Planet Aid celebrated the opening of its 50th donation center on Saturday, December 7, from 10 AM to 3 PM at White Oak Village, a shopping center located in greater Richmond. The shopping center is owned by J.C. Bar Properties, one of the many corporate partners helping Planet Aid to reach the landmark number.
The event featured various giveaways with a special grand prize awarded to the first person to donate a bag of clothes. Marlazja, the happy grand prize winner, spotted the donation center shortly after it was set up. She asked her grandfather to drop her off so she could make her donation before going to work. To her surprise, she ended up winning a deluxe Keurig coffee maker.
The Planet Aid team was on-site conducting live streams on social media, greeting donors, answering questions, and sharing information about the organization’s mission. Only 15% of textiles are currently recycled in the U.S.; therefore Planet Aid continues to promote sustainable solutions that forward the circular economy.
Despite the chilly weather, donors were undeterred from showing up to donate their used textiles. The staff conversed with donors about Planet Aid's initiatives with schools, as well as the local and international projects the organization supports. They also learned about the various reasons people choose to give back, and the motivations behind reducing, reusing, or recycling their textiles.
One donor shared that he usually keeps extra blankets in his SUV to give to those living on the streets, especially during winter. He mentioned that he prays over the blankets and for the welfare of the recipients. After seeing the Planet Aid donation center, he decided to share some of those blankets to support Planet Aid’s mission.
Karen is another donor who drove up to ask about the donation center and learn about Planet Aid. She remarked that the donation center reminded her of a "beacon of hope," especially when the lights shine in the dark. She explained that she saw it as a symbol of helping people, adding, “ Because we are all a family on Earth, and this planet is our home.”
The 50th donation center represents a significant milestone for Planet Aid, which has steadily expanded its centers in Massachusetts, Ohio, Virginia, and Maryland—the location of the first donation center. The latest unit is already proving to be a safe, accessible, convenient, and sustainable addition to the shopping center.
While Planet Aid’s yellow bins are suitable for smaller locations, the donation centers are specifically for larger areas like shopping centers, malls, and other commercial spaces. The units are regularly serviced by Planet Aid’s expert team, providing a clean and accessible donation experience for everyone. Additionally, these centers were designed with sustainability in mind.
Providing a means to utilize donation centers and bins often fulfills a larger role for donors whose actions create a larger impact through Planet Aid. Donors are the reason Planet Aid diverts nearly 70 million pounds of textile waste from landfills, and those same donations help Planet Aid support local and global development projects. It's something to be proud of.
During the grand opening event, donor Sabrina said, “I definitely have an excess amount of clothing, and like many of us, I’m susceptible to capitalism. Sometimes we overconsume, and it’s good to take a step back, downsize, and recognize that there are others in the world who may benefit from what we have.”
Planet Aid is proud to provide donation centers that make it easy for people in our participating communities to reduce their excess clothing, ensuring their donations are reused or recycled. Placing 50 donation centers in the U.S. is a major milestone toward making textile reuse and recycling so accessible that it's the standard.
When you donate clothes and shoes to Planet Aid, you:
Check what to donate and what not to: planet.org/donate-items.
Don’t forget—your donations are tax-deductible! Easily generate your receipt here: planet.org/get-a-receipt.