As of last Friday, Dubbo's Red Cross Charity Shop closed its doors temporarily. The Salvation Army Charity shops in Dubbo and Wellington have also shut and are temporarily not taking donations.

Under regular circumstances, donations would be accepted with arms wide open, but due to the pandemic the practise of handling used items provides a risk some opportunity shops have opted not to take. This is because the virus can still be viable on fabrics for an extended period of time.

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Dubbo St Vincent de Paul has also closed its doors but are currently still accepting donations.

St Vincent de Paul spokesperson Alyssa Robinson the Vinnies Shop in Dubbo will remain temporarily closed due to COVID-19 but will be accepting donations through the charity bins located onsite.

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"This bin is being regularly emptied and we very much welcome donations of quality clothing and items as per usual," Ms Robinson said.

"We also remind people to please try coming back later if the bin is full, rather than leaving items on the street or footpath (as this risks us having to dispose of the donated clothing rather than being able to re-sell it).

A spokesperson from St Vincent de Paul also stated the organisation remains assessing their ability to keep shops open on an ongoing basis, but at this stage, only a small number of Vinnies shops remain open across NSW.

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"At Vinnies, our first priority is always the safety and wellbeing of the community - including the people we assist, our shoppers, our volunteers and members and staff," the spokesperson said.

"We encourage you to use the bins if they are not already full. If your nearest bin is full, please hold on to your generous donation until we have made a collection."

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