Weston shopper, Claire, and her 4 year old son, Rupert, are regular shoppers at Vinnies.

“I get all my work clothes from Vinnies now. I always find something great for just a few dollars and love re-homing rather than buying things new,” said Claire.

Today is Dressed by Vinnies Day, which encourages people to shop at Vinnies, whether they’re first-timers or regular op-shoppers.

“Shopping at Vinnies reduces waste sent to landfill, and supports the services Vinnies run to help break the cycle of poverty,” said Lindsay Rae, Director of Commercial Operations, St Vincent de Paul Society Canberra/Goulburn.

“I’ve always donated clothes, books and toys to Vinnies but now I’m buying my clothes there, Rupert and I browse and usually find a great toy or puzzle as well.

“We buy some toys, play with them for a few weeks, and can then donate them back to Vinnies, which reduces our clutter and also helps Vinnies,” said Claire.

“I love visiting Vinnies shops in other places as they all have different things to offer, and you never know when you’ll find that amazing and completely individual item,” she added.

“This is a dominoes set with a pirate ship which could be even better than the construction set we got last time! I’m going to set the dominoes up so they go off the table!” said Rupert, who plans on being an engineer when he grows up.

“We are proud of the quality and range of the stock we have in our shops, and we’re grateful for the people who donate such quality items to us. Without our donors we wouldn’t be able to support the breadth of Vinnies services and make a difference to local people,” said Mr Rae.

“Last year, 47% of the funds used in the Canberra/Goulburn region came from the sale of goods in our shops. That’s money that goes to helping provide food and accommodation to people in need, resources that support our youth programs, education programs and Night Patrol vans.

“Genuinely, without our loyal customers and donors, we would not be able to assist nearly as many people,” he said.

“Giving to, and shopping at, Vinnies ticks so many boxes for me, particularly environmentally. I’m not a shopper generally, but there’s something so liberating about being able to choose almost as many things as you and the kids want, not spending a fortune and be doing good in the process,” said Claire.

More information can be found on the Dressed by Vinnies website: dressedby.vinnies.org.au

 

1 November 2019