JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Organizations like Goodwill and the Salvation Army can serve the Jacksonville community because of donations, and with people spending a little bit more time at home than usual, some have taken that opportunity to do a little bit of Spring cleaning.
That has led to a surplus of donations, but with Salvation Army and Goodwill stores closed because of COVID-19, the donations are being left outside.
“Our promise to the community is to always be doing the most good for the people that are the most in need, and right now is a time to prioritize people over donations," said Capt. Steph Correira, administrator for the Jacksonville Adult Rehabilitation Center.
A viewer sent in a picture (above) of a Salvation Army family story in Clay County with donations stacked outside. Those donations have since been cleaned up, but the Salvation Army is asking everyone to hold onto their donations until the stores reopen.
“If you are donating gently used items right now, we are doing our best to sweep up and pick up those donations, but it may be that you drop them off in the evening and we aren’t there 'til the following morning, so your good intentions are going to sit out in the weather and the rain,” Correira said.
Because of the closures, the Salvation Army is operating on an abbreviated staff and any donations accepted have to be quarantined and sanitized before they can be brought into the stores.