‘Amazingly Generous County’ Creates Backlog of Donations at Interfaith Works

A combination of too many donations and too few volunteers created a backlog at Interfaith Works that forced the non-profit to stop accepting donations until Oct. 19 at its clothing center on Twinbrook Parkway in Rockville.

“We live in just an amazingly generous county,” declared Betsy Cheakalos, director of family services at Interfaith Works.

During the shutdown, many people went through their closets and contributed their extra items, she said. Then when Hurricane Ida pounded the Rockville area in the beginning of September, causing one fatality and many ruined apartments, area residents proved even more generous than usual, she said.

However, at the same time clothing and household goods poured in, the number of volunteers decreased. Some of the volunteers didn’t feel comfortable helping out during the pandemic, and shifts were limited to between 20 to 40 people each. The result was a lot of items with not enough people to sort through them all.

Therefore, Interfaith Works plans to spend the next few weeks going through all its donations without allowing the incoming donations to pile up at the same time, Cheakalos said, adding that new clothing sorters and volunteers are needed and welcome.

The store remains open during this time. “We are still here. We are still open.”

We need you! Help us get more donated clothing and other essential items into the hands of people who need them. If you would like to roll up your sleeves and #volunteer to sort at the IW Clothing Center in #Rockville, contact Miranda Marks, mmarks@iworksmc.org. Thank you! pic.twitter.com/8N7RcO6lI7

— Interfaith Works (@InterfaithWorks) September 9, 2021

About Suzanne Pollak

Suzanne is a freelance reporter with Montgomery Community Media. She has over 35 years professional experience writing for newspapers, magazines, non-profit newsletters and the web.

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