The Melfort Salvation Army is no longer accepting item donations. (Angie Rolheiser/northeastNOW staff)

By Angie Rolheiser

COVID-19 Response

Salvation Army stores close donation centres

Mar 26, 2020 | 11:50 AM

Salvation Army stores across the country are no longer accepting donations to comply with stricter restrictions due to the COVID-19 outbreak in Saskatchewan and around the world.

The Melfort Thrift Store closed its doors to the public last week with the donation centre closing as of Wednesday, March 25.

“It is for protection of all including our employees and the people of the community,“ Captain Rick Robins said. “If we can do something to stop the spread of COVID-19 that is something that we are going to do.”

Space was running out in the donation centre as people being at home has resulted in some doing spring cleaning and making larger item donations. With the store being closed and not moving any inventory out has resulted in a lack of storage space.

Robins is hoping that people will hang onto their donations until it becomes safe to re-open.

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“When things settle down, our store will be needed to help the community again and we can’t do that without our community support and donations,” Robins said.

Family services is still open with offering ready-made meals for those in need. Preparations are being made for when needs increase as time goes on as well.

“It is going to be tough next week and the following weeks are going to be tough as many of our vulnerable people only receive one cheque,” Robins said. “April will be a very long month depending on how long this will last.”

Monetary food donations will be graciously accepted since no money will be brought in through the store to support those in need.

“Donations go directly to helping us to help the community,” Robins said.

The church side of the Salvation Army building remains open for anyone that may need any emergency assistance.

The Army staff is being kept busy while the store is closed with giving the space a bit of a face-lift with re-doing the floors and painting some of the walls.

“I’m not going to give away all of the secrets, you’ll have to come check it out but we are changing some things up,” Robins said.

Any monetary donations can be made at salvationarmy.ca.

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angie.rolheiser@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser