Wait, come back.

Some people who’ve tried to donate clothing to the Goodwill store were turned away recently after being told the store was full.

“That should never happen,” said Cathy Nolan, spokeswoman for the Helping Hand of Goodwill Industries regional office in Kansas City, Mo.

Nolan said reports of donors being turned away from the store at 2200 W. 31st St. were under investigation.

“We never have enough clothing,” she said.

A donor alerted the Journal-World to being turned away on Tuesday, and on Thursday a reporter who called the store with an offer of clothing was told donations weren’t being accepted because the back room was full.

Reports of donors being turned away were especially upsetting, Nolan said, because today – the last day of the year – is a traditional peak for donations.

“Everybody wants that last-minute tax deduction,” Nolan said, noting that Helping Hands of Goodwill Industries had rented several trailers for storing today’s overflow.

Helping Hand of Goodwill Industries operates thrift stores in Kansas and Missouri.

• Thrift shop thrives in new location (4-3-2002)

The stores sell secondhand clothing, housewares, furniture, books, CDs, tapes and records.

Proceeds are used to help and employ people who are homeless, unemployed or disabled. On average, clothing accounts for about half of each store’s revenue.

When storage becomes a problem, Nolan said, store managers are supposed to call the regional office for help.

“I don’t know why we weren’t called,” she said, “but I’m going to find out.”

Store employees are not allowed to talk to reporters. Instead, media inquiries are forwarded to Nolan.

Generally, the stores do not give clothing to the poor.

“We refer people to either the Red Cross or The Salvation Army,” Nolan said. “If someone there reviews their case and contacts us, then, yes, at that point we step forward. It’s handled on a case-by-case basis.”

The Lawrence store is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday; noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday.