7 Reasons to Donate Used Clothing to Charity

Americans are generous people. When we can we like to give back to our communities and help other people. At least 70% of people around the United States make some kind of donation to charity every year. We give cash when we can, time when we have it and our used items and clothing when that is what we can do. In fact, many people set up Red Cross pickups when they want to make used clothing donations. Here are some ways they can really help people in need.

1. You help real people in need. The United States has some of the worst natural disasters in the world. We experience hurricanes, floods, wildfires, earthquakes, blizzards, tornadoes, and bomb cyclones. When these disasters strike, many people are forced to flee for their lives with nothing but the clothing on their back. Some evacuate and go home to find they lost everything. When you schedule Red Cross pickups of used clothing and blankets, they can be given directly to people who need them right away.
2. Your donations sold and that money keeps charities going. Clothes donations help charities keep their doors open. When you schedule a Red Cross pick up or drop off your items at clothing donation centers, the charity will often take those items and sell them in their consignment store. The profits they make from those sales make it possible for them to do their good work and keep going with the programs that help people all over your area.
3. You help low-income people provide clothing for their families. When clothing items are donated and sold in consignment shops, the price tags attached are much, much lower than they would be if the clothing was sold at even at discount stores. These low prices make it possible for many people to buy the clothing they need to wear to work and to clothe their children. While you may not want to wear those items, being able to buy them can change many people’s lives.
4. You lower your tax bill. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) views donations of clothes or items the same way it looks at donations of money. While the IRS really only requires paperwork be turned in for donations that are valued over $250, it is always a good idea to get a receipt when you make any American Red Cross donations or schedule Red Cross pickups.
5. You reduce the amount of trash in landfills. When you donate clothing, you help someone else. When you throw it away, it finds its way into a landfill where it will do nothing for anyone. It has been estimated that the typical person in the United States tosses about ten pounds of clothing every year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). By donating the items you no longer want to wear or use, you keep them out of landfills.
6. You reduce the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. Many of the garments we wear today are biodegradable. The problem is that when these items find themselves in a pile in a landfill, they cannot get access to any oxygen, the way they disintegrate. When they are denied access to oxygen, the chemical process by which they degrade includes the release greenhouse gases that add to global warming. By donating these biodegradable items to charity, you can reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from landfills.
7. You set a good example for others. When one person sees someone doing something good for others, such as setting up a Red Cross pickup of used clothing and items, they may be inspired to do something good for someone else. When that person acts to help others, the good energy you put into the universe is multiplied. Then someone sees the person you inspired, they may also be inspired. One act of kindness has a way of spreading goodwill.

People who donate their time, money, or belongings to charity experience very real benefits themselves. People who do things such as set up Red Cross pickups are healthier, happier, and experience less stress than people who do not. By donating to qualified 501(c)3 groups, your donations can be taken off your taxes as well as help people and families in need.