The Salvation Army Thrift Store, National Recycling Operations

The Salvation Army Thrift Store, National Recycling Operations (NRO), is a national division of The Salvation Army in Canada. Our mission is both to generate funds to help support The Salvation Army’s programs and services and to make a positive impact within the communities in which we operate. With over 100 Thrift Stores and 120 Donor Welcome Centres, 11 Distribution and Recycling Centres, and more than 2,000 employees, NRO is proud to serve communities across Canada. In fiscal year 2019-2020, over 14 million guests and donors walked through the doors of their local Thrift Store. Once a shirt is donated to The Salvation Army Thrift Store, it is no longer just an article of clothing–it becomes an essential item for someone living in poverty, a way to support local Salvation Army social services, and a key component of environmental sustainability. With the help of guests, donors, community partners, industry associations, volunteers, and employees from coast to coast, we are building stronger communities together. Our History: Over 100 years ago, General William Booth and his wife Catherine recognized and responded to social and environmental challenges that our modern society continues to face today by creating the Household Salvage Brigade. This initiative worked to empower the marginalized and excluded of society by meeting their practical needs while encouraging recycling and reuse, and today the Booths’ legacy lives on through the work of The Salvation Army and the recycling retail brilliance of The Salvation Army Thrift Store. Industry Associations: As a leader in Canadian textile diversion, the organization has over 11 corporate and municipal partners across the country and is an active member of nine industry associations, including National Association for Charitable Textile Recyclers (NACTR), National Zero Waste Council, and Municipal Waste Association.