WINDSOR HEIGHTS, Iowa — A nonprofit organization that has provided social services to people in need in the Des Moines metro throughout the last century now finds itself in need.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was established in 1924 to help people living in poverty become self-sufficient. They oversee four thrift stores, two human resource campuses, two food pantries, an education center, and a sobering center. 35,000 people are helped annually in the metro.

Last week, officials posted to Facebook that they are “desperately” in need of clothing for their thrift stores.

Chad Caligiuri said that in the last couple of years, the number of shoppers at the thrift stores has doubled. He credits this influx in demand to the economy and an elevated interest in thrifting. Caligiuri noticed an increased number of young people shopping at the thrift stores.

“We actually intentionally store throughout the season, so we always have backup. We’ve already actually gone through all of our backups at all of our locations, and usually we have through the next several months of those backups, so we’re several months too low, I would say,” he said.

The thrift stores rely on donations, with about 90% of their items being donated, according to Caligiuri. As a result, St. Vincent de Paul is offering an incentive for donations.

Through Halloween, for every bag of clothing donated, $1 in “Vinny’s Bucks” will be given to the donor, and up to $5 can be awarded per visit.

Donation hours run from Monday through Saturday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. You can find out store locations and where to donate here.