Making the Most of Clothing Donations
Give generously by supporting clothing donation centers
You may periodically drop off discarded clothing at donation centers, but do you give it much thought? Your clothing donations may mean a lot to someone who is doing without. There are approximately 600,000 homeless families alone in the United States, as well as 28 million U.S. children and their families who can benefit from clothing donation centers.It is right to donate clothing to those in need; however, good intentions can sometimes go awry. You don't want your clothing donation to end up in a landfill, or worse, create a new problem for someone to handle. Making the most of clothing donations means considering where your clothing donations will do the most good, and following their instructions carefully.
Think about the following points when preparing your old clothes donation.
1. Decide which organization is the best fit for your clothes donation. Don't forget to support local clothing drives for immediate impact.
2. Donate clothes with dignity, folding clothes neatly, marking sizes and tying shoes together by the laces so they don't get separated.
3. Get your employees involved in clothing donation. Everyone can contribute something, and if you have many items, the organization may even pick up clothing donations.
Look over your clothing donation and arrive at a proper valuation
Plan ahead so that your clothing donations don't end up in a trash heap somewhere. Also follow the right steps to make sure that your charitable donation valued at $500 or more doesn't land you in the "audit" pile.
Try: Charity Guide tells what Goodwill and Salvation Army are looking for in terms of clothing donations. Clever Dude explains how to value clothing donations and fill out the proper forms for the Internal Revenue Service.
Give business clothes donations to offer someone a new start
Business clothing donations can give a person a fresh business wardrobe to get through interviews and the first months of a new job. Support these centers by providing business attire donations that fit their criteria: clothing that is laundered, pressed, on hangers and basically ready to wear.
Try: Working Wardrobes helps men and women through business attire donations. Dress for Success is a nonprofit dedicated to helping women dress professionally all over the world.
Make the job easier for clothing donation centers
Follow the donations guidelines set aside by the organization, and give them only what they request; they may have plenty of women's clothes, but sorely need clothing for young men or winter coats, for example. Most clothing donation centers want items to be clean, in new or good condition.
Try: The Green Guide tells what really happens with donated clothes. Don't let your clothing donations for an international disaster inadvertently contribute to a second disaster. Disaster News advises that you should give only what is requested, such as baby clothes folded in boxes or items marked clearly with the sizes.
- For international disasters, it may be better to donate money rather than donate clothes. Aid organizations are often swamped with clothing donations and may lack the manpower and storage space to sort and distribute massive international clothing donations.
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