New Diabetes Canada clothing donation drop-off centre opens on Kingston Road

Diabetes Canada has unveiled its first staffed clothing donation drop-off centre in Toronto, giving Beach and east-end residents an easy way to support people living with diabetes while slashing landfill waste.

Located at 334 Kingston Rd. just north of Woodbine Ave., the new Diabetes Canada Clothing Donation Drop-off Centre swung open its doors this month, gearing up for a spring-cleaning blitz.

The storefront donation drop-off centre joins the organization’s national network of donation bins and home pickup routes, but is the first fully staffed, walk in location of its kind in the country.

Open daily 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., it’s a true “drive-up, drop-off and go” setup: haul bagged or boxed clothing, shoes, linens and small household goods curbside, pop your trunk, and staff whisk it away.

“We’re excited to welcome our neighbours in the Beach and east Toronto to our new Diabetes Canada Clothing Donation Drop off Centre,” said Sean Shannon, president and CEO of National Diabetes Trust.

“This centre makes it easier than ever to donate your items, support people living with diabetes and keep textiles out of landfills.”

The Kingston Road location will act as a local hub for Diabetes Canada’s long-running clothing collection program, which began in 1985 and now operates across the country.

Nationally, the program diverts more than 100 million pounds of textiles and small household items from landfill each year and has collected over three billion pounds since it launched.

Funds raised from the donated items help to support diabetes research, education and care for more than 11 million Canadians with diabetes or prediabetes, including D-Camps that have reached 30,000 kids with Type 1 over four decades.

Diabetes Canada says spring is one of its busiest seasons for donations as households clear out closets and storage spaces.

As people declutter around the house, Diabetes Canada staff hope East Toronto residents will add the new clothing donation drop-off centre to their regular errand routes.

“This is a community that already cares deeply about the environment,” Shannon said.

“It’s a quick stop on the way to work, school drop-off or weekend shopping. If you’ve got a bag of clothes in the hallway or the trunk, this is the place to bring it.”

Ready to declutter? Swing by 334 Kingston Rd. with that bag of clothes on your next outing.

Your donations will help your community neighbours living with diabetes and keep textiles out of landfill.

Please visit https://www.declutterfordiabetes.ca/ for more details.