SVdP Stores Corner: Promoting Clothing Drives

Written by: Joe Lazarich, Council of Rockville Centre,  Northeast Region

A good opportunity to increase clothing donations and promote awareness of the Society and the mission is to collaboratively work together with our stores and Conferences to promote and execute clothing drives.

Below are some suggestions to help your drive be successful:

• Select a date and time that is convenient for everyone, including the Pastor.
• Work with the Vincentians to reserve a SVdP truck, if available, or provide a scheduled pick up at the location of the event upon completion.
• Provide donation receipts, as requested.
• Advertise in the church bulletin a few weeks prior to the event.
• Promote on social media to include local groups such as “Moms and Dads”.
• Inform surrounding parishes that do not have an SVdP Conference.
• Ensure Conference members are present to assist and promote SVdP’s mission and fellowship.
• Notify the Religious Education Department to inform their students who can earn volunteer/community service hours for participating in the clothing drive.

Click here see the attached flyer that can be edited with your store’s clothing drive information.

We’d like to encourage you to attend the National Assembly – Stores Meeting on September 6, 2023 in St. Louis, MO to hear information about our National Training Store in Phoenix, store staffing, increasing donations, productivity, Point-of-Sale (POS), and hear innovative ideas to think of new ways to serve.

For those attending the Stores Meeting in its entirety on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, they will be eligible for door prizes to include:

• 1^st Door Prize:  Complimentary two-day trip for two to Our National Training Store in Phoenix, AZ (up to $1,000 for airfare and hotel). Meals and other expenses will not be covered. Must be a SVdP Store Manager/Director to qualify. Must be present to win.
• 2^nd Door Prize: Complimentary Registration for one to the 2024 National Assembly in Phoenix, Arizona. (A special code will be emailed to the winner once the registration is opened up). Must be present to win.
• 3^rd Door Prize: $250 Amazon Gift Card. Must be present to win.

For those attending the Joint Lunch with ED’s-Store:

• Complimentary dinner for two at Charlie Gittos’s On the Hill ($200 value). Drawing after the joint ED-Store meeting. Must be present to win.

You don’t want to miss out!!

Please encourage your store personnel to subscribe to the to the e-Gazette, by emailing mboyer@svdpusa.org. If you have a topic that you would like addressed in a future Stores Corner article, please e-mail our Jeff Beamguard, Director of Stores Support at jbeamguard@svdpusa.org.