If you are like most people, you like to help others when you can, It has been estimated that about 95.4 people in the United States give back to their communities in one way or another. Not everyone is in a position to donate money and there are a lot of people who just do not have the time to volunteer. The good news is that there are ways to help others that just about everyone can manage. This is the reason that there are so many charities that pick up donations. Most people have clothing and other items that they are not using. There is a saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” There is also a lot of good you can do by making charitable donations of clothing and items. Here are some of the ways you help when you do this:
- You help the charity keep its door open. Many charities that pick up donations will sell them in their consignment shops. This is a major source of funding for these organizations and is one of the things that allows them to keep providing the invaluable serviced they provide. This is one way your donations can be used for helping families in need. In fact, many charities would not be able to stay in business if it were not for these donations of used clothing and other items.
- You make it possible for many people to clothe their families. Although the economy is getting better, there are still far too many people who cannot afford to buy clothing for their families. Many of these people shop at the non-profits’ thrift and consignment shops where they can buy what they need for everyone in their families. The clothing that is sold in them is sold at very low prices. This is, for many, the only way they can afford these items.
- These donations help people after a disaster. When disaster strikes, as if often does, we have the most volatile weather on the planet, people are left with nothing. While some non-profits cannot take used clothing and item donations, many can. As great as a monetary donation is, when someone needs a coat or a blanket, giving that can be more helpful that the cash.
- You do a solid for the environment. It has been estimated that every year, people across the United States throw away about 12 tons of clothing and textiles. Experts say that at least 90% of that could be still used. First of all, when you throw something away, it goes to the landfill. Even organic materials such as cotton and wood need oxygen to decompose. They do not get that in landfills so they decompose anaerobically and release greenhouse gases, which lead to more global warming. In the second place, when an item goes back into circulation, such as when you work with charities that pick up donations, a new one does not have to be made. This saves precious resources. When you donate a shirt, a new shirt does not have to be made. That it a win-win.
- You get more closet space. In the past, Americans bought fewer clothing items. For instance, in 1930, the typical woman in the United States had nine different outfits. Now, women own at least 30. That means they can wear a different outfit every day for a month. Most of us have a lot of clothing items that we know we are just never going to wear again. If we have children who grow out of clothing and there is no one to hand them down to, those items take up space. By getting rid of these belongings, and making charity donations, we help others and get more organized living spaces. That is another win-win!
;Americans donate a lot of clothing and household items to various charities. Approximately $5.8 billion, in these kinds of donations, was given to charities around the country. That did a lot to help a great many people when they needed that assistance the most. When you work with charities that pick up donations, you do a lot more good than you may ever realize.
