Charity Stores Struggle as Donations Drop and Demand Spikes

Declining donations of used goods and rising demand for purchases is putting a squeeze on charity-run thrift shops, USA Today writes.

Regional Salvation Army officials said donations of clothing and household items are down 20 percent in Western states, where the Christian charity has closed a dozen stores, and 15 percent in the South and Mid-Atlantic states. A quarter of Goodwill Industries’ operations have seen donations drop.

At the same time, the chief executive of Goodwill Industries International, Jim Gibbons, said that demand at stores “is going through the roof” as the recession forces more families to cut back on expenses.