According to current estimates, only 70% of Americans donate to charity once per year or more. Yet just imagine if everyone was able to donate to their communities: more could be accomplished when it comes to helping families in need. Because many low income families rely on food and clothing donations, along with other services, the more people giving to charity the better.
If you would like to help out in your community, but you’re not sure how to get started, here are a few ideas that you can use to donate to charity.
1. Give gently used clothing donations: Many families, especially those with young children, often struggle to buy the clothing they need for the seasons. Charitable clothing donations can make it easier for struggling families to clothe their children. These donations can also go to charities that sell the clothing in secondhand shops. Approximately 20% of clothing donations wind up in these stores, and they help contribute to charities that are helping families in need.
2. Donate food and non-perishables: Many organizations, including shelters and food pantries, look to charitable donations to help others. If you have extra canned goods or non-food items in your pantry, why not give them to charity? These items can help these organizations with their day to day operations, and these items also go home with families in need. Giving food is especially important for families with young children, as growing kids need plenty of food to stay healthy.
3. Volunteer with a local organization: Don’t have any items to donate? That’s okay! If you have a free day on a weekend or a few hours after work or school, you can donate your time to others in your community. You can do anything from reading to children at the library to sorting through clothing donations for a charity clothing pick up. Volunteering is a great way to have a direct impact on the people in your community.
Have more questions about how you can contribute to helping families in need in your community? Be sure to leave a comment below for more suggestions, or offer your own for others.
