Thrift stores' home pickups make it easier to donate items

COLUMBUS, Ind. (AP) - Thrift shops are making it easier for people to donate no-longer-needed items.

"Come and get it," once primarily uttered at mealtime, now also applies to clothing and other household items.

Today, a greater number of box trucks and vans are being routed to residential doorsteps to make pickups - offering donors more convenience while also building inventory for store shelves. And in a few months, the number of pickups will increase even more.

Brenda Flanagan has donated clothing and other household items to Sans Souci for about 15 years, usually personally taking them to the thrift shop on 13th Street in Columbus. However, the Columbus woman's most recent donation was picked up at her home.

She moved recently into a smaller house, and had a lot of household and miscellaneous items to dispose of. Some were a little big to easily transport, so Flanagan called Sans Souci to schedule a pickup and had one quickly arranged. She donated enough items to fill a box truck, The Republic reported (http://bit.ly/1MFsDI8 ).

"I was very pleased to have that option," said Flanagan, who has scheduled home pickups three times in all.

Sans Souci expanded its service last year from two to five days per week.

Goodwill of Central Indiana, which has one Columbus store and is planning to build a second, plans to start home pickups in May.

Other smaller thrift shops that operate locally know the value of home pickups, but don't have the manpower to perform home pickups.

Representatives of Clothes Closet and Psi Iota Xi said each used to have one person who would help by going to people's homes, but are no longer able to offer pickup service.

Since Sans Souci expanded its pickup service to Monday through Friday, the agency has received more requests for the service and more items have been donated, assistant director Erika Hefler said.

Sans Souci's pickup program has been in effect for an estimated 20 years, executive director Sheryl Adams said. But increased demand for pickups led to an expansion of hours.

Besides saving time for donors, the nonprofit agency - which helps residents support themselves - has also benefited, she said.

"It makes a difference for us. We can get a lot of items. It helps (donors) because a lot of people don't have transportation for large items," Adams said.

Three employees go out on pickup runs, using a box truck and a small van.

Couches, tables and chairs are common large items that are picked up, along with appliances.

Home pickups are especially beneficial for donors with mobility issues, Adams said.

Donors often had to wait about two weeks for a pickup date when Sans Souci offered the service just two days a week, Hefler said. Now, expanded hours give donors greater flexibility in scheduling, she said.

Flanagan said she was pleasantly surprised to get a pickup quickly arranged in the winter. Also, she said she was glad to help the nonprofit agency.

"One of the other positives to using Sans Souci is it stays in the county and helps families that need a hand," she said.

Goodwill of Central Indiana operates in 29 counties that lie within a 70-mile radius of Indianapolis, with Bartholomew County one of the southernmost counties it serves. The nonprofit is phasing in home delivery to each county, and Bartholomew will be one of the last in the region, said Cindy Graham, vice president of marketing.

Each Goodwill unit makes decisions in the best interests of its customers, and they each may operate a little differently, Graham said.

"This is a decision we made to provide customer service to our donors and embrace an opportunity to collect inventory for our stores," Graham said.

Goodwill's initial plan is for home pickups to be made Monday through Friday, she said.

Having more inventory is important to the nonprofit organization for several reasons, Graham said:

More discounted clothing and household items can be sold to people who desire it.

Revenue generated from increased sales supports the agency's mission to provide educational and enrichment opportunities that increase self-sufficiency.

About two-thirds of Goodwill employees have barriers to employment or disabilities. And Goodwill of Central Indiana operates nine Excel Centers, which help students go back to high school and earn diplomas.

Goodwill as a mainstream retail store is gaining traction across the U.S. and Canada. Retail sales in the two countries in 2013 totaled $3.79 billion, a 57 percent increase from 2009.

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Information from: The Republic, http://www.therepublic.com/