Canberra's op shops are caught in an impossible position as they juggle the needs of the community. Subscribe now for unlimited access . $ 0 / (min cost $ 0 ) Login or signup to continue reading Continue with Email Continue with Google Continue with Apple See subscription options They are trying to keep their stores affordable while raising money for relief programs, all while coping with Australia's growing waste problem.
Anglicare ACT is struggling to keep up with the volume of clothing and the demand for food relief, Laura Dawson said. "We try to look at it two ways," the volunteer manager said. "We get so much and we really try and make sure that if it's not good enough to go in our shops that we find other ways to recycle it.
It does take time." Vinnies Canberra recently told The Canberra Times their donations were up 300 per cent compared to 2014 . But because of the low quality of the clothes they receive, a significant proportion has to be recycled or discarded.
Laura Dawson at the Queanbeyan Anglicare op shop. Picture by Gary Ramage Around 1 million tonnes of clothing is donated to Australian op shops every year, industry monitors say. Op shops juggling community needs Anglicare's manager of volunteers Laura Dawson said they were balancing multiple roles.
"We really see ourselves as a point for the community, a really nice place for volunteers to come be connected with our community," she said. "We're also looking at the sustainability side of things and trying to ma.
