Contact Pop Cans For Charity

Contact: Bill Prodanyk
Tel: 807 626 3470
Location: Thunder Bay, ON, Canada
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To your left is the bin that is available in over 140 locations around the city and area.

About Us

We collect popcans for recycling then donate the resulting funds to charities in the Thunder Bay area. It's important to us to be able to provide needed funds to charities in the area without having to provide some kickback to some distant head office that will never spend the resources in our community. In the process, we like to be a reliable and reputable source of assistance to local charities.

Our History

In April 1996, Bill Prodanyk started Pop Cans for Charity with the assistance of Father Roman Kocur of the Orthodox Church. With the help of then Avenor Paper Industries (Abitibi-Bowater Neebing Avenue) and their help with signs and Bins the Project continued to expand and grow with numerous businesses in the city asking for bins at their locations and companies wishing to institute recycling. Father Roman was transferred to Saskatchewan three years later and Alf Johnson a retired high school teacher graciously came on board becoming Chairman and has taken over assisting and developing Pop Cans for Charity with Bill.

We wish to acknowledge a dear friend and Volunteer Butch Geddes who was a strong supporter and member of our Charity Group and passed away in 2008. Butch is truly missed ... Pop Can Man as he was affectionately known. The Volunteers are the main stay of the organization and we Thank each and every one for their Strong Support to us and the people of Thunder Bay.

Today with several volunteers and the strong support of Lakehead Community Living with the addition of Mark and Ron giving of their time and efforts, Pop Cans for Charity has grown to a strong respected Charity that simply uses the donations of Aluminum Cans in their bins throughout Thunder Bay, Kakabeka, Paipoonge Nipigon, Red Rock and rural Thunder Bay. Taking the cans to the best, and most reputable Recycling Company (Lakehead Scrap Metal) a very decent and honest exchange has been made for the value of the recyclable metal and monies gained to help support the charities and needs of many in Thunder Bay. Since the advent of recycling spirits bottles and cans we have many people who give them to us to use to help our citizens.

The monies earned have been donated to charities that can be seen on the sponsored Wilson's business Solution signs on our bins and the Sponsors page and Drop off Locations page further on this web site. In the last few years a great deal of donations of food has been distributed from PCfC to help feed many Children and needy families at the Dew Drop Inn, Aids Mother Hubbard's Cupboard, The Thunder Bay Christian Society (who help the needy with groceries weekly) and more. Since 2004 there have been many requests for food for feeding needy people and children.

We at Pop Cans for Charity we're One of the Very First local groups who were very strong about our donations being kept locally and we will not give any funds to any group or organization having to send or share any portion of our donations with any outside source or head office outside of Thunder Bay. The Money raised here is used for our citizens in Thunder Bay, Nipigon, Red Rock and surrounding rural area only. At on time funds were used to assist a mother and her child to get to Toronto Children’s Hospital in an emergency request from a local minister.

How you can Help

Start a collection in your office or work place. Call us when you have a large Bag full to pick up or just drop them off in one of our many convenient locations. Join us in going Green and helping to recycle products that can help others. Our contact number is 807 626-3470 let it ring and then leave a message on our voice mail if we are away from the phone. Remember we are all volunteers.

Presently there are over 140 drop off locations in and around Thunder Bay, Kakabeka, Paipoonge and rural Thunder Bay. The bins are there for the citizens of Thunder Bay at the locations provided by the many sponsors and businesses at their buildings and properties. The Bins are FREE to all that donate and easy to drop off / donate your empty aluminum cans that help us to help causes in our local community. The donation of Spirits Bottles and beer cans have been added and we accept them also.

IF Businesses and our donating friends CAN CRUSH the cans and just put your cans or bottles alone in our bins we appreciate that as it is less garbage we have to sort and handle as we clean all the cans to send to the recycler for the best price available. When you bring your kind donations to our locations please consider dumping the cans or bottles into the bin and take your container or bag back home to reuse or dispose of. CRUSHED CANS are always welcome if you can please do so.

Next you can help us further by rinsing and crushing your aluminum cans and once again if you would be good enough dump them in our bin and please take your bag or container home to reuse or recycle. By doing this it reduces the sorting times and frees up our volunteers time which can then be used else where in our daily operation and community.

What we Accept

Aluminum Pop and Beverage Cans and any aluminum products, lawn chairs, aluminum doors and windows (NO GLASS PLEASE), Aluminum siding, aluminum automotive parts, JUST anything aluminum, USE a magnet if it sticks to the metal then it is most likely NOT ALUMINUM and we can't use it.

Many Thanks Bill Prodanyk