Impact Report 2022-2023

CARING FOR OUR COMMUNITIES
AND THE PLANET WE SHARE

All items pictured in this year’s Impact Report were thrifted from The Salvation Army Thrift Store. Keep reading to learn about your impact in action or download the Impact Report as a PDF.

QUICK LINKS:

1. A Message from our Managing Director

2. Who We Are

3. Equity, Diversity, Justice & Inclusion

4. Your Community Support in Action

5. Your Support for our Planet in Action

6. Partnerships

A MESSAGE FROM OUR MANAGING DIRECTOR

Innovation has always been part of our story here at The Salvation Army Thrift Store, National Recycling Operations (NRO). General William Booth founded The Salvation Army in the 19th century as a response to social concerns and designed to meet the needs of all humans without discrimination.

In response to the need for jobs and affordable merchandise, and with a focus on preserving the land, Booth created the Household Salvage Brigade to collect and redistribute unwanted household items. Ever since, NRO has carried the torch forward, committed to both environmental and social stewardship.

In this year’s Impact Report, you will read about the power of your support through our ever-growing waste diversion efforts as one of Canada’s largest textile collectors and a leader in textile diversion in the charitable sector, our innovative community partnerships to further extend the lifecycle of usable goods, and our overall contributions to support The Salvation Army social service programs and Emergency Disaster Services.

We are excited to share this year’s Impact Report with our employees, guests, donors, and community partners to recognize and celebrate how our collective efforts are contributing to preserving our planet for future generations, caring for our neighbors, and building a sustainable future for all.

As an Employer Partner of the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI), this past fiscal year we continued to leverage our partnership by conducting internal surveys to gain a deeper understanding of how diverse our organization is and how our employees are feeling at work. The insights obtained from these surveys will be instrumental for our strategic plan to create a viable and long-term foundation that fosters a safe and inclusive place to work, shop, and donate. Also, as education is a critical component in building more inclusive teams, we shared tools, resources and ran webinars in partnership with Égale Canada and The Orange Shirt Society to educate our employees about the importance of Pride Month and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

I would like to extend my heartfelt thank you to our amazing employees, volunteers and Thrift Store family for their unwavering support and dedication to our mission this past year. Together, we are caring for our communities and the planet we share.

Ted Troughton, Managing Director

The Salvation Army Thrift Store, National Recycling Operations

WHO
WE
ARE

WHO WE ARE

The Salvation Army Thrift Store National Recycling Operations (NRO) is part of one of the largest national charities in Canada that gives hope and support to over

2.7 MILLION PEOPLE

We are the only national division within The Salvation Army, as well as one of Canada’s largest textile collectors and a leader in textile diversion in the charitable sector. Through our Thrift Stores we offer savings on gently used clothing, textiles, and household items while supporting Salvation Army programs, services, and emergency relief efforts.

98 Thrift Stores

116 Donor Welcome Centres

1,900+ Employees

4 Home Offices

11 Distribution & Recycling Centres

12.9M Guests & Donors

60+ Partnerships

MISSION

Our role, within the context of The Salvation Army, is both to generate funds to help The Salvation Army achieve its mission, and to have a positive influence in our communities.

VISION

By operating successful Thrift Stores and integrating with the mission and work of The Salvation Army as a whole, we exist as a functioning and thriving modern day model of William Booth’s “Household Salvage Brigade” through which the marginalized and excluded of society are refreshed and regenerated by meeting their practical needs.

OUR CORE VALUES

Hope

We give hope through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Service

We reach out to support others without discrimination.

Dignity

We respect and value each other, recognizing everyone’s worth.

Stewardship

We responsibly manage the resources entrusted to us.

TOGETHER, WE CARE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES

“The Salvation Army will always have a special place in my heart.” – Abhinav

Donations are at the heart of our organization, and we are incredibly grateful for the generosity of the members of our shared communities who donate their gently used items to our Thrift Stores. Some of these individuals like Abhinav and Noah, two high school students with a passion for helping families and individuals in need, even go above and beyond to help our Thrift Store community.

Together, between December 26th, 2022, and January 8th, 2023, Abhinav and Noah collected clothing donations from families in a nearby community by canvassing door-to-door and braving rainy days and cold weather.

At the end of their charity event, they collected approximately 420 articles of winter clothing, which they donated to their local Thrift Store in Mississauga, Ontario.

“The Salvation Army is a multi-dimensional organization, that has widespread impact and donations that reach the right people,” says Abhinav.

Abhinav and Noah’s act of kindness and generous contribution to our Thrift Store is deeply appreciated, as we are always in need of donations. We truly hope that their story will inspire others to follow their lead, as together we can care for our communities and the planet we share.

OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, DIVERSITY, JUSTICE, & INCLUSION

The Salvation Army Thrift Store is committed to creating a safe and welcoming environment where our shared communities — from our employees and volunteers to our guests and donors — feel a strong sense of belonging. As part of that journey, we are proud to be an official Employer Partner with the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI).

Our goal is to be a preferred place for all, regardless of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or ability, and to be an ally for social change and representation within our shared communities across Canada.

As part of our commitment to embodying the values and actions of Equity, Diversity, Justice, and Inclusion (EDJI) in everything we do, we continued to leverage our partnership with the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) this past year.

Together, we conducted internal surveys to gain a deeper understanding of how diverse our organization is and how our employees are feeling at work. The insights obtained from these surveys will be instrumental in our efforts to create safe and inclusive environments for everyone, as we develop our EDJI long-term strategy.

Also, as education is a critical component in building more inclusive teams, we shared tools, resources and ran webinars in partnership with Égale Canada and The Orange Shirt Society to educate our employees about the importance of Pride Month and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

YOUR COMMUNITY
SUPPORT
IN ACTION

YOUR COMMUNITY SUPPORT IN ACTION

By shopping and donating at The Salvation Army Thrift Store, your impact is limitless. From helping to support programs and services in your community, such as food banks, school programs and camps, shelters for people experiencing homelessness, addictions and rehabilitation, and work preventing modern slavery and human trafficking, every purchase and every donation is making a positive impact on individuals and families in communities across Canada.

WITH YOUR SUPPORT WE RAISED

$787,082

to provide additional support to the work of The Salvation Army through the generosity of our Guests in our stores from coast to coast.

That includes:

$341,266

Kettle Campaign

$152,767

Emergency Disaster and Local Community Support

$122,466

Send a Kid to Camp
Campaign

$96,266

Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking Campaign

$74,317

Brighter Days Campaign

Provided 6,284 vouchers to neighbours in need who shopped at our Thrift Stores free of charge at a value of $600,708.

THE SALVATION ARMY IN CANADA

The Salvation Army gives hope and dignity to vulnerable people today and everyday in over 400 communities across Canada and in 133 countries around the world. The Salvation Army exists to share the love of Jesus Christ, meet human needs, and be a transforming influence in the communities of the world.

OVER 2.7 MILLION PEOPLE HELPED

YOUR SUPPORT
FOR OUR PLANET
IN ACTION

YOUR SUPPORT FOR OUR PLANET IN ACTION

By shopping and donating at The Salvation Army Thrift Store, you are making a direct impact on our environment by helping to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

We strive to extend the lifecycle of donated items through our stores, Distribution & Recycling Centres (DRCs), and partners to support our environment most effectively and share the benefit of thrift for all.

WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT

Through all our channels, we are striving to make secondhand the first choice in our communities by encouraging reuse and recycling through donating and shopping thrift. In addition, we’re constantly seeking ways to increase efficiency and implement innovative methods that can extend the lifecycle of usable goods.

of all donated goods
are empowered to
make a tangible
impact.

Less than 5% of all textiles donated to us make their way to landfill, meaning that 95% of donated goods are empowered to make a local impact through our Thrift Stores across the country or our ethical recycling suppliers.

DONATE
Gently used donations that we receive from our generous donors
and corporate partners.

RECYCLE
Every year, millions of pounds are diverted from local landfills.
Unsaleable items are recycled with our eco-friendly partners.

SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITIES
Every purchase and every donation is making a positive impact on individuals and families in communities across Canada.

Through our Thrift Stores, Donor Welcome Centres, and Community Recycling Centres we made a tangible impact on our environment, including:

57,606,547

number of items handled by store teams

87,017,461 lbs

diverted from local landfills

Our total diversion numbers include:

30,774,402 lbs of clothing & textiles

22,795,108 lbs of household items

10,735,074 lbs of electronic & metal

22,712,877 lbs of books, paper & pulp

Through this diversion¹:

882,165

tonnes of carbon emissions displaced

146,041

kilolitres of water saved

40,517,568

trees planted

191,775

cars removed from road

In addition to our reuse role, we have proudly:

Reduced energy consumption by using energy-efficient LED lightbulbs in all new stores, warehouses, and offices, as well as transitioning existing properties where possible, and by installing motion sensors and central temperature-controlled thermostats in buildings.

Reduced the amount of plastic waste by replacing 600,000 plastic hangers with metal ones, and by eliminating the use of nearly 400,000 single-use plastic bags in our stores.

Reduced 47.44 tons of greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e) by implementing remote work to our administrative staff, which is equivalent to saving 264 trees.^2,3

Engaged in recycling initiatives involving electrical waste and electronics as a member of the Hazardous Waste Information Network.

GOOD TO KNOW

As the amount of material we handle increases, we have made greater efforts to find suitable destinations for it once it reaches the end of its retail life. We’ve continued to expand our existing partnerships nationally with buyers of this material to divert more from landfills across the country. Additionally, we’ve explored ways to consolidate all material to reduce trucking and thus decrease carbon emissions.

We continue to search for new technology to improve recycling solutions for the materials we currently divert from landfills, as well as for new opportunities to divert materials that are still destined for landfills. With the support of the DRCs, our diversion efforts have seen an increase of 5,000,000 lbs compared to last fiscal year.

PARTNERING FOR PROGRESS

We create opportunities to improve the local economy, conserve the natural environment, and strengthen the community by working with municipal, academic, charitable, and association partners. We are also grateful to our many valued corporate partners, ranging from one-time donations to ongoing partnerships with businesses of all sizes across Canada.

We are always looking to build our network of partners – learn more and start the conversation today by clicking the button below.

15 MUNICIPALITIES

We have partnered with many municipalities across the country for community based waste events, occupy transfer stations, and landfills with bins, sheds, and trailers, including Community Recycling Centres. We also co-host collection bins on municipal properties. Municipal partners allow us to engage in local communities to help divert clothing and household goods from landfills, defer waste expenses from municipalities, and release the value in waste streams back into our communities. These partnerships also help to contribute to decreasing the demand of new garments and reducing the number of resources required to make raw materials for new products.⁴

8 ASSOCIATIONS

Our association partners provide valuable networking as well as new resources and opportunities and help us support climate action plans around us, both locally and nationally.

6 NON-PROFIT PARTNERS

We are proud to collaborate alongside other non-profit partners to help make our world better and more sustainable for all.

3 ACADEMIC RESEARCH PARTNERS

Through our work with post-secondary institutions, we are participating in innovative and industry-leading projects to further our reuse, recycling, and end-of-life textile solutions.

Partners

Associations
· National Association For Charitable Textile Recycling (NACTR)
· National Zero Waste Council (Board)
· Retail Council of Canada
· Municipal Waste Association
· Circular Innovation Council
· Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council
· Recycling Council of Alberta
· Recycling Council of British Columbia

Post-Secondary Institutions
· University of Toronto
· George Brown College
· Humber College

Non-Profit
· BC Children’s Hospital
· B’nai Brith
· Canadian Red Cross
· Encorp Pacific
· Fashion Takes Action
· Habitat for Humanity ReStore

Municipalities
· Halton Region
· Region of Peel
· City of Markham
· Durham Region
· City of Toronto
· City of Vancouver
· Metro-Vancouver
· City of Calgary
· City of Edmonton
· Colchester County
· City of Winnipeg
· City of Hamilton
· City of Vaughan
· Niagara Region
· Strathcona County