As the surging economy prompts people in Hong Kong and Macau to open their purses in clothing stores, there is a spin-off for the poor. Because people are buying more, they are also throwing away more, leading to a leap in donations of second-hand clothes to the Salvation Army in the two cities. Donations of clothes to the Christian charity have risen 35 per cent in the first half of this year, to more than 660 tonnes. But underlining the fact that the needy are missing out on the recovery, demand for the army's services has also soared. More than 1,280 needy people - including prisoners recently released from jail, pensioners and elderly people who live alone - benefited from the donations in the first six months, an increase of 60 per cent. The recipients, all referred by social workers, received necessities such as clothes and home appliances free from the army's family stores. The Salvation Army launched its 15th and largest family store at Western yesterday, an area close to 3,000 square feet, including clothes, home decorations, shoes, handbags and stuffed toys. Salvation Army acting chief operations officer David Chiu Kam-chiu said the booming economy had recently brought more donations. 'About 60 per cent of the clothes and shoes are new that we got from the factories, and 40 per cent are used ones from the public,' he said, 'but [the used ones] are still in very good condition. 'All the other home decoration items and stuffed dolls are new; we got all of them from factories.' Mr Chiu said among the oddest donations they had received were a box of chicken curry and a wedding certificate.
