If you’re looking for a way to give back to your community today, donate household goods that you don’t use or don’t need. For instance, if your closet is overflowing with clothing that you barely ever wear, consider donating these items to help those in need of clothing and reduce your impact on the environment. Americans discard an estimated 68 pounds of clothing a year, even though over 90% of textile waste is perfectly recyclable. In 2006 alone, 2.5 billion pounds of fabric were kept out of landfills as a result of used-clothing purchases. Recycling, repurchasing, and donating clothing is one of the easiest ways you can give back to those in need and reduce your waste.
There are plenty of ways to give back right in your own city. Philadelphia is full of people in need; approximately 440,000 Philadelphia residents currently fall below the federal poverty line, many of whom have children who need clothing, toys, and shoes. If your children have outgrown their old play clothes or still have a bin of old toys laying around collecting dust, donate these toys or lightly used clothing to help local children and make a difference in a child’s life.
In a recent survey, 42.7% of responders said they tend to donate more during the holidays. If you’re looking for a way to give back to those in need this holiday season, donate household goods or make a cash donation to one of the 1,507,231 tax-exempt, charitable organizations in the United States. If it’s nowhere near the holidays, don’t let that stop you! Though the holidays are a great time to give back, you don’t have to wait until then to make charitable donations. Most organizations take donations year-round, and you can make a big difference in someone’s life by donating much-needed seasonal household goods any time of the year.
If limited time or transportation is an issue for you, you can still donate household goods through a home pickup service. There are many charities that will pick up donations from your house, so all you have to do is collect your unused goods and call to have them collected. If you fall in the 50% of people who prefer door-to-door pickup when making donations, find a charity pick up and start helping families in need today.
It’s always the right time lend a helping hand to those in need in your community. Most of us are fortunate enough to have more than we need, so next time you clean out your closet or garage, donate household goods to your local charity to share these blessings with others.