2 Groups to Cooperate on Clothing Drive

The Salvation Army and the San Fernando Valley Girl Scout Council will kick off a clothing drive today, distributing 30,000 bags to Valley homes to be filled with used clothes and picked up next Saturday.

The drive continues a 30-year tradition of cooperation between the Salvation Army and Scouting groups. However, this is the first time such a drive has been held in the Valley, said Leslie-Anne Quinn, director of community relations for the Salvation Army in Van Nuys.

The donated clothes are sold at 15 Valley Salvation Army thrift stores to support an adult rehabilitation center in Van Nuys run by the Salvation Army. “We don’t just only recycle goods,” Quinn said. “We recycle lives.”

Salvation Army officials hope to collect 50 to 75 tons of used clothing in the drive.

More than 1,000 Girl Scouts will be distributing the bags today, knocking on residents’ doors and explaining the drive, said Jason Katz, marketing and public relations manager for the San Fernando Valley Girl Scout Council.

On March 22, when the Scouts return to collect the donated clothes, residents can also make donations directly to six collection points in the Valley.

“If people didn’t happen to get a bag and still want to donate clothing, we will have trucks available there,” Quinn said.

The drop-off locations next Saturday will be:

* The San Fernando Valley Girl Scout Council, 9421 Winnetka Ave., Chatsworth, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

* The Agoura Sheriff’s Station, 2706 Agoura Road, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

* The First Baptist Church of Reseda, 7123 Amigo St., from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

* The Salvation Army Burbank Community Center, 300 E. Angeleno Ave., from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

* The Salvation Army Thrift Store, 6120 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

* The Salvation Army offices, 6059 Van Nuys Blvd., Van Nuys, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.