Local agencies concerned by national clothing drive

Friday, August 31, 2007 5:15 PM CDT

NEW 1:45 p.m. BLOOMINGTON -- Three not-for-profit agencies are concerned a clothing collection effort by a national for-profit group could put a dent in their efforts to serve the Twin Cities.

“We’re very concerned,” said Home Sweet Home Ministries spokeswoman Sabrina Burkiewicz. “We’re just getting ready to open our fourth Mission Mart. We count on this.”

While U’SAgain collections have yet to hurt Goodwill donations in the Land of Lincoln region, Deborah Clark, vice president of retail operations, said agencies in other states have felt the pinch.

But Marlene Ceja, director of community relations for this U’SAgain region, said there is an abundance of clothing.

“We don’t feel we’re infringing,” she said. “We’re really making a strong footprint on some of the effects of global warming.”

Delaware-based U’SAgain has collected about 11 tons of clothing from its Bloomington-Normal bins since June, she said. The clothes are bundled by the company and then sold to other companies which make them into such things as rags or insulation for car speakers. Some companies buy the bundles and sell the clothing in Third World countries.

“That’s saved 125.3 cubic yards of landfill space,” Ceja said of the Twin City contributions.

But Capt. Scott Shelborne, commanding officer of The Salvation Army in Bloomington, said the fact that U’SAgain bins are red have caused problems for his agency.

“Our color is red,” he said. “People assume when they see a red bin, it’s Salvation Army. They believe they are giving to The Salvation Army.”

None of the local agencies, The Salvation Army, Goodwill or Home Sweet Home, currently have collection bins throughout town. Instead, each offers drop-off facilities at their sites.

Each of the agencies sells some of the donated clothing and uses the proceeds to help in their missions. Burkiewicz said Home Sweet Home also gives away about $1,000 in clothing each month.

Ceja said while U’SAgain is a for-profit venture, it also gives back to communities. The company works with schools and non-profit agencies to help organize clothing drives. The program returned $60,000 to groups nationwide and classes last year and she hopes to double that amount this year.

U’SAgain also partners with schools to provide recycling education, she said, although no program has been started yet in the Twin Cities.

Bloomington, Normal and McLean County provide funding to the Ecology Action Center in Normal for recycling education programs. Center Director Michelle Covi said U’SAgain has not contacted her about offering education programs.

“We’d be happy to talk to them,” she said. “There are opportunities if they want to fund a program at a school.”

While Covi said the best environmental solution for used clothing is reuse — giving them to someone who can use them — the U’SAgain option is better than having them go to the landfill.

U’SAgain has seven bins in Normal and 14 in Bloomington.

Greg Troemel, director of building inspection in Normal, said most of the bins in Normal violate the town’s zoning code because they are in a front yard. The town will be sending letters to property owners and the bins will have to be moved or removed.

Mark Huber, director of Planning and Code Enforcement in Bloomington, said his department will become involved only if items for the bins are allowed to pile up around the boxes.