Donations Wanted for ABC Clothing Sale
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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The ABC Clothing Sale is entering its 22nd year, and volunteers are already at work to continue this annual community event with an expanded mission and a new theme: “A Better Community.”
All net proceeds from the sale will be used to serve at-risk families and youth in our area and to address issues of hunger, poverty and inequality in our community. This will be accomplished by a new collaboration with the Outreach Ministry of the First Congregational Church.
Donations are welcome until Labor Day at the First Congregational Church, 906 Main St., Williamstown, on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. and on Sunday between 9 a.m. and noon, plus other times by appointment. Men’s and women’s clothing, jewelry, outerwear, accessories, shoes, sheets, blankets, comforters, towels, table linens, and other household linens (but no pillows) must be clean and in excellent condition to be useful.
Nearly 150 volunteers are required for a successful sale, some to process donations all year round and some to work only on sale day. The current roster includes individuals from three states, as well as local student groups.
This collection is the ultimate recycling opportunity -- all donated articles are used and reused to support local community charitable efforts. Last year, the ABC Clothing Sale transferred hundreds of serviceable clothes to the Berkshire Immigrant Center and to Goodwill. In addition, Goodwill was the beneficiary of literally thousands of items of carefully selected, gently-used clothing that remained at the end of the annual sale.
During its history donations to the clothing and linen sales have found their way not only to Goodwill and Berkshire Immigrant Center, but to Salvation Army; Capital City Mission (homeless and rehabilitation shelter in Albany); a very poor village in Malawi; refugees from Hurricane Katrina and from Afghanistan; medical missions to Central and South America; local veterinarians to comfort cold, sick dogs and cats; Louison House (homeless shelter in Adams); Williamstown Food Pantry; the Friendship Center (interfaith food pantry in North Adams); and the Elizabeth Freeman Center in North Adams.
The 2015 ABC Clothing Sale will be held on Sept. 26. For further information or to volunteer, contact abcclothingsale@gmail.com.
Tags: clothing,
