Disasters and tragedies happen all the time. Whether it’s a natural disaster or homelessness, people find themselves in need of charitable donations every day. Donations play a large part in helping to fund various types of programs throughout the country and around the world. The American Red Cross is an organization in particular that benefits greatly from donations that they often use to fund programs devoted to helping victims of disasters. But american red cross donations are only one type of charitable donation you can make. In fact, there are thousands of charities in existence today.
Fortunately, a larger percentage of Americans regularly donate to charities of their choice. In fact, about 70% of people donate to at least one charity a year in the US, and a total of 3% of all US income is donated each and every year. That’s a lot of charitable contributions that can go towards providing services and assistance to those in need.
Not all donations need to be monetary, though. In fact, some of the best donations are used clothing donations and other basic necessities. Clothing, in particular, is a great donation because so many people lack access to good clothing. Fortunately, Americans buy a lot of clothing and accessories every year. Unfortunately, it’s estimated that people in the US through away about 10 pounds of clothing each year per person! That’s a lot of waste that could easily be donated to the homeless and other people in need. Even donating clothes to thrift stores would be better than tossing them in the trash. Fortunately, many people have begun donating to thrift stores over the years, so much so that in 2015, proceeds from sales of donated goods like clothing exceeded $2.5 million! So donate clothing today.
As an added benefit, many donations are tax-deductible for the value of the item you’re donating. So what are you waiting for? Consider helping a family in need today by making american red cross donations, clothes donations, or a donation to another charity of your choice. If enough people took part in regular donations, there would be a bit less suffering in the world, and more people would enjoy living more dignified lives.
