The
Westchester Design Center in Larchmont held a clothing donation drive in March
meant for the people of Ukraine who are facing
harrowing obstacles in the wake of Russia’s invasion.
But
due to a logistics issue, the clothes are now being donated to The
Sharing Shelf – a charity that addresses clothing insecurity in children and
teens in Westchester County.
Valentino
Lopergolo, owner of the Westchester Design Center, said the objective from the
beginning was to send the boxes of donations overseas.
"Unfortunately,
there was no charitable agency that were willing to take all these boxes," he told News 12.
Lopergolo
estimated the shipping costs to ship themselves fell somewhere between $10,000
to $12,000. A GoFundMe campaign to raise those funds was unsuccessful.
The
Westchester Design Center and The Sharing Shelf were content in the solution.
"Westchester
County is such a unique place where there is so much to give and there are so
many people that need to receive," said Alex Gatti, a Sharing Shelf board
member.
Westchester
Design Center hopes to move the boxes into The Sharing Shelf's warehouse by
this weekend. The owner says he wants those who donated to know that their good
deed went to a charitable cause.