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Local Community Helps The Hanlon Team Give Back
Published February 29, 2024
The Hanlon Real Estate Team has been serving the West GTA communities since 1988. In their longstanding tradition of doing good for their communities, this dynamic team has been orchestrating donation drives in the heart of Erin Mills to help give back. We spoke to Pamela Duggan, Realtor and Client Care Manager at The Hanlon Team, about last year’s drive which brought in over 50 bags of donations to The Salvation Army Thrift Store’s Mississauga location.
“We appreciate the work that The Salvation Army does in supporting those in need,” says Pamela. “We are proud to partner with them and will continue to support them and give back in any way we can.”
To bring awareness to their initiative, The Halon Team advertises the drive for approximately one month in the Erin Mills community by sending out postcard flyers in the mail in addition to featuring the drive in their newsletter and on the Erin Mills Facebook group.
Residents are not only directed to leave their donations on their front porch but are also given specific details, including the date and time for The Hanlon Team’s scheduled truck pickup in the neighbourhood.
Last year, The Hanlon Team collected various clothing items consisting of winter coats, hats, gloves, sweaters and shirts. Pamela also emphasized that “due to the rise in the cost of living, it is imperative to help those in need especially during the winter, which can be hard on a lot of people. Being able to provide them with warm clothing makes all the difference.”
We would like to thank The Hanlon Team for their impactful partnership with our organization and we look forward to future collaborations. Their unwavering support and generosity are what keep our mission thriving, and we couldn’t be more grateful for their continuous collaboration. Your organization, too, can be a force for positive social and environmental change. Be inspired by The Hanlon Team’s example and consider hosting your own donation drive.
The Winter Warm Wave: A Shared Legacy of Giving and Building Community
Published February 21, 2025
Winter for many Canadians can often present challenges as we find ways to cope with frigid temperatures. Fortunately, The Salvation Army Thrift Store has been collaborating with Fairchild Radio in Vancouver, British Columbia, to provide warmth for 30 years to our shared communities through the Winter Warm Wave campaign.
Fairchild Radio Ambassadors with Thrift Store Staff
Background
The initiative was founded by Fairchild Radio in the early1990’s and has deep roots in establishing community. When migrants from Hong Kong, Taiwan and China arrived in Canada during that time, many faced difficulties adapting to their new environment. However, Fairchild Radio was there to help them find a sense of community as they settled into their new homes. The project has since evolved into a multifaceted Fairchild Media Group effort that continues to build and support local communities with widespread engagement across radio, television and digital channels. The Winter Warm Wave campaign is a continuation of that legacy, drawing enthusiastic participation from the community annually.
Each year, the campaign collects clothing donations from Fairchild’s listeners and viewers, which are donated to The Salvation Army Thrift Store to make a positive impact to the local community. In 2024, over 415,000 lbs of clothing were collected and generously given to our organization!
Impact
The impact of Winter Warm Wave has grown significantly, leading to the creation of two other initiatives called Give the Gift of Warmth, and Pick-up from Your Home which help in collecting even more clothing for The Salvation Army Thrift Store.
One of these initiatives’ most engaging elements is to invite winners of two talent shows previously organized by Fairchild Radio to take on an active role as Ambassadors of the Winter Warm Wave campaign to collect and manage donations.
Vivien Louie, VP & Assistant General Manager at Fairchild Radio Vancouver shared the grandeur scale of community involvement stating, “It’s a creative idea that we can come together and do something special,” adding, “we always want to involve our colleagues, our employees, our talents and our artists because they are like celebrities and have an impact in the community which affects how the young generations perceive these different kinds of events.”
Winnie Yau, the Promotion Manager at Fairchild Radio also emphasized the campaign’s importance, “It is already our signature charity event and makes us strong because we do something for the community, and it helps The Salvation Army Thrift Store. It’s a win-win situation for both of us.”
We are incredibly grateful for this long-standing partnership with Fairchild Radio, which not only warms hearts but also ensures that individuals and families in need receive essential support during the cold winter months. We hope Fairchild Radio’s generosity will inspire others to host donation drives to make a meaningful impact in their local community. Learn more about how to get involved.
Fairchild Radio Youth Ambassadors
Islington United Church Uniting with The Salvation Army Thrift Store
Published May 15, 2025
The Salvation Army Thrift Store loves uniting with donors in our shared communities to help care for our neighbours in need. One such partnership we are proud to highlight is the one we have with the Islington United Church located at 25 Burnamthorpe in Etobicoke, Ontario. Every year, the church hosts a rummage sale to raise funds for their causes. Following each sale, excess items not sold have been donated to local charities, including uniting with The Salvation Army Thrift Store. Over the past six years, however, our partnership has grown and last year alone, they collected 300 bags of donations specifically for our organization, setting a new precedent!
Valerie Greenfield, a church volunteer shared that what she appreciates most about the partnership is the promptness and dependability of our teams when picking up donations. She said, “The staff and truck are lovely and organized.”
The annual rummage sale attracts members of the local community to both donate and shop, starting on a Friday evening and continuing into early afternoon of the following Saturday. Last year, 20–30 student volunteers from the local high school helped move boxes into the parking lot for pickup by our organization. It was quite the production, requiring a lot of effort to set up, manage the sale, clean up, and move the boxes from inside of the church to outside for collection.
Among the items donated to The Salvation Army Thrift Store were housewares, small appliances, lamps, towels, bedding, linens, and other soft goods. “You got all of the treasures,” said Valerie.
Donations are at the heart of what we do, and we understand that many items hold sentimental value for our donors and may be difficult to part with. As Valerie noted, “Our donors will often ask us, ‘What do you do with the stuff that doesn’t sell?’ As they are sometimes anxious about giving up their item, especially if it is a family treasure. When we tell them that it goes to The Salvation Army, they have no problem giving the donation. So that’s the image you have out in the world, that you do good things and people want to donate to you.”
We are honoured by the generosity of our donors and their continued support of our mission. We are equally grateful for our valued partnership with Islington United church. As Valerie explained, this partnership has been ongoing for the past six years, and we look forward to seeing it continuing to grow.
Thank you for partnering with us — we are excited about what we can accomplish together in the years ahead!
Interested in hosting a donation drive? Getting started is easy—just complete our online form. A member of our team will connect with you to provide support, guidance, and helpful resources to make your event a success.
Clothing Donation Drive: Fashion for Compassion & Interact Club Partners with Thrift Store
Published June 12, 2025
JN Burnett Secondary’s Fashion for Compassion club has proven that there’s no age barrier to creating meaningful change. This spring, 17-year-old student, Sarah who is the president of Fashion for Compassion along with the club’s vice president Crystal, collaborated with Interact club members Hailey, Carol, Kaillee and Tracy to launch a school-wide clothing donation drive that united students and staff in support of The Salvation Army Thrift Store.
“It all started with a shared goal,” Sarah explains. Fashion for Compassion found inspiration for the drive after visiting The Salvation Army Thrift Store’s website and reading about community donation events. “We wanted to create an event throughout our school community that combined sustainability with social impact. And to ensure that gently used clothing could be accessed by those who need it most.” The group aligned with the Thrift Store’s own values and goals—especially around extending the lifecycle of secondhand clothing and making a meaningful difference.
Cardboard donation boxes were placed in classrooms across the school, and every week, volunteers visited each room to collect and sort donations. To encourage school participation, Fashion for Compassion created a unique point-based incentive system. Each donated item earned students’ “points”—for example, shirts were worth 5 points, while jackets were worth 25 or more, depending on quality. At the end of the drive, the class with the highest point total won a pizza party, while second and third place enjoyed ice cream sandwiches. The friendly competition encouraged strong involvement from both students and teachers.
Organizing the clothing drive was truly a team effort, with enthusiastic participation from many students throughout the campaign. Sarah helped design awareness posters, distribute and collect donation boxes from classrooms each week, and sort through clothing items, in addition to planning and coordinating the event. While Crystal provided the donation boxes and supported poster design and sorting, the Interact club played an integral role in advertising on social media as well as the implementation of the fundraiser. Hailey and Carol took on the tasks of collecting donations and carefully sorting each piece. Tracy and Kaillie assisted with distributing boxes at the start of the campaign.
Altogether, the team collected an impressive 40 bags of clothing, including coats, accessories, and even some brand-new items. Volunteers made sure items were free of damage before passing them along. Donations were stored in one central resource room until a truck from The Salvation Army Thrift Store arrived to pick everything up.
“It was a big reminder that making a difference isn’t a big, scary thing—it’s a tangible one. It’s something a group of kids can come together to do. And we’ve seen firsthand how donating something as simple as a coat can really make a difference in someone’s life,” said Sarah.
With young leaders like Sarah and the dedicated student volunteers at JN Burnett Secondary, the future of community service looks bright.
If you are interested in hosting a hosehold goods or clothing donation drive, getting started is easy—just complete our online form. A member of our team will connect with you to provide support, guidance, and helpful resources to make your event a success.
Friends Only Brings Community Together With a Mountain of Clothing Donations
Published October 29, 2025
In May 2025, The Salvation Army Thrift Store received 2,000 lbs of textiles and clothing from the community during the Can I Bring a Friend? event, held at the former Zara Department store on Queen Street West in Toronto. The event was hosted by Friends Only, a passion-driven project built around a simple question: “Can I bring a friend?”
“Our mission is to create one-time-only experiences so memorable, you want to share them with someone special,” said Gerry, the founder of the project, “No two events are ever alike, but the heart of the brand always remains the same: fostering meaningful connection and community. Giving back is a key part of that mission. At every experience, guests are asked to bring something to contribute—whether it’s non-perishable food, gently used clothing, books, or personal care items for shelters. It’s a small but powerful reminder that we all live in this community together.
Why They Chose the Thrift Store
What inspired Gerry and Can I Bring a Friend? to donate to The Salvation Army Thrift Store, was the long-standing impact The Salvation Army has in communities.
“Salvation Army does so much to help communities, and we felt the need to support an organization that already has programs in place. We know The Salvation Army helps children’s camps, shelters and foodbanks and we thought that by donating we would be contributing to the community and these programs,” Gerry shared.
With approximately 1,000 attendees at each Can I Bring a Friend? event the donations truly add up. The May event turned into what Gerry described as “a true mountain of bags, each one carried in by someone who wanted to give back.”
We are sincerely grateful to Gerry and Can I Bring a Friend? for helping us care for our shared communities!
Want to Get Involved?
If your organization would like to give back in a meaningful way, consider hosting a Donation Drive with us. Learn more about hosting a Donation Drive and sign up.
Celebrating our Corporate Partnerships
Published November 21, 2025
Element Event Solutions generously donated high-quality kitchenware from their locations across Canada. These items were distributed to our Thrift Stores and made available at accessible prices. The funds generated help support The Salvation Army programs and services—including shelters, food banks, and emergency relief efforts—while also extending the life of usable goods and reducing waste.
“We are grateful for being in a relationship with The Salvation Army Thrift Store as our shared commitment to community service, recycling efforts and responsible reuse.
Every year, we reduce several lines as per trends across the market which used to be dumped and replaced with new lines. Our partnership has allowed us to deliver and expand community outreach, and to create sustainable solutions that benefit both our environment and the community we serve. We made a tangible impact from facilitating donation drop-offs and recycling operations to ensure quality items are re-used and re-directed to those in need.
It’s inspiring to work alongside a partner who shares our values and vision for long-term community and environmental impact.”
Sukhpreet Singh | Inventory Control Manager at Element Event Solutions
We’re pleased to share this testimonial from our partner JustJunk Calgary, who is helping make a meaningful local impact.
“We couldn’t be happier partnering with The Salvation Army Thrift Store. This collaboration perfectly aligns with our mission at JUSTJUNK Calgary to keep reusable items out of landfills while giving back to our community.
Each day, we assist 30–50 customers looking to donate, and about 70% of those items can directly benefit families in need. The weekly pickup and drop-off program with The Salvation Army has been a dream come true! We are streamlining our logistics while ensuring quality donations like household goods, décor, furniture, and clothing continue to circulate locally.
The process has been seamless, and our team truly looks forward to wrapping up each week with the Friday pickup. It is wonderful to know we can all contribute and make a difference in people’s everyday lives.”
Deb | JustJunk Calgary
Interested in exploring a corporate partnership?
Businesses of all sizes can make a meaningful impact by donating product to The Salvation Army Thrift Store. These corporate donations support our community programs while helping your company meet sustainability goals by keeping quality goods out of landfill.
Warm Hearts, Strong Communities: Aevitas Employees Give Back
Published December 19, 2025
Aevitas Inc. was founded over 30 years ago by two college friends who saw an opportunity to launch regulated waste recycling programs and hazardous waste disposal services. Today, it has grown into an industry leader. At the core of its mission is a commitment to sustainability: whenever waste materials need to be handled, the priority is always to recycle first, explore alternative processing options second, and only consider landfill as a last resort, diverting as much as possible from landfills.
But in the fall of this year, Aevitas led a very different kind of initiative, one that wasn’t about industrial waste at all. It was about warmth, compassion, and community.
The idea started as an internal conversation: How could the company engage employees in giving back? The answer came in the form of a winter coat drive. Joel, a sales and marketing advisor at Aevitas and a primary overseer of the initiative said, “It was a company-wide internal effort. We didn’t promote it to vendors or the public. It was really about giving our employees an opportunity to make a difference.”
The drive ran for three days, October 22nd to 24th, with designated collection areas at each facility. Employees filled forty-nine large boxes with over 100 winter coats, along with toques, mittens, scarves, sweaters, and snowsuits, all destined for Salvation Army Thrift Stores, where they will be given a second life, helping bring warmth and joy to individuals and families in our communities. These donations not only provided comfort during the cold season but also supported the Thrift Stores’ purpose to offer affordable essentials while generating funds for supporting vital Salvation Army programs and services.
“To make the initiative meaningful, we partnered with The Salvation Army Thrift Store,” Joel explained. “We wanted employees to feel that their efforts were recognized and impactful. Salvation Army’s long-standing reputation and presence in every city where we operate made them the perfect partner because every coat collected helps someone in our local communities.”
Rather than consolidating donations for a single delivery, the company chose to keep contributions local. “We wanted employees to give back to their own communities,” Joel explained. “And Salvation Army was the best conduit for that.”
For Aevitas, the coat drive was more than a charitable act, it was a reminder that sustainability and social responsibility go hand in hand. “If this inspires other companies to do something similar,” Joel said, “that would be great.”
Join us in making a difference. Host a donation drive with The Salvation Army Thrift Store. Together, we can extend the lifecycle of pre-loved items, support local communities, and provide care to those who need it most. Host a drive.
Interested in exploring a corporate partnership?
Businesses of all sizes can make a meaningful impact by donating product to The Salvation Army Thrift Store. These corporate donations support our community programs while helping your company meet sustainability goals by keeping quality goods out of landfill.