Another year of operation of the Clothing Bank has brought great results, of which we are duly proud. In total, we received over 80 tons of clothing from private and corporate donors, of which we distributed over 46 tons of clothing to all corners of the country in cooperation with our partners, which represents an increase of 6 tons year-on-year. The total number of clothing packages that passed through our hands reached 11,496 pieces. In total, we received over 7,000 parcels of donated clothing from private individual donors, and the list of companies and institutions that organised employee clothing collections for us as part of CSR activities has grown once again. The successful increase in these numbers was also made possible by the countless volunteers who decided to help out with us.
An overview of the packages distributed
We have distributed crisis relief packages in 2024 as follows:
● Food banks: 23,696 kg.
● Non-profit organisations from all over the Czech Republic: 19 292 kg
● Individual applicants: 2 996 kg.
This aid distribution reflects our commitment to get aid where it is most needed and to support as many people in difficult life situations as possible. The biggest contributors to the successful distribution of aid were the Food Bank Olomouc, the Food Bank Džbánsko, the Food Bank Karlovy Vary, the Food Bank Central, the Food Bank South Bohemia, the Food Bank Ústí nad Labem, the Food Bank Prague and the Central Bohemian Region, the Food Bank Pardubice, the Food Bank Vysočina and the Food Bank Ostrava. In addition to dozens of food banks, there were also other organisations such as children’s homes, asylum houses, social centres, Houses of Good, branches of Diakonia, municipal offices with their social departments, the Society for Integration of Minorities, hospitals and hospitals, People in Need and others.
Corporate and individual collections
2024 was a year of generous donations. Dozens of companies organized clothing drives that contributed significantly to our numbers. Employees of companies who donated their discarded clothing became an irreplaceable part of our chain of support. We can’t forget the individual donors who showered us with packages on a daily basis. We received over 7,000 from them in 2024 through the Parcel Office.
Volunteers: The heart of our nonprofit organization
In 2024, a total of 102 volunteers joined us. The biggest support we received was again from Amazon, which sent 39 of its employees to join us. Other companies deserve a mention as well:
● Česká spořitelna: 23 volunteers.
● CBRE: 20 volunteers
● Lagardère and Hestia: 6 volunteers
● Vodafone: 4 volunteers
● NN Pojišt’ovna and Amundi: 2 volunteers each
Volunteers contributed not only their time, but also their energy and commitment. They helped us manage the influx of clothes and ensured that other aid could be sorted and dispatched quickly.
Sustainability and recycling
Each week, Potex visited our Clothing Bank to take away textile waste for further sorting and donation. Our Clothing Bank strives to maximize the use of materials and reduce waste, which not only makes sense for us environmentally but also socially.
New premises: the next step forward
The year 2024 also brought a big change: The Clothing Bank moved to new, larger premises. This move was necessary so that we could better handle the increasing number of donations, requests for assistance and crisis packages. Although the move comes with increased rent and utility costs, we rate this move as one of the best decisions of the year.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to our work – whether you are volunteers, corporate partners, individual donors or our supporters. Together, we have been able to help thousands of people in difficult life situations, and for that we owe you our greatest thanks.
Let’s continue this journey together in 2025!
Dana Pavlousková
Director
We give clothing a new life, helping those in need.