Diabetes Canada says it will retrofit all 3,000 donation bins across Canada

Just days after a man was found dead in a clothing donation bin in Vancouver, Diabetes Canada is now working to retrofit all 3,000 donation bins that it has across the country. 

The man's death, the seventh of its kind, sparked an outcry from advocate Jeremy Hunka of Union Gospel Mission, who called the bins “death traps.”

Diabetes Canada tells 570 NEWS in a statement that they'll be working with their Canadian-based donation bin designer to redesign the bins as information and parts become available.

They say the manufacturer of the donation bins will cover the cost of buying and fitting the new safety features.

Waterloo Region suffered one of these tragedies in early November when a man was found dead on Hespeler Road in a Diabetes Canada donation bin in Cambridge.

The non-profit organization would like to remind the public that they offer home pick-up of donations, and that you can visit their website or call 1-800-505-5525 to donate.

Here is the full statement from Diabetes Canada:

“Diabetes Canada is very saddened to learn of the death of an individual in a donation bin belonging to another charitable organization located in West Vancouver, BC. Although death or injury related to donation bins is not common, we feel that if there is an opportunity to prevent this type of tragic incident, we must make every effort to find a solution. Working with our Canadian-based donation bin designer and manufacturer and as information and parts become available from the manufacturer, Diabetes Canada is making adjustments to all of its donation bins in an effort to prevent injury or death to those trying to enter its bins. We appreciate and rely on the generosity of Canadians donating clothing at our bins because funds raised help us to support 11 million Canadians with diabetes or prediabetes.”