The people of the United States are generous. At least 70% of all people around the country donate to charities every year. For high end donors, 63% say they donate because they want to give something back to the community. Many people want to give back and help others but do not have the time to volunteer nor can they afford to donate money. Nearly all of us have used clothing that we are not wearing and can make Red Cross clothes donations. These can really help others in the community.
1. You help people who need clothing.
When you make used clothing donations, you help people in several ways. Many charities run thrift stores where they sell much of the used clothing they receive. This helps pay the costs of running the charity itself and allows them to do the work they do to help people in need. More than $2.5 million was raised this way in 2015. Charities around the country provide a myriad of services to help the poor and homeless. These sales at their thrift stores makes all of that possible.
Many people also benefit from the clothes that are donated because they shop at the thrift stores and this is often the only place where they can buy clothing for their families. Making Red Cross clothes donations is one way to really help people in poverty.
2. Your clothing donations can help people after a disaster.
When disaster strikes, people are often left to flee with nothing but what they are wearing at the time. The United States has some of the most volatile weather on the planet and many areas are vulnerable to fires. When this happens, Red Cross clothes donations can make a huge difference. If you cannot take your clothing in, there is the option to have a Red Cross clothing pick up.
3. Donating clothing is good for the environment.
It has been estimated that people in the United States take in about 20 billion garments every year. This translates to about 7 pairs of shoes and 68 pieces of clothing for every man, woman and child in the country. While some of this is donated, Americans send the equivalent of 10 pounds of clothing for each person to landfills every year. When you make Red Cross clothes donations, you keep that material out of landfills where it can help no one and where it only contributes to global warming.
The second way making Red Cross clothes donations helps is that for every piece of clothing that is donated and reused, a piece of clothing does not have to be made from new materials. The manufacture of polyester is very taxing on the environment. Keeping garments that are made from this material in circulation and out of landfills is good for everyone.
4. You will get an organized closet and home.
When you take the clothing you are no longer wearing and make Red Cross clothes donations, you get more space in your closet and they get clothing that will help others. Organizational experts say that if you have clothing in your closet that you have not worn for at least one season should be donated. Just because you no longer want to wear something does not mean someone else may not be able to use it. There is a saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” If your kids have grown out of their clothing and you do not have people to hand them down to, donate them. Winter items are always needed.
5. You can take it all off of your taxes.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) does not treat Red Cross clothes donations any different from monetary donations. If you donate more than $250 at a time, you need to get a receipt. It is good to get that for all of your donations of items. This shows how much the agency puts a value on donations of clothing and other items.
There are a few things you can do to make your donations more useful:
- Clean your items before you donate them.
- Sort your clothing before you donate it.
- Make a list of what you are donating.
Donating clothing to a local charity can do a lot to help people in need.
