Clothing donations are one of the easiest ways to help families in need, but did you know that there are plenty of ways that you can participate in aiding these charities? Because there are so many organizations looking for donations of clothing and other household items, it’s important to research the best charities to donate to before you get started. From there, you can decide how you’d like to contribute.
If you are interested in helping others through donations of clothing, household goods, food, or other necessities, here are some ideas for ways you can help:
1. Clothing drives: For some charities, donations are given away in a short amount of time. Many non-profits use a short span of time to collect donations, and from there they are given to the needy. Clothing drives are an excellent way to get others involved, and they make for excellent service projects in schools.
2. Charity clothing pick ups: There’s no easier way to donate to charity than having items picked up for you. Pick ups for donations of clothing, food, and other goods are common in many areas. Typically, charities will leave a bag at your door, or they will let you know when they will be in the area to collect items. You can also call to schedule a pick up.
3. Drop offs: If you don’t have a clothing pick up in your area, you can also donate goods directly to your local charities. Many of them have clothing drop-off centers. In addition to doing good for your community, many centers also give you the option to itemize your donations for tax purposes.
There are plenty of other reasons and excuses to get rid of your old items. For instance, if your family has a garage sale, any unsold items can be donated to charity — and even picked up right in your garage! Spring cleaning is the perfect time to get rid of unwanted articles of clothing and household goods.
Used clothing accounts for approximately 5% of waste in the U.S. each year, but so many of those items could be recycled for others to use. If you have any gently used clothing, textiles, and other household goods that could go to someone else, consider donating those items to charity. Have other questions or suggestions on ways to help? Leave a comment below.