Donating gently used items to area organizations is a great idea for several reasons. It reduces waste, allows others to use what you no longer can and helps local non-profits meet their missions. Broadly, there are two ways in which donated goods are used:
1) Fundraising: Consignment stores like Good Will, Salvation Army, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Vietnam Veterans of America and Savon sell donated items to raise money for their programs. These sites only sell the best quality and higher value clothing and items. Older, damaged, stained textiles are generally shipped overseas to be sold or recycled into new textiles.
2) Serving the Community: Organizations like The Community Closet give clothing and goods free of charge to clients in need who are referred to The Community Closet by a wide variety of area social service agencies.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO. Many organizations are specific about what they can take because they may not have the resources to manage large amounts of donations. To lessen frustration on both ends, it is very important to know what items organizations are willing to take before you donate.
And thats where The Connected Citizen comes in…Visit “Where to Donate” in the leftside menu for a full list of items and where they can be donated.
Donations to 501(c)3 organizations are tax-deductible. Make sure to get a receipt for your items from the organization to which you are donating.