Americans are generous people. We like to give back to our communities to make them better places for everyone to live. Not everyone has money or time to donate but that does not mean these people would not like to help other people who need it. Luckily, there are other things we can do to make a difference in the lives of the people around us. Making charitable donations such as veterans clothing donations is one way we can help other people.
- You can help people in need. When we make these veterans clothing donations, our clothing helps others in a few ways. When it comes to helping families in need, these clothing donations can do directly to people who need clothing. For this reason, children’s winter coats and other winter attire can be very helpful. The second way donating our used clothing can help people is that many non profit organizations run thrift stores. They sell the clothing and other items that are donated and use the profits to run a host of programs they have to help military families and others in need. Donations of used clothing and other household items can help fund their most basic operations and keep them going.
- It helps you get organized. Organization experts recommend going through your closets twice a year. If you live in an area with seasons, you should check for clothing that you have not worn in more than a year and get rid of it. When you take the clothes that you are not going to wear and donate them, you help other people. Just because you do not like certain clothing or your children cannot wear something any longer does not mean that no one else can use it. Remember the saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
- You can take it off of your taxes. When you make veterans clothing donations, you can take the value of those donations off of your taxes. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) treats donations of items in the same way that it treats monetary donations. You do have to show documentation for donations over $250 so make sure the charity gives you a receipt. You can help them by drafting a list before you go of what you are donating. This will make the process go by faster.
- You inspire others. When you do something good for another person, people see that and are inspired to do some good themselves. There is a lot of research into this and it has shown that we influence others with our own behavior. It is a lot like an old shampoo commercial that said, “You tell two friends and they tell two friends and so on and so on..” Your good act inspires another and that inspires even more and a chain of good acts has been started all by your veterans clothing donations. That is a very good chain reaction to start.
- You can help the environment. Americans send more than 12 million tons of clothing and textiles to landfills every year. Each one of us will throw away more than ten pounds of clothing this year. That is a lot of material that can be recycled. Unfortunately, when it ends up in landfills, it does no good for anyone and contributes to global warming. When you make veterans clothing donations, you save your clothes from getting into landfills and you help other people.
- You create positive feelings at work. There are a lot of charities that will pick up donations. If you want to create a better feeling among people at work, you can organize a clothing drive. Have everyone bring in clothing to the office and then organize a pick up from there. You can use this as a way to promote the place you work as this can be a great press opportunity. Studies have shown how good people feel when they donate to charity or do things to help other people. When you do these things at work, you help raise employee morale and do something for other people at the same time.
Making veterans clothing donations is an easy way to give back to the community that we can all do with ease.