Want to Make an Impact? Consider Donating Your Gently Used Clothes to Charity

Is your closet just positively overflowing? Have you got numerous bags in your basement stacked chock full of clothes your kids have outgrown? Are you wondering what to do with all the clothing items you don’t want? Have you ever considered doing a Red Cross clothing pickup? This is not only a great way to give back to those in need, it’s a great way to clean out your closets. Instead of throwing those perfectly serviceable clothes away, give them a second chance at life, by donating them to charity. Someone desperately in need of a new winter coat, nice outfit for work or an interview, or new school clothes may be able to give them a second life. This is also a great way to get the little ones involved in giving back — they may get a huge kick out of donating their clothes and toys that are gently used.
Why Should I Participate in a Red Cross Clothing Pickup?
For one thing, you’re guaranteed that a Red Cross clothing pickup is legitimate.
The Red Cross is devoted to giving relief to those who need 24/7, no matter if it’s a weekend, holiday, or an ungodly hour of the night. They deliver services like distributing blankets, food, blood, shelter, and even medicine in some cases to families and larger communities who need it. They’re often one of the first responders on the scene of a disaster, such a natural disaster wracked community.
And even though the American National Red Cross is the 13th largest charity in the United States (per private donations), it still needs our help to carry out its mission of good.
Why Should I Give Back?
When everyone chips in and does their part, a community can be a wonderful, vibrant place, supporting those in need and fostering a reciprocal, caring environment. The idea of paying it forward is definitely real and you never know when a good deed can come back when you need one down the road!
It’s also just part of being a good human being. Every person deserves to have enough food to eat, clean and sanitary water to drink, access to good hygiene measures, and warm, dry clothes. Donating items that you’ll never use, but that are still in good condition, and other such items helps make that road easier for many people.
How is Making Clothes Donations Useful?
Sure, giving money is incredibly helpful. But donating clothes, actual items, can often be a more direct way to get your donation right to the source. During a winter coat drive, for example, you know the coat you donate is going to be used by someone who needs a winter coat. With monetary donations, a part does go to fund the administrative aspects of running the charitable organization, and while that’s necessary, many people would prefer that all of their donations go directly to those who really need it.
Used clothing donations can also be used by charitable organizations to generate revenue, by reselling the clothes at lower prices in their stores. Much of that money is turned right back around used to fund programs or services the charitable organization runs. When you donate clothes, an estimated 80% of these go through said charitable organizations who give it those in need or who use it to help fund programs and services, as previously stated.
Furthermore, donating your clothes (or scheduling a Red Cross clothing pickup) is environmentally friendly as well! According to the EPA (Environmental Protection), we throw out about ten pounds of clothes every year. That’s a lot of people throwing a lot of perfectly good clothing and other textiles in our landfills every year, when much of could be reworn or repurposed. What a waste! Save billions of tons of fabric from the landfill by simply donating it.
If you want to give back, but aren’t sure what’s the best way, or you don’t have too much money to give, try donating your clothes! Everyone benefits: you get a cleaner closet, someone in need gets new clothing to wear, and a little bit less ends up in the dump. Win-win, all around!