A big turnout is expected this Saturday, Nov. 4, when Bancroft’s SIRCH Community Services Thrift Warehouse offers free warm clothing to those in need.
The social organization is holding its annual Share the Warmth giveaway, and anyone who drops by the 141 Hastings St. location, between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., can receive winter clothing items.
SIRCH’s Angelica Ingram says at last year’s Bancroft event 640 items were picked up. Organizers expect this year’s number to be even higher.
She says SIRCH, which runs several programs for those experiencing poverty in the Bancroft-to-Minden corridor, has seen the number of people accessing its programs generally increase in recent years.
“We definitely saw a spike during the COVID pandemic, which we thought would taper off and it has not due to different factors; inflation, food costs, employment (rates),” she says. “We just have not seen the demand decrease the way we thought it would.”
Ingram adds the high demand puts greater need on SIRCH to solicit donations. People can donate used clothes to the Bancroft warehouse. For more information, call 1-844-847-4382.