Mankato Salvation Army reports drop in donations at thrift store

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - The Salvation Army’s Mankato thrift shop is putting out a call for community donations after experiencing a slow recovery from a winter slump.

Cheri Larson, the thrift store manager, says the store usually sees a dip in donations during the colder months because the community is less willing to make the extra trip to drop them off.

Larson says profits from the thrift store help to support other programs in Mankato like the Salvation Army’s emergency social services, a pet friendly day center and a the noon meal program.

“When the community helps us by providing the donations, we turn that around by helping the community. It’s a beautiful circle and it is a necessary circle, because there are so many people in need,” Larson said.

In a typical spring, the thrift store receives an average of 80 cars brining donations a day, Larson says right now its only receiving around 60 a day.

Leslie Johnson, the business administrator for the branch, says that the budget from the thrift store is a line item in the budget that is already set to be dispersed as long as the store continues to make it past a certain threshold in sales.

Johnson says while no programs are in immediate danger of losing funding, the Salvation Army says it still could use help bringing donations back to normal levels.

“ I think a lot of times, when people are thinking of donating they look at their stuff and they just look at it as stuff. But that stuff is a meal that is being served, it is a coat that is being handed out at bundle me warm, it is shelter that is being provided and at the end of the day it is hope being restored,” Johnson said.

Johnson says the thrift store accepts a variety of donations including clothing, furniture and decor.

To make the process more accessible and bring in more donations the Mankato branch says it has expanded its donation hours, going from a 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. schedule to a 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule Monday through Saturday.

Click here to download the KEYC News Now app or our KEYC First Alert weather app.