Rescue Mission of Trenton attempts record-breaking clothing drive

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. (WPVI) -- It's countdown time at the Lawrenceville Armory where volunteers are helping the Rescue Mission of Trenton in its quest to break the world record for the largest-donated clothing drive ever.

"The record right now is 153,000 items and the record is in Dubai so we are hoping to get 160- to 170,000 items," said Barrett Young with the Trenton Rescue Mission.

"Everybody's excited about the Guinness Book of World Records. When you mention that, everybody wants to be a part of it, everybody wants to donate," said Rescue Mission Board President Delia Dandridge.

A 12-feet high mountain of donated clothing towers over volunteers from The College of New Jersey. Every bag is being counted twice and tagged with a yellow sticker to certify it contains 25 pieces of accepted clothing.

"It's a little overwhelming like the huge bags of clothes, like this huge pile, but it's amazing and I think it's a great record," said volunteer Asia Delande.

"It's very fast-paced. You finish a bag and then you got another, but it's a very amazing organization," said volunteer Julisa Barrera.

All of the clothes will be counted on Sunday, and a judge from the Guinness Book of World Records will be on hand to certify the exact number of items.

"This is not something that, you know, we get to do every day to try to break the Guinness Book of World Records," said volunteer Melody Hwang.

When it's all over, the clothes will be given to homeless clients or sold at the thrift store with profits going back into the rescue mission.

"That's kind of a cool motivation in this, but just knowing all the people that are going to be helped by these clothes and everything. It's exciting," said volunteer Hope Peraria.

Young said he has no doubt they are going to pull off the record.