9 Best Places To Donate Clothes And Do A Good Deed
Your old clothes can be a helping hand to the needy as well as the environment.
Pratima Ati is a postgraduate in International Business from Staffordshire University. After working in Marketing and Business Development for a few years, she jumped ship to pursue two things she loved – fashion and writing.
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Donating clothes is so much more than charity. It’s a step towards sustainability, and doing your bit for the environment. It is a form of recycling too. We hoard our closets with current trends but do not bother to sort through our old clothes, most of which we know we will never wear. Try decluttering your closet and donate clothes while they are decent enough and could be useful for someone. Plus, it is a much-needed detox we need in our lives. It clears up your closet, and feels great. But, most of us avoid doing this because we do not know how to go about it. Let’s look at places to donate clothes today, and do good deeds together.
In This Article
Where Can I Donate My Clothes?
1. Dress For Success
Dress For Success is an organization based out of New York. It is a non-profit that is striving to improve the lives of women – help them find jobs, be independent financially, and otherwise too. The first step starts with decent clothing, and not everyone can afford clothes for work or even for interviews. You can donate your work wear or other used clothes to them or an affiliated organization, or you can even start ‘Dress For Success’ where you live. To find out how visit the website and join the army that is empowering the lives of women one lady at a time.
Website – www.dressforsuccess.org
2. Salvation Army
The Salvation Army and its work is not news to us as it is one of the oldest organizations in the world that started helping the homeless, the poor, and the needy. It has a massive presence in the Americas region, and also has tie-ups with organizations the world over. You can choose to donate clothes, money, supplies, etc. or visit its physical stores and shop from them. Visit its website for more information and to locate the nearest store.
Website – www.salvationarmy.org
3. Goodwill
Goodwill as an organization aims and works to improve the quality and dignity of lifestyle in a lot of ways. It helps unemployed men and women with finding jobs, and offers programs for veterans, and mentoring and tutoring programs for kids from below poverty line, with criminal backgrounds, people with disabilities, etc. It is one of the biggest charity organizations in the world, and for a reason. You can donate your unwanted clothes, shoes, bags, furniture, toys or supplies that you might have. You can shop at its thrift stores too, and the money from that goes to its programs. Visit its website for more information.
Website – www.goodwill.org
4. E-Bay
E-bay is not just for buying and selling goods. It also gives back to the society with its charity and donation programs. It has raised more than half a billion over the last decade and a half, and its story started after 9/11. You can sell for charity, shop for charity, or donate to it. Visit its website for more information.
Website – www.charity.ebay.com
5. Career Gear
Career Gear especially works with underprivileged men and helps them change their lives. It has various programs for men from all racial, ethnic groups, backgrounds, disabilities, men who were incarcerated, recovering addicts, and others who are trying to turn their lives around. So, if you have men’s clothing at home that you want to donate – trousers, blazers, shoes or shirts, it can help. If you want to get involved apart from donating clothes, check out its website for more information.
Website – careergear.org
6. Soles4Souls
Most of us hoard our shoe closets with too many shoes, sandals, flip-flops, etc – most of which we do not use, or we do not toss the already used ones. And, this happens a lot with families with kids who outgrow their shoe sizes so quickly. You could collect all of these and donate to Soles4Souls who are making an impact and changing lives not just in USA and Canada, but the third world and developing countries. When natural disasters occur, every single thing you might have given to such organizations helps someone beyond measure. Visit its website for more information.
Website – soles4souls.org
7. Big Brother Big Sister Organization
Big Brother Big Sister Organization aims at helping kids in Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire areas by raising funds to conduct mentoring, wellness, and other education programmes. It supports more than 16,000 kids, and everything you donate is converted to cash, and 100% of this money is pumped back into these programs. You need to collect your stuff in a bag, and schedule a pickup or call the organization. For acceptable goods, terms and more information, visit the website below.
Website – www.bbbsfoundation.org
8. Local Shelters And Places Of Worship
If you know of local shelters in your neighborhood or city, just walk up to them. They are all usually in need of clothes and other essential supplies. A place of worship is another opportunity for you. The next time you see a homeless or underprivileged person outside your place of worship, take some clothes or anything else you can think of, and gift them to him. After all, service to man is service to God.
9. Use The Power Of Social Media And Crowd Sourcing
While there are many organizations – some local and some others making a global impact – there’s always something you can do to spread the word. Use the power of social media; create events in your local community and neighborhood in as many ways as you can. Collect clothes, shoes, toys, accessories, and supplies and donate them to an organization or a cause you believe in. Or, raise money by selling used clothes and shoes, and donate the money. There’s so much we can do, and with the world at the tip of our fingers, our options are limitless.
How To Donate Clothes
1. Donation Boxes
Organizations like Red Cross, Salvation Army, Goodwill Stores, etc. will have donation boxes in malls, near convenience stores, inside big supermarkets like Wal-Mart, Costco, etc. in which you can drop a bag of the supplies. There are separate boxes for clothes, shoes, and other supplies, so take a look before you just dump things in them.
2. Schedule A Pickup Through Their Websites
Every organization has a physical and digital address, and they are the best places to visit if you need any information about the work it does and its rules and regulations. Most organizations have a pickup service, and just by applying for it, you can have someone pick up the stuff right from your doorstep.
3. Call Or Walk In
It is always better to make a phone call before you walk in to make a donation. If you are passing by and want to walk in, you are free to do that, but if you are planning a visit or want to leave stuff in the donation boxes, call them to check for information.
If you sift through your closet, you will see there are tons of clothes you don’t need. Instead of throwing them away, you can find some places to donate your clothes. It will not only make you feel good, but it will also help someone else in need. Once you have gathered all your clothes, you can go to either Salvation Army, Goodwill, or your local shelter. The best way to give away your clothes is to drop them in the organization’s donation boxes or directly walk into the center to help them out.
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