Category: Charity pick up

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Charitable donations Charity pick up Clothes donation

One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s Treasure

Veterans charities

Step back and take a look at your closet. All of those past season must-haves that you only wore a couple times are sitting on the back shelf, replaced with the next up and coming newest style. When it is that your clothes have passed their fashion peak, give them a chance to be enjoyed by someone else, as recycling and donating these items to those in need brings many benefits to all involved.

Veterans and military families are in great need for clothing donations. In 2012, the unemployment rate of veterans was a whopping 9.9%, up 2% of the national average of regular citizens, with 20.4% being veterans between the ages of 18-24. Additionally, reports from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics in March 2013 show an estimated 207,000 recent veterans unable to find work. With 12 million tons of clothing and textile waste being thrown out every year in the United States, about 90% being viable for recycling, clothing donations for veterans charities are a perfect option for your gently used clothing. It is clear many others have taken the lead with donations; in 2007 alone, an average of 5.8 billion worth of clothing donations were made to charity foundations, military charities included.

Mother Earth is also somebody we need to consider when disposing of waste and other goods. The average American alone generates 4.5 pounds of trash per day, capping out at 1.5 tons of solid waste per year. Estimates from the EPA show 75% of this solid waste is recyclable, but only 30% is actually disposed of properly. The truth is, recycling is incredibly efficient and long lasting, if we recycled just 1/10 of our newspapers per year, Americans would singlehandedly save 25 million trees. Imagine what the birds of the world would have to say about that!

Composting is another eco-friendly way to minimize your carbon footprint. As a country, Americans produce 21.5 million tons of food waste per year. If we simply compost that food it would reduce the same amount of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere as taking 2 million cars off the road. Since cars are a necessity for most in this day in age, why wouldn’t you add to the 87 million tons of material that was composted and recycled in 2012?

Overall, donating, recycling, and composting are painless and easy and have an immeasurable impact on others. After all, think of the birds! Find more on this topic here.

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Charity pick up Donate used clothes Donation pickup

Cleaning Out Your Closet? Consider Donating Your Lightly Used Clothing to Charity

Children in need clothing

As the summer fades and we transition into fall, many of us will be storing our summer clothing and shoes and taking out our jackets, sweaters, boots, and other cold weather gear. Since you’ll be going through your closet anyway, this is a great opportunity to get rid of some items that you no longer wear and save yourself some closet space. Did you know that your lightly used clothing and shoes can be used to help those in need? It’s true! When you donate used clothes, you are providing someone less fortunate with something to wear and to keep them warm. When you choose to donate your clothing instead of throwing it in the trash, you are helping families in need and helping to build a stronger community.

Many of us wish we had more time to volunteer and serve our community, but it is hard to find a balance in our lifestyle. Even if you are busy with a job and a family to take care of, you can still give back and help those in need by making charitable donations. There are many charities that will pick up donations so you can donate gently used clothing without even leaving your home. If that sounds ideal to you, you’re not alone. In fact, half (50%) of people making donations prefer door-to-door donation pick up and more than half would not go more than 10 minutes out of their way to drop off donations, according to survey results.

As the weather begins to turn cooler and you can no longer leave home without a jacket, please keep in mind those who may not have a coat to wear and consider making a charitable donation of your gently used clothing. You will feel better about having a cleaner, more organized closet and you will feel the joy that comes with serving others by providing them with clothing to wear.

If you have items that you would like to donate, but are unable to drop them off, be sure to contact your local charities that will pick up donations today and help them to help your community members in need this fall.

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Charity pick up Local donation pick ups Organizations that help military families

Easy Ways to Help Families in Need

Charities for military families

Poverty is a real problem in America. In the city of Philadelphia, which has the worst poverty rate among the top 10 cities in the U.S., there are about 440,000 people who fall under the current federal poverty line. Of those residents, 39% , or roughly 171,000 people, are children. So how can the average citizen help without breaking their own bank?

One of the best ways to give back to your community and to your environment is through charitable donations. These don’t have to be monetary donations to be helpful, you can donate anything you own that is lightly used and may be useful for helping families in need. Food, clothing, furniture, toiletry items, books, all of these are things you may not use anymore that would mean the world to a child in poverty.

Charitable donations also help the environment- everything that goes to the less fortunate is something that stays out of a landfill. In 2011, textile and clothing donations totaled 2 million tons of fabric! Conversely, every year, about 12 million tons of clothing and textiles are thrown in landfills. Of that 12 million, a shocking 90% of it could have been recycled as a clothing donation.

So when looking at your old clothing and household items, how do you determine what makes the cut and what gets thrown away? First, look at the clothing with a critical eye. Is it ripped, torn, or stained? Hold onto it. If you have any baby items, these are always in high demand, but make sure that the product is not recalled or discontinued for safety issues. Call ahead to your chosen donation organization about things like furniture, computer monitors, or any item over 50 pounds. Some organizations will even pick up donations at your house, or assign a dedicated employee to help you clean out your space and determine what you can and cannot donate (for a small fee).

Thoughts? Ideas? Leave them in the comments.

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Charities that will pick up donations Charity pick up Donations for non profit organizations

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

St vincent de paul donation pick up

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.

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Charity pick up Donation pick up Organizations that help military families

Uncle Sam Wants You to Volunteer

Charity pick up

We’ve all heard the saying that giving is better than receiving, yet, how many of us actually believe that?

Whether we believe it or not, science does. In fact, several studies and extensive research has indicated that those who volunteer report higher levels of overall happiness and satisfaction in their lives, in addition to lower blood pressure and stress levels. The act of giving provides volunteers with a sense of fulfillment and purpose, including pride.

Like many Americans, you may be looking for a way to show your appreciation and support for military families and veterans, but do not know where to begin or even how to do so. Though charitable donations such as non-perishable food items, household goods and appliances, and clothing donations are an excellent way to start, you may be yearning for something that is a little more hands on.

Considering volunteering for local charities that pick up donations. There are a number of organizations that help military families and veterans, many of which offer donation pick up services as a convenience to donors. Charities that pick up donations are always in need of volunteers. Becoming a volunteer gives you the opportunity to meet new people, and become an active member of your community.

Volunteering for local charities that pick up donations is great way to stay active for retirees, who may be looking for a way of re-purposing their lives. Additionally, for college students and graduates, volunteering is an excellent way to build both personal and professional experience.

However, regardless of how you choose to donate, know that you efforts will not go unnoticed and are greatly appreciated. Read more articles like this: www.purpleheartpickup.org