First Baptist Used Clothing Shed Update

Thanks to First Baptist Church of Westwood for contributing this information to Westwood Minute.

Spring is on our doorstep and many of us are starting to think about putting away some of our heavy winter clothes and digging out things more appropriate for the warmer weather of spring and summer. If you find some clothes that are still in good, wearable condition but are the wrong size or just don’t appeal to you any longer, you might consider donating them to people who can put them to good use.

The First Baptist Church of Westwood reminds us that their St. Pauly used clothing shed is always open and available for donations. It can be found at the far end of the parking lot directly in front of the church at 808 High Street, Westwood.

Items that are accepted at the shed include: clothing for children and adults, shoes and sneakers, belts, and purses, as well as such non-clothing items as sheets and pillowcases, blankets, comforters, curtains, and stuffed animals. It is important that used clothing be wearable, and not stained or otherwise damaged. All items should be placed in a plastic bag to protect against dirt and the elements. There is a small box on the shed that contains receipts that can be filled out for tax purposes. Please note that the following items cannot be accepted: pillows, rags, fabric scraps, household items, books, toys, furniture, and electronics.

The used clothing shed is provided and maintained by St. Pauly Textile Inc., a Western NY based, family-owned, for-profit company and an A+ member of the Better Business Bureau. Their goal is to divert useable clothing away from landfills and get it to people who can use it here in the U.S. and in developing countries. They explain that there is an enormous global need for used clothing, and they are able to distribute clothing to organizations and people all over the world who can use it. They stress that all of the clothing and textiles they collect is used by someone somewhere.

St. Pauly recently reported on the impact that the used clothing shed made in 2022. They collected over 42,000 pounds of clothing from the shed at First Baptist. That’s over 42,000 pounds that didn’t wind up in landfills and, according to their calculations, it was enough to clothe an estimated 7,823 people all over the world. The church is grateful to all those who continue to support this worthwhile project.

For additional information, contact the First Baptist Church office at 781-461-1730.