Impact Report 2024-2025

CARING FOR OUR COMMUNITIES
AND THE PLANET WE SHARE

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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

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2. Who We Are

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3. Donation Drive Impact

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4. Your Community Support in Action

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5. Your Support for our Planet in Action

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6. Partnerships

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A MESSAGE FROM OUR MANAGING DIRECTOR

We are excited to share this year’s Impact Report with our employees, guests, donors, and community partners. It’s a moment to recognize and celebrate how—together—we’re caring for our neighbours, protecting our planet, and thrifting our way toward a more sustainable future.

At the heart of our work is a clear purpose: we support the mission of The Salvation Army by generating funds through our retail and reuse solutions to positively impact our communities and our planet.

Equally important are our core values—hope, service, dignity, and stewardship. These values guide every decision we make and every action we take.

With a shared commitment to our purpose and values, we
continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those
we serve and, in the communities, where we operate.

Beyond the funds generated through the sale of donated items, GoodWorks@Work® fundraising campaigns help raise awareness and critical support for important causes—such as providing kids an opportunity to experience summer camp, modern slavery and human trafficking prevention, providing clean water, resources and education in developing countries, and supporting Christmas Kettles.

This past year, we reached a historic milestone, raising over one million dollars through these campaigns—a powerful testament to the generosity of our guests and the dedication of our teams.

Our employees are our greatest resource, and without them, we would not have been able to make the contributions we have made this year. My sincere thanks to the more than 1,800 team members across the country whose dedication brings our purpose to life every day.

I would also like to thank our wonderful Thrift Store community for their support through donating and shopping. Together, we are caring for our communities and the planet we share.

May God bless you,

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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. Through

3 MILLION VISITS FOR ASSISTANCE

last fiscal year, The Salvation Army Thrift Store provides hope and support across the country.

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.

97 Thrift Stores

117 Donor Welcome Centres

1,900+ Employees

60+ Partnerships

13 Distribution & Recycling Centres

4 Home Offices

13.6M+ Guests & Donors

 

Locations of Thrift Store on a map of Canada.

OUR PURPOSE

We support the mission of The Salvation Army by generating funds through our retail and reuse solutions to positively impact our communities and planet.

OUR VISION

As Canada’s leading Thrift Store, our people share our passion to drive positive social and environmental change.

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.

DIVERSITY, INCLUSION & BELONGING

At The Salvation Army Thrift Store, we are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and included, while fulfilling our purpose within The Salvation Army’s mission. This extends to how we operate as an organization by ensuring our decisions are equitable

and inclusive, barriers are addressed, and that everyone feels safe to share feedback and ideas. Through our dedication to diversity, inclusion and belonging, we strive to create safe and welcoming spaces where all differences are embraced, both in our workplace and the communities we serve.

SIMPLE
ACTS
WITH
A BIG
IMPACT

At the core of our mission lies the generosity of our donors. Across the country, individuals, families, businesses, schools, and community groups host donation drives to collect gently used clothing and household items for The
Salvation Army Thrift Store.

When you host a drive or donate goods, you’re helping to provide funding for The Salvation Army’s life-changing services and programs, supporting people in need, and
promoting sustainability by giving pre-loved items a second life.

Last year alone, 110 drive events were hosted, collecting a total of 183,513 pounds of goods. We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who organized or contributed to a donation drive. Let their stories inspire you to join our community of generous donors!

RUMMAGE FOR A CAUSE

Our long-standing partnership with Islington United Church in Etobicoke, Ontario, reflects the shared commitment to giving back. The church hosts an annual rummage sale to raise funds for its causes, and after each event, unsold items are generously donated to local charities—including The Salvation Army Thrift Store.

"Our donors will often ask us, ‘What do you do with the stuff that doesn’t sell?’ 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."

Valerie

WARMING HEARTS TOGETHER

Each year, Vancouver’s Fairchild Radio hosts its Winter Warm Wave campaign, rallying listeners and viewers to donate gently used clothing in support of The Salvation Army Thrift Store. These donations help bring warmth and dignity to individuals in need while making a meaningful impact in
the local community.

“I participated at the very first Winter Warm Wave campaign back in the 90s. Witnessing tons of donations delivered to the Salvation Army Thrift store every year is gratifying. Fairchild Radio is proud to make a difference!."

Vivien

HOST A DRIVE.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Hosting a donation drive is simple and meaningful. Whether it’s a one-day collection at your workplace or a weekend event in your community, every contribution matters.

Getting started is easy: visit our donation drive page and complete the form. A member of our team will connect with you to provide support, guidance, and helpful resources to make your event a success.

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 programs, 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.

We Have Raised Over

One Million Dollars

One Million Dollars

Thanks to our dedicated GoodWorks@Work® fundraising campaigns and the generosity of our Guests in stores from coast to coast. These funds are in addition to the proceeds generated from the sale of donations in our Thrift Stores and provide extra support for the vital work of The Salvation Army in local communities.

That includes:

$573,308

Christmas Kettle Campaign

$96,021

Fight for Freedom Campaign

$167,787

Send a Kid to Camp
Campaign

$102,464

Brighter Days Campaign

$117,415

Additional Donation

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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 134 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. Last year, over 3 million visits were made to The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda for assistance including:

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2.1 million visits for food, clothing, or practical assistance

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4.8 million community meals were distributed

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345,000 visits for Christmas assistance including food hampers and toys

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5,600 children helped through the Brighter Futures Children’s Sponsorship Program

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8,350 shelter, addictions, detox and mental health beds provided

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87,600 visits for assistance when disaster struck

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73 individuals removed from human trafficking situations

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2,900 children and teens attended Salvation Army camps

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.

95%

of all donated textiles makes a tangible impact

Less than 5% of all textiles donated to us make their way to landfill, meaning that the vast majority of donations–95%–contribute to making a local impact through our Thrift Stores across the country via our ethical recycling suppliers.

linen colored grass

A Better Lifecycle for Donations

DONATE

New and gently used donations that we receive from our generous donors
and corporate partners.

REUSE

Donated items are reused by shopping thrift. Vouchers are given to individuals in need to shop at no cost to them.

RECYCLE

Every year, millions of pounds are diverted from local landfills. Unsaleable
items are recycled with our ethically responsible partners.

SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITIES

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

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garbage bag with circular arrows

80,553,597 lbs

diverted from local landfills

Our total diversion numbers include:

t-shirt icon
43,350,529 lbs of clothing & textiles
house icon
15,233,409 lbs of household items
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8,940,015 lbs of books, paper & pulp
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13,029,644 lbs of electronic & metal

Through this diversion1:

factory pollution

816,635

tonnes of carbon emissions displaced

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135,192

kilolitres of water saved
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37,507,827

trees planted
cars icon

177,529

cars removed from road

PARTNERING FOR PROGRESS

PARTNERING FOR PROGRESS

We create opportunities to improve the local economy, conserve the natural environment, and strengthen the community by working with municipalities, academic and charitable institutions, and associations. We are also grateful to our many valued corporate partners, ranging from one-time donations to ongoing collaboration 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.

Contact us

22 MUNICIPALITIES & CITIES

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.

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

Non-Profit Partners
· BC Children’s Hospital
· Canadian Red Cross
· Encorp Pacific
· Food Bank Canada
· Furniture Bank
· Habitat For Humanity Canada

Post-Secondary Institutions
· Humber College
· York University
· University of Ottawa
· University of Toronto

Municipalities & Cities
· City of Dorval
· City of Edmonton
· City of Guelph
· City of Hamilton
· City of Markham
· City of Moncton
· City of Richmond Hill
· City of Toronto
· City of Vancouver
· City of Vaughan
· City of Winnipeg
· Colchester County
· Durham Region
· Halton Region
· King Township
· Metro-Vancouver
· Niagara Region
· Region of Peel
· Strathcona County
· Town of Aurora
· Town of Blackfalds
· Town of Newmarket

OVER 130 BUSINESS & CORPORTATE SUPPORTERS:

Whether it’s through corporate donations of surplus products, employee engagement initiatives, or long-term partnerships, together we are making a meaningful impact in our communities and on the environment.

BUSINESS AND CORPORATE OPPORTUNITIES:

· Donation of Surplus Goods – We have the logistics in place to handle large-scale donations efficiently and ensure items are distributed to support local communities.

· Donation Drive Events – Engage employees and customers by hosting a donation drive at your workplace or retail location, creating a meaningful impact together.

· Long-Term Partnerships – Align your corporate social responsibility initiatives with our programs for a year-round, sustainable impact.

REFERENCES

1. Lakhan, C., 2021 “Emissions Coefficients for Residential Non Hazardous Waste Streams”
Data source: Eco-invent v3.8