Collection Drive Makes Impact on Local Charities

For the people behind the scenes at community-minded organizations like Impact Thrift Stores and the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), The Martin Luther King Day of Service is the perfect opportunity to encourage the general public to participate in their year-round missions to help those in need.

With that shared goal in mind, the two groups have combined efforts this year with senior centers throughout Bucks County for a thrift donation drive that will benefit 16 local charities throughout the Greater Philadelphia region.

"The senior centers are the conduits for the items," said Tamika Miller, director of community outreach for Impact Thrift Stores. "We collected items all week-long, and they will be sold at each of our four locations. All proceeds from the sale of these items will go directly to the charities."

Miller was on hand Friday morning at the Falls Senior Center with RSVP Director Richelle Marek and senior center director Cecelia Murphy as the Impact truck picked up more than 200 pounds of items, including clothing, household goods, an Apple desktop computer, a few televisions and more.

Murphy credited her active volunteers from the senior center for reaching out to their families, finding the gently used items and delivering them to the senior center.

"We did a food drive last year for Martin Luther King Day," said Murphy. "This is the first time we did a thrift drive. Our members did an incredible job."

Marek coordinated with Falls and other senior centers around the county, including the Benjamin Wilson Senior Center in Warminster and her organization's headquarters located at the Area Agency on Aging in Doylestown.

With more than 500,000 volunteers, RSVP, part of the National Senior Service Corps, is the largest volunteer network for people age 55 and older. In Bucks County, more than 550 RSVP volunteers provide more than 94,000 hours of service to nonprofit agencies each year.

"This is a great opportunity for people to clean out their attics and under their beds," said Marek. "They can de-clutter their homes knowing the items can be re-used or recycled."

The collection was held between Jan. 13 to Jan. 20, but Miller said that truck will make one final sweep early Tuesday morning. If anybody wants to make a last minute donation, they can bring their stuff to the Falls Senior Center before 9 a.m.

"This is an easy way to support the needy community without having to dig into the checkbook," said Miller. "Anything that doesn't sell is responsibly recycled, and we get a percentage from the recycling."

Items can be purchased at any of Impact Thrift's four locations, including:

• 91 E. Street Rd., Feasterville
• 14 E. Moreland Ave., Hatboro
• 979 Bethlehem Pike, Montgomeryville
• 1798 Markley St., Norristown

• Bethanna in Southampton
• Chariots for Hope in Dresher
• Cradle of Hope in Glenside
• Healthlink Medical Center in Southampton
• Manna on Main Street in Lansdale
• North Penn Valley Boys 7 Girls Club in Lansdale