No Relief for the Poor, As Donation Bins With Warm Winter Clothing Are Stolen

When cold winds blow, the St. Vincent DePaul Society offers needed help to the poor, the unemployed and their families—providing cozy coats and jackets, boots, mittens and scarves to stave off the winter chill.

But in the Detroit area this year, there’s not so much warm winter clothing on hand for those in need.  That’s because dozens of donation bins which stand in shopping centers and along busy thoroughfares have been disappearing.

Bill Brazier, executive director of the St. Vincent DePaul Society, told WXYZ-TV, “When we would go pick up the bins, they would be gone.”  Also missing are bins for the charity Planet Aid.

This week, the St. Vincent DePaul Society has filed a lawsuit against a Houston-based recycling company which has allegedly stolen the bins and replaced them with their own bins, labeled “Michigan Humane Society.”  The stolen bins have then been broken down and scrapped for cash.  The donated clothing in the counterfeit bins may also be recycled for profit.

At this point, neither the Houston business nor the Michigan Humane Society have answered questions regarding the counterfeit bins.

The St. Vincent DePaul Society plans to use all their resources to get as many bins as possible back out on the streets, at convenient locations so that people can help other Detroiters who are suffering and need these goods.  If you’d like to make a contribution to the SVdP, visit a convenient drop-off point at a store in your neighborhood or go on-line to http://svdpdet.org/