How Giving Back Is Good For You
Donating time, money and items helps people in our communities but also is good for us. When we do things to help others, we get a lot of benefits. Not only is it easier than ever to go about helping military families and helping families in need but there are a lot of benefits to doing so.
Here Are Some Ways Giving to Others Helps Everyone:
People who donate are healthier. Whether you are making clothing donations or giving your time as part of an effort for helping military families, people who give reap serious health rewards. Multiple studies show that people who volunteer or donate have relief from chronic illnesses such as multiple sclerosis and HIV. Older adults who volunteer are found to be more agile mentally and suffer less from other chronic conditions such as arthritis.
Giving to others makes you feel good. This has often been called the “helper’s high.” When we make household donations or volunteer our time, we feel good about ourselves and it puts us in a better mood. This also has been shown to lead to a reduction in our stress level, which is very beneficial to our health. Stress hormones are very detrimental to our physical health as well as our emotional well being. We also feel better about ourselves when we donate our time, money and belongings. The improvement to our self esteem further lowers our stress level and boosts our health.
Donating is good for the environment. When we make clothing donations for veterans, for instance, we are doing more than helping military families we are helping the planet. Nearly 26.5 billion tons of clothing were saved from going into landfills in 2006 and were sold in used clothing stores. Those all came from people who made charity clothing donations. Every year Americans donate nearly 10.5 million tons of clothing. Keeping material out of landfills is one of the best ways to reduce global warming.
Giving to charity Improves the morale around the office. Many charities now offer a donation pick up service. This allows businesses to run clothing and food drives for helping military families and others in need. This improves the morale of the people who work there because everyone can be part of the effort to help others and everyone’e spirits are lifted. It also feels good to work for a company that values helping out the community.
When you give to others, you get back. New research shows that generosity leads to more generosity. This is not to say that a person who makes used clothing donations will get something back immediately or from the person or organization to whom they made the donation but at some point, they will get something come their way. Maybe it is by improving their karma, no one knows but it has been proven by multiple studies.
You can get a tax benefit. You do not have to donate money to get some money back on your taxes. Those old overcoats in your closet can yield about $60 each when you donate them to a charity. Keep your receipts. You will have to get any donations that are valued at more than $500 for the Internal Revenue Service to accept them to write them off on your tax return. It is safe to get receipts for all of your donations to charity.
You can clean out your closet when you get rid of your used clothing. You probably know the saying, “one man;s trash is another man’s treasure,” right? It is so true. Organizing experts recommend going through your clothes and get rid of anything that you have not worn for two seasons. Also, if you have lost weight, getting rid of your “fat clothes” can help you keep those pounds from returning. Your kids may gave grown out of their clothes but other children may be able to use them.
Americans are generous people. We give during the holidays but we give all year round, too. It is easier than ever to do something and help other people in need. Donating clothing is a great way towards helping military families and families in need. Donating your used items is a great way to help others.