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COVID-19: Diabetes Canada donation bins becoming garbage dumps amid pandemic

Diabetes Canada has asked residents to stop overflowing bins with donations and garbage
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Diabetes Canada is asking residents to stop donating clothes as they can’t collect them, as well as to stop dumping garbage in the bins. (Diabetes Canada)

Diabetes Canada is asking residents to stop bringing clothes to their donation bins as COVID-19 continues to rage.

Due to the current pandemic, Diabetes Canada hasn’t been able to collect textile donations from its bins since March 23, which also resulted in the temporary lay-off of more than 500 staff who manage the donation bin service.

“Sadly, some residents continue to drop off donations at our bins even though we cannot empty them at this time; and some individuals are using Diabetes Canada donation bins to dump garbage and more,” the organization said in a release.

“We have contacted government agencies to help us to remove the garbage. However, we have not yet been successful. We simply do not have the financial resources to deploy staff to clean the garbage around our more than 5,000 bins.”

Diabetes Canada added the garbage around the donation bins pose a serious health and safety issue and are asking residents to stop using the bins as garbage dumps.

“Our organization relies on your generous charitable clothing donations as a crucial source of revenue that supports diabetes research, sends kids with type 1 diabetes to camp and sustains our efforts to end the fight against diabetes.”

“With an extended stoppage of service, Diabetes Canada has lost one of its major sources of revenue which impacts millions of Canadians with diabetes and prediabetes.”

READ: Okanagan College students receive emergency funding


Twila Amato
Video journalist, Black Press Okanagan
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Twila Amato

About the Author: Twila Amato

Twila was a radio reporter based in northern Vancouver Island. She won the Jack Webster Student Journalism Award while at BCIT and received a degree in ancient and modern Greek history from McGill University.
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