Consider Charitable Clothing Donations For the Nation’s Poor and Homeless

Homelessness in the United States has always been a major concern for government officials and the public alike. Though it may not be fair to say that homelessness has reached an all-time high, it is still a devastating problem throughout the country. The Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that more than 600,000 people at any given night are without a home to go to. For those 600,000 people — a quarter of whom are children — charitable clothing donations go a long way.

Donating clothes to charity truly provides support for those who, for various reasons, cannot help themselves. The homeless are some of the most vulnerable members of our society. Without the kindness of strangers, these men, women, and children would have absolutely nothing to keep them going. It should be noted, too, that it is not only the homeless that rely on charitable donations. The poor in America also receive aid from charity organizations; used clothing is no exception. It is hard to say how many people exactly depend on charitable clothing donations but one thing is for sure: there are far too many. For the richest nation in the world, the U.S. has a tragic and painful issue with penury.

And given the fact that charitable donations mostly come from individuals (in 2013, nearly 72% of all charitable donations came from individuals as opposed to corporate giving, 5%, and educational organizations, 16%), individual donations of lightly used clothing truly make a difference. There are a variety of non-profit organizations that accept and distribute spare clothing. Some of them will even pick up donations directly from your front door or curb! Nearly all of us have spare clothing — clothing we no longer wear or that no longer fit. Please consider donating them to charity. It may not seem like much but for the thousands of people out on the streets or otherwise down on their luck, it means the world.