Syracuse, N.Y. — Wegmans has told the Rescue Mission to remove its donation centers by next year.
The donation drop-off centers have been at Syracuse-area Wegmans locations for 38 years, said Luana Lovenguth, the chief social enterprise officer for the Rescue Mission. Those locations, combined with two others at Walmarts in Camillus and Auburn, receive about 250,000 donations each year, she said.
Why are they being removed?
Evelyn Ingram, a Wegmans spokesperson, said the change is “an effort to establish consistency across all Wegmans locations.” The donation drop-off trailers are only in the Central New York stores.
Discussions around removing the donation centers started in the summer, Ingram said. Two donation spots have already closed at the Wegmans on Oswego Road in Clay and in East Syracuse on James Street. A third on Route 31 in Clay is expected to be moved to a nearby Runnings by the end of the year, Lovenguth said.
The Rescue Mission will have about six months to remove its remaining donation centers in Cicero, DeWitt and Clay (Taft Road).
Dan Sieburg, Rescue Mission CEO, said he’s already noticed a drop in donations without the centers in Clay and East Syracuse. Donations are down about 30% in November, he said.
That has created a “sense of urgency to really find locations quickly,” Sieburg said.
The mission has already received calls from new potential locations. Sieburg hopes to have all donation points back up and running by the spring.
“Our donations fuel the programs we provide,” Sieburg said. “In the immediate future, I think we’re OK. If we can find good locations to move our donations centers to quickly, it might not disrupt anything.”
Staff writer Fernando Alba covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, story idea, question or comment? Reach him: Email | Twitter or at 315-690-6950.