Providing used clothing donations and household donations is an easy way to feel good about yourself, help others, and benefit the environment. Gently used items from regular people are sold by the organization a person chooses for their donation. The proceeds of that sale are then utilized by charity organizations and nonprofit groups to benefit others. This diverts millions of pounds of discarded objects from the nation?s landfills through recycle or resale. The average person throws away 70 lbs of clothing, linens, and textiles every year. Only 15% of textiles are
recycled, so it should be of no surprise that textiles account for 5% of the refuse in landfills.
The direct benefit to the environment from the donation of used clothing and household items is positive, but generally accidental effect of the choice to donate. Far more common is a combination of self-centered and philanthropic motivations. These reasons to donate clothes include:
- Donating old or no longer needed items makes a person feel good about themselves. Most people understandably enjoy the opportunity to feel like good, admirable people. This provides that sense of positive self-regard, without causing peripheral harm.
- Helping disabled veterans and military families, groups that often benefit from the donations to charity organizations. When determining what are the best charities to donate to, many prioritize those organizations which focus on veterans and helping military families, figuring it is their duty to contribute to that of all causes.
- The donations are tax deductible. For example, men?s suits and overcoats are worth approximately a $60 tax deduction when donated to appropriate charity organizations. Meanwhile, a coffee maker is worth between $4 and $15, depending on brand, features, and condition. If you intend to take advantage of this benefit, however, remember that all donations over $250 will require a receipt to be legally written off your taxes.
- Provide assistance to disabled or poverty stricken individuals. Whether an organization indicates the funds obtained from donated proceeds are intended for the blind, children?s literacy programs, or some other group, people often select where to donate based on their level of sympathy for the proposed destination of the assistance they helped provide.
If you have not worn an article of clothing in over a year, if you have already replaced something in the house and simply have not gotten around to getting rid of the old one, consider donation. Those scenarios, and countless others, are the origin of diverse benefits that all result from charitable donations.
