WESTFIELD – Mint Green Planet, a Worcester-based business, has recently made its way to Westfield to benefit the Boys and Girls Club, according to William Parks, the executive director of the local chapter.
Mint Green Planet is a program whereby people can donate old clothes and shoes by dropping them off in one of the fifteen boxes located around Westfield.
“We work with St. Vincent De Paul, who sorts through all the donations and distributes them to multiple channels, such as giving clothes to needy families, selling them to local thrift shops for resale, and some clothing is sent to developing countries,” said Lisa Grzesiak, business development manager of Mint Green Planet.
The program has only been in Westfield for about a month. The proceeds will go toward the general operation of the Boys and Girls Club, which will allow them to keep membership fees low.
“No one is turned away because of a lack of funds,” Parks said.
When a Boys and Girls Club signs on with the company, Mint Green Planet pays them an annual minimum payment. The first half is paid right away and the second half is paid six months later. The amount of money donated depends on how many donations are received in the area. According to Grzesiak, they collect anywhere from 20,000 to 30,000 pounds of clothing per week from around Massachusetts and Rhode Island. There are currently ten clubs working with the program.
Grzesiak said the company goal is to educate children on the importance of recycling clothing, shoes and textiles, and what that does for the environment. Mint Green Planet has been working to get community members involved by encouraging them to help local schools sponsor clothing drives and trying to get local businesses to host a bin.
“We provide free advertising on our website for all of our hosts,” she said.
If interested in getting more information about making a donation or in hosting a bin, contact Mint Green Planet at 508-798-0930 and ask for either Grzesiak or company President Michael Sweeney, or go online to www.mintgreenplanet.com.
