St. Paul’s in need of clothing for depot

St. Paul’s Hospital’s emergency department had to discharge a male patient back to the street in just his stocking feet last week because its depot of donated clothing had become so depleted.

Staff gave the man, who arrived shoeless, two pairs of socks, but had no footwear to provide him, which prompted a plea for help, and a pretty quick response.

“It’s really vital for these patients to leave clothed,” said Laura Mah, co-ordinator of volunteer services at the hospital.

Often, paramedics will have cut patients’ clothing away to treat injuries or they arrived wearing clothes that aren’t suitable for being discharged back to the street.

“It provides (them) with dignity, with warmth,” Mah said.

Mah said there is a lot of demand for the volunteer-run clothing depot. Hospital staff make about 20 formal requests per day for clothing, adding staff are free to access the room when they need to.

Mah said it was ER staff who put out the urgent plea for donations via Facebook over the weekend, which brought an outpouring from the public of at least 30 full garbage bags of clothing. But she said the hospital could always use more.

“We’re always looking for men’s (and women’s) sweatpants and jeans, large sizes preferably. We’re always looking for running shoes, those are the things that go quickest.”

They’re also in need of new underwear and socks, which are the only used items they don’t take.

Donations can be dropped off at the clothing depot, Room B274 of the Burrard building, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Over the weekend, donations can be dropped off at the gift shop.