Longmeadow, East Longmeadow compete in donations driveDate: 12/6/2023 The friendly rivalry between Longmeadow and East Longmeadow was harnessed this fall to benefit at-risk children through a Clothing Donation Challenge by the Hartsprings Foundation.
Hartsprings is an organization that raises funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters in Western Massachusetts and Connecticut to provide mentorship to youth in the community. The organization collects used clothing and small and household items, which are then sold to Savers thrift stores. The profits are then donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters. According to the organization’s website, hartsprings.org, Hartsprings has generated millions of dollars in funding through this process.
In an effort to spur donations, Hartsprings hosted The Clothing Donation Challenge. On Nov. 4 and Dec. 2, Hartsprings ran donation drop off sites at Center Square in East Longmeadow and at the Longmeadow Shops. In addition to bragging rights, the town that donated more clothing won a $500 donation to its educational endowment fund.
“East Longmeadow and Longmeadow are, like, our two biggest towns,” said Emiliano Quinones, who was running the Longmeadow pick up site at the Longmeadow Shops. “People still come out [to donate], even in bad weather.”
While the donations from the Dec. 2 drive have not yet been weighed, Operations Director David Parkinson said, “East Longmeadow made a run of it. They did better than Longmeadow.” On Nov. 4, however, Longmeadow donated 5,528 pounds of textiles and items to East Longmeadow’s 3,447 pounds.
A similar drive was hosted in Agawam and West Springfield, which also have a friendly rivalry. Parkinson said Agawam won that challenge.
Parkinson said 4,000-5,000 pounds of donated goods translates to $1,500 for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Since 1997, the Hartsprings Foundation has collected 5 million pounds of textiles. For perspective, that equates to roughly 2.5 million pairs of jeans.
In addition to the challenges, Hartsprings had partnered with the Longmeadow Shops as a pickup site on the first Saturday of every month. The organization also offers residential pickup, which can be scheduled on its website.
“I like when they do these [challenges],” Quinones said. “We’re doing something for the community and in return they’re doing something for us.”
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