."
St. Vinny's processes about 90 tons of recycled goods each day.
