Calgary charities seek donations and give away turkeys for Thanksgiving

Calgary charities are giving back to their communities for Thanksgiving.

The Salvation Army, Goodwill and the Women in Need Society (WINS) are calling for more donations of household items, while the Youth Empowerment and Skills Centre (YES Centre) gave away 100 turkeys to those who need them.

Wael Gergis, the southern Alberta district manager at the Salvation Army, told CBC News donations coming in to the thrift store are not keeping up with increasing demand.

He said some shelves are empty because inventory is waning as Calgarians appear to require more than what the Salvation Army locations in the city can provide.

"Unfortunately we know that inflation and other factors has been bringing people in. And with this, the demand on the floor for what we have, is growing," Gergis said.

He said the Salvation Army is always looking for clothing donations, but what often gets overlooked are other household items such as kitchen appliances, glassware or electronics.

Karen Ramchuk, president and CEO of WINS, told CBC News there is also a high demand for furniture donations, among other household items.

"They're very expensive items, and good furniture and good household items don't get donated all that often," Ramchuk said. 

"People like to use them to end of life or store them in the cupboard. And the problem is, people can't afford those comforts and those necessities."

She said people usually associate donations to charity with food and clothing. But household item donations are just as important and often not front of mind, she said.

"Last year in the fall, the need for our services went up by 40 per cent. This year, we're 40 per cent on top of that need. So, the need in our city is going crazy," Ramchuk said.

Mattresses are the most sought-after donation item from WINS. Ramchuk said the charity won't accept mattresses that are stained, soiled or torn, but encouraged people who have spare mattresses to donate them.

"Lots of people out there are sleeping on their floors. And for me, that's not OK," she said.

A spokesperson for Goodwill told CBC News the charity saw a surge in donations of household goods near the beginning of the year, however they have levelled out compared with data from last year.

The charity said it has seen a three per cent increase in the amount of visits to its thrift stores across Alberta compared to last year, which amounts to an additional 60,000 visits.

Turkeys given out for Thanksgiving

On Sunday, the YES Centre gave out 100 free turkeys to people in the southeast Calgary community of Forest Lawn.

Gar Gar, one of the founders of the YES Centre and president of the Forest Lawn Community Association, told CBC News the aim was to turn a time which may be filled with anxiety for some into hope and joy.

He said it's heartening to see how much getting a turkey on Thanksgiving means to the people he meets.

Gar said he was overwhelmed to see the amount of people lining up for a turkey on Sunday morning. 

"It goes to show the needs that is expanding here, there is so much needs," he said.

Stacey Radmore, who lined up for a turkey on Sunday, said Gar has done a number of fantastic things for the community of Forest Lawn.

She said her neighbour told her about the community association giving away turkeys and said it's incredible she'll be able to serve it for Thanksgiving dinner.

"I have a 15-year-old son, and he eats more than three grown men, so it's important to have a lot of extra meat in the house and have that opportunity. It's incredible," Radmore said.