Caring for our Communities and the Planet we Share
![thrift store worker hands voucher and clothes to client](https://salvationarmy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Thrift-store-web-image.jpg)
Experiencing life in a pandemic taught us all how to be resourceful and do more with less. In many ways, we now find ourselves well-positioned as a society to commit to a future of more value and less waste.
The future is the circular economy, which retains and recovers as much value as possible from resources by reusing, repairing, and recycling products and materials in an endless circle of sustainable and responsible use. * It’s about seeing “waste” as a resource rather than a cost and finding innovative ways to improve the environment and the economy together, which has always been part of our story here at The Salvation Army Thrift Store, National Recycling Operations (NRO).
General William Booth founded The Salvation Army in the 19th century and created the Household Salvage Brigade to collect and redistribute unwanted household items as a response to the need for jobs, affordable merchandise, and preservation of land. Ever since, NRO has carried the torch forward.
Our focus on environmental and social stewardship is not just what makes us different, it is what drives us forward. This is why we are excited to share our 2021-22 Impact Report with our employees, guests, donors, and community partners to recognize and celebrate how we are contributing to the circular economy, caring for our neighbors, and thrifting our way to a responsible, sustainable future for all.
In this year’s report, you will read about the impact of your support through our ever-growing waste diversion efforts as one of Canada’s largest textile recyclers, our innovative community partnerships to further extend the lifecycle of usable goods, and our overall contributions to The Salvation Army’s social service programs and Emergency Disaster Services.
Together with our employees, guests, donors, and partners, we are caring for our communities and the planet we share.
Explore the full report at www.thriftstore.ca/impactseries.
Ted Troughton, Managing Director
The Salvation Army Thrift Store, National Recycling Operations