4 Reasons You Should Donate Your Old Clothes This Summer
If you’ve recently looked through your closet and been overwhelmed by the veritable mountain of unused old clothes collecting dust on the floor, it may be time to stop procrastinating and clean that space already. Americans are now purchasing more than two times the amount of clothes than they did way back twenty years ago — so what’s the best way to downsize that closet?
Clothes donation.
There are plenty of green charities that will help you finally be free of that overwhelming fabric pile, while also helping families in need. Here’s how to get started:
Household Donations You Can Contribute
While we all know that veterans clothing donations are always accepted, there are a few other items you may not have considered. As you’re busy unearthing your closet, keep your eyes peeled for any other household items you have no need for anymore, such as select kitchenware, games/toys, electronics, sporting goods, books/CDs, and small furniture items. All these items, with a few exceptions, can be recycled and/or become donations for non-profit organizations. You never know what kind of items a person will love, even if you can’t use it anymore.
Save Your Money, Save the Earth
Donating your old clothes and unwanted household items doesn’t just provide for families and veterans in need — it saves that pile of recyclable clothes from dying an unnecessary death in a landfill somewhere. Having eco-friendly donation options gives people the opportunity to give back to the environment as well as to their fellow human worldwide.
It’s easier now than ever to give to those in need, whether it be veterans clothing donations, or giving money directly to non-profit organizations that provide for families and people with disabilities that could use an extra leg up. And as a cherry on top for thrifty thrift store frequenters, all donations that GreenDrop makes to any of the charities they represent happen to be tax deductible.
Who You’ll Be Helping With Your Donations
GreenDrop has partnered with charities such as The Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH), a collaboration that has lasted 55 years and counting. MOPH focuses on veterans clothing donations, taking the charity items collected by GreenDrop and converting them to money that will go towards support systems for helping military families. This includes recipients of the purple heart as well as wounded or disabled veterans.
In addition to veterans clothing donations, your contributions can benefit numerous other charities and efforts, including the National Federation of the Blind, which is a renowned organization advocating for the rights of blind Americans. Donations significantly help provide accessible education, training programs, and opportunities for people who are blind or are losing their sight.
The NFB suggests that “if you know someone who needs help with blindness, please go to www.nfb.org.”
Where to Donate Clothes
GreenDrop is a donation service that has converted abandoned gas stations and convenience stores all across the east coast into centers for local clothing donations. They have more than thirty clothing drop off locations in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
Just swing by one of the GreenDrop locations with a bag of items you want to have donated, and an attendant will assist in collecting the clothes from your vehicle. If life is just a little too hectic or you don’t have access to transportation, you can also call to schedule a home pickup at your convenience.
So, go out and buy yourself something nice… and then consider donating it later when it finally outlives its shine.