There are many reasons why we should donate to charity — yet that doesn’t necessarily mean we always can. People are often on tight budgets, and giving monetary donations to charity isn’t always an option for all families. Luckily, donating to charity doesn’t have to mean spending money anymore. Many find that they are able to donate to charity simply through clothing donations. A nice thought, to be sure — yet some remain unconvinced of the true value of clothes donations. How much, you might be wondering, can clothes possibly contribute to charities like the American Red Cross? The answer is: quite a lot, actually. Clothing donations have long been used by many different charities in several ways. For one thing, clothes can be directly given to those in needs. The homeless in particular benefit from the advantages clean, well-fitting clothes have to offer. Clothes don’t just keep us warm and dry — they also provide us with the appearance appropriate for things like job interviews, which can of course give people a leg up in life. American Red Cross clothing donations can also go on to be sold, thus raising money for charity and offering people a low-cost way of buying “new” clothes. But there are so many benefits to giving American Red Cross clothing donations — some of which may surprise you. Let’s look into them.
1.Helping Those In Need
Perhaps the most obvious reason why you should consider American Red Cross clothing donations, it’s nonetheless a great one. The American Red Cross helps thousands of people in need. Although often associated with blood drives, the American Red Cross spends 24 hours a day, 365 days a year helping those in need not only in the form of blood donations, but food, blankets, and shelter. According to 63% of net donors, their main reason for donating is “giving back” to the community. Many of the people the American Red Cross helps simply need a bitt of help finding their new beginnings in life. With that extra push of aid, they are able to restart their lives and get back on track. Many of the people the American Red Cross helps thanks to charitable donations are also children, who really have no say in their current situations. American Red Cross donations are about paying it forward and helping people who need it — knowing that should you ever need the same kind of help, the charity will be there for you too.
2. Cutting Down On Environmental Waste
Think about how much you’ve spent on clothes and shoes over the past year — you probably don’t want to think about it, really. We tend to spend a lot on clothes and shoes that we’ll either grow out of, wear out, or simply become tired of within a relatively short period of time. It’s been estimated that Americans consume 20 billion garments each year. This comes out to 68 garments and seven pairs of shoes per person, and more than one piece of clothing bought per week. Yet at the same time, we throw away an average of 10 pounds of clothing each year. It’s not as if this clothing just disappears. It often ends up in landfills, harming the environment to a great degree. American Red Cross clothing donations aren’t just about helping people and feeling good about yourself — you’re benefiting the world at large by reducing your environmental impact.
3. Reducing Clutter
Think again of all of the shoes and clothes you don’t need anymore, sitting in your home. Those clothes and shoes are taking up a lot space, aren’t they? This is space you could better use decorating, storing things you actually need, or in general brightening up your home. Think, perhaps, about cleaning up your home and clearing out space by donating those clothes and shoes to charity. You’re accomplishing the same thing as throwing them out, but without the negative factors considered above. These are just a few reasons to donate — there are many more.
