The St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association, Waste Reduction Group (SNLA WRG) hosted their 7th REmarket this past May. The event gives the St. Lawrence community members an opportunity to bring their unwanted textiles, household items, electronics for recycling, repair or donation to local charities, including The Salvation Army Thrift Store.
The REmarket saw an impressive turnout, with over 600 generous donors who participated. Managed entirely by volunteers, the event has gained recognition from various Toronto communities and has become a much-anticipated occasion for local residents.
“People are looking for joy and somehow the REmarket is providing that for both the givers and the receivers,” said Kelly Okamura, an expert in the textile industry, activist, and change professional, who collaborates with the SNLA WRG REmarket.
Bruno Leps, one of the initiators of the WRG and former board member of the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association said, “The REmarket is still in its infancy and the number of partners is growing. Working with The Salvation Army Thrift Store as a partner has been great. We are definitely meeting a real need as there is a growing need to reduce waste.”
For this specific event, The Salvation Army Thrift Store gratefully received 33 pallets of pre-loved items. “We want to express our heartfelt thank you to the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association, Waste Reduction Group and the whole community for their generous donation,” says Ted Troughton, Managing Director at The Salvation Army Thrift Store. “Partnerships like this are so important to the work we do here at The Salvation Army Thrift store. They help us in supporting our local communities and the planet we share.”
For those interested in participating in the REmarket, the next one will take place on September 20-21, 2023, at the St. Lawrence Market in Toronto, Ontario.
If you are not able to join, you can still make a positive impact in your local community by dropping off clothing and household items you no longer need at one of our Donor Welcome Centres across Canada. For more information on how your donations make a difference, please click here.
