ESTEVAN — Warm Hearts – Jacket Repair Project is entering its second winter, being truthful to its original goal – to divert clean, mendable jackets, and sometimes other winter items, from landfill.
The Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council (SWRC) started Warm Hearts last year with jacket drop-off locations in Regina, Saskatoon, Lloydminster, Moose Jaw, Estevan, Rosthern and Biggar. They teamed up with local volunteers who were fixing donated jackets to bring them over to local organizations for further free distribution.
"The Waste Reduction Council focuses on waste reduction, so we try to bring about anything that comes to mind about reducing waste," said Meg Dorwart, communications and events co-ordinator with SWRC. "[Warm Hearts project] is hoping to help keep jackets out of the landfill. But it's also just a win-win because these jackets are obviously very valuable, and it's nice not only to keep jackets out of the landfill, but also to keep the value of the jackets by repairing them and then putting them back into the community to folks that actually really need them."
Last winter Warm Hearts worked on 172 winter jackets, which were diverted from landfills, regained their value and redistributed back into communities. In Estevan, 15 winter coats were donated, however, none of the items collected last winter needed to be repaired.
"Hopefully this year, we can get some of those jackets that were destined for the landfill and save them from that," Dorwart said, adding that if people want to donate jackets that don't need to be repaired they can still reach out to SWRC to get some help in co-ordinating their donation.
Throughout winter, Estevan and other locations are going to be accepting donations of used, repairable jackets and other winter clothes to then fix them and give back to people. The organization asks supporters to make sure items are clean before dropping them off.
Dorwart said currently they have only one person in Estevan who agreed to volunteer their time to repair donated items, and the SWRC would be glad to have a few more people who could help them with the project. The volunteers could be asked to do anything from patching up a hole with hand-stitching to using a sewing machine to replacing or fixing a zipper. Dorwart noted that volunteers can always pick projects that match their skills.
Estevan's donations are accepted at the Church of God and then redistributed through the Church of Christ.
"If someone in the public has a jacket that needs to be fixed in Estevan, they'll drop it off at the Church of God. And then they let the volunteer know, and the volunteer goes and picks up the jacket and fixes it," Dorwart explained. "And then when they are finished, they drop it off at the Church of Christ because they've got a collection in their basement that they distribute into the community."
The SWRC is planning on expanding its map of Warm Hearts – Jacket Repair Project drop-off locations this season. Moose Jaw already joined the initiative, and a couple of other communities are currently trying to get everything organized.
Dorwart also thanked the companies that continue helping the SWRC with this project.
"Affinity Credit Union and SaskEnergy are providing funding to help with organizing and all the advertising costs that go along with trying to promote the project across the province," Dorwart noted.
Jacket and other outdoor winter clothes can be dropped off at the Estevan Church of God Monday and Friday from 9 a.m.-noon, Tuesday-Thursday from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., and Sunday from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Once they are repaired, they are taken to the Estevan Church of Christ to be redistributed to anyone in need through their clothing exchange project at no cost.
To arrange for a donation or to fill out a form to volunteer with Warm Hearts, please contact Dorwart at [email protected].
