‘Spring cleaning with meaning’: Fort McMurray fundraiser converts used goods to cash

FREDERICTON -- A non-profit in New Brunswick is holding a fundraising drive for Fort McMurray that will convert used goods into cash for the Canadian Red Cross.

The drive is being hosted by New Brunswick’s Association for Community Living. The association supports children and adults with intellectual disabilities, and also has a partnership with Value Village. They collect items, and then get money back.

Half of the proceeds they raise at their upcoming clothing and goods drive will be donated to the Red Cross to help with relief efforts in Fort McMurray.

“It’s a great opportunity for people who may not be in a position to give money, or who have given money and may want to do something in addition,” said Krista Carr, who volunteers with the association. “It’s spring cleaning time, and this is spring cleaning with a meaning.”

The association did something similar in March, collecting items that Syrian refugees could later choose at no cost.

In this case, it’s one non-profit helping another.

The Red Cross had been urging people to steer away from donating items because the delivery and storage of those items can create even more challenges.

“Even if somebody is kind enough to contribute and donate the free transportation, it has to go somewhere, so the warehouse would cost money,” said Bill Lawlor, with the Red Cross. “It costs money for the power within that warehouse, to ship it from that warehouse to other destinations, chances are there will be a cost to it. The amount of volunteer hours to sort through things is enormous.”

Carr says the fundraising drive is an opportunity for people to contribute to relief efforts, even if they don’t have the immediate financial means of doing so.

“This is sort of our mechanism, our way,” said Carr. “The more we work together as organizations, the better it’s going to be for our communities as a whole.”

Donations can be dropped off Saturday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. in Fredericton at 800 Hanwell Road, and in Saint John at 727 Rothesay Avenue.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Nick Moore.