Category Archives: Clothing donation pickup

Why Your Donations Matter

If you’re looking to give to a charitable organization, you join the up to 70% of the population of this one country alone that donates to charity at least once on a yearly basis. In fact, as much as 3% of the total income that is generated throughout the United States in this span of time will be sent to various charities. Charitable donations are hugely ideal for a number of different reasons.

For one thing, they’re a great way to help out those who are in need. In fact, among donors who have the highest net worth, more than 60% say that giving back to their community is a prime reason to donate. But even if you don’t have a lot of money, you can give back in the form of used clothing donations or other such Red Cross donations or donations to another charitable organization such as a wounded veterans charity, of which there are a good number of found all throughout the United States.

Red Cross donations, however, are certainly a great way to give back. After all, there are Continue reading →

Here are 4 Reasons to Consider Donating Your Used Clothing to Charity

It’s no exaggeration to say that many people enjoy giving to charity. It’s estimated that 70% of the people in the United States give to charity each year. Put in other terms, 3% of American income is given just to charity. However, donating to charity can be far more than financial in nature, and many times can consist of used clothing donations made to charitable organizations like the American Red Cross, just to name an example. There are a number of reasons to donate clothes to Red Cross and this article will take a look at a few of those reasons.

  • Your American Red Cross Clothing Donations Can Be Picked Up at Home: One reason to donate your used clothing to the American Cross is because the organization provides for Red Cross clothing pick up. This is a service that sends workers to your front door to collect boxed-up donations. Red Cross clothing pick up services are Continue reading →

Three Reasons to Donate Clothing

Red cross clothing pickup

Do you have too many clothes in your closet? When was the last time you wore that suit or that dress? If it was too long ago, it may be time to get rid of it. But instead of throwing the clothing away, consider donating it. Your old clothes, that are doing nothing but collecting dust in your closet, can be donated and help people around the country. Almost all textiles can be donated, regardless of style or most conditions. Not only can you help people that truly need it, you may also get deductions on your taxes. Red Cross clothing pick up makes it easy to donate your used clothing to a good cause. Here are additional reasons why you should donate your old clothing.

1. Americans have a lot of clothing. Nearly 20 billion garments are purchased each year by Americans. That breaks down to 68 garments combined with 7 pairs of shoes for every American per year. You probably have clothes in your closets from last year or the year before that. Who needs all that clothing? You probably are not even wearing half of it. Donate some of you old clothes. This can clear out your closet, remove some of the clutter, and simplify you life. Or maybe it will just allow you space to add more things to your wardrobe. Whatever your reason, by donating clothes you can get rid of the items you no longer use. Red Cross clothing pick up makes donation easy.

2. Used clothing does not just stay in the U.S. Over 14.3 million tons of used textiles donated by Americans help clothe people around the world. Families around the world can benefit from you cleaning out your closet. They could go to help children in Asia or people in Florida. They could help the family next door or half-way across the world. Clean out your closet and instead of letting the clothing sit in an overflowing landfill, donate it and let someone else benefit. Red Cross clothing pick up can pick up your clothing donations and make sure they get redistributed.


3. Contribute to the economy. Non-profits contribute over $666 billion to the U.S. economy each year. By choosing a reputable non-profit to donate your clothing to, you are contributing to the economy. Maybe somebody will buy that clothing in a second-hand store. Maybe it will be used to help clothe a family that would otherwise not have clothing. Know that you are helping more than the people that directly benefit from your clothing donation. You are helping boost the economy while you clean out your closet.

Red Cross clothing pick up makes donating painless and convenient. No matter your reason for donating your used clothing, Red Cross donation centers can make sure your used clothing donations are properly handled and given to the people that need them the most. When you donate clothes to Red Cross, you are giving to a charity with a strong history of helping those in need. Clean out your closet and keep clothes out of the landfills by donating your used clothing.

Charity in Action How the Red Cross is Partnering with GreenDrop to Help Communities in Need

Clothing donation center

As a species, we tend to take a lot of things for granted. We assume that the sun will rise tomorrow, that our car will start in the morning, that we will always have our homes. It is not until we have everything we take for granted taken away from us that we realize exactly how fortunate we are. Unfortunately for the 564,708 people who are regularly homeless in the country, there is very little they have that can be taken for granted. It is estimated that roughly 15% of the homeless population are considered chronically homeless individuals that have nowhere to turn. In spite of so many people in regular need, as Americans we tend to waste a lot of precious goods that could be used to clothe, warm, and shelter those in need.


The Extent of American Waste

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the average American will through away roughly 10 pounds of clothing per year — with over 300 million Americans, these numbers can quickly turn monumental. Another statistic cites that Americans consume nearly 20 billion garments every year — that would be 68 articles of clothing and seven pairs of shoes per person purchased every week. A majority of clothing ends up in landfills, yet statistics show that nearly 100% of clothing and textiles could be recycled or reused regardless of condition. In the end it comes to reason that we could all afford to give more and use less; this is where charities come into play.


Our Capacity to Give

Despite the significant amount of waste that we produce as a nation, there is also a great amount of good in our fellow Americans. Around 70% of people in the country regularly give to charities every year; it is no surprise that the winter holidays see a drastic spike in the amount given. In total around 3% of American income is given to charities every year — this does not even factor in the number of clothing articles, non-perishable foodstuffs, and secondhand furniture donated every year. As more and more people are participating in charitable donations those landfill figures are decreasing and more people in need are getting the food, shelter, and clothing that is so essential to them. Those who donate clothing to charities are strengthening their local communities and ensuring that no person goes forgotten.


Red Cross Clothing Donations

The American Red Cross has partnered with GreenDrop Charitable Donations to collect clothing and household donations to be converted into cash donations that benefit charities. There are approximately 30 free-standing areas and mobile trailers that accept Red Cross donations that collect an average of 100 tons of donations every week. Through these Red Cross donations millions of people in need across the country are able to get the relief they need. Unlike some charities, the American Red Cross is a non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to providing aid to those in need — this means you can rest assured that your Red Cross donations are being put to the best use they can. Always ensure that your donations are going to a non-profit organization so that the most people can benefit from your selfless donations — look online to find a Red Cross donation center near you.

Line Dancing is Helping Veterans Cope With PTSD

clothing donations

It is no secret that war veterans have a hard time adjusting to life at home when their tour of duty ends. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a very common ailment found in veterans that can cause extreme anxiety, flashbacks, and depression. Dancing Well: the Solider Project is aiming to fix just that.

Dedicated to bringing the healing power of music, dance, and community to veterans, this program’s mission is to bring light to those suffering from PTSD or traumatic brain injuries. They host a program once every two weeks, where the vets can bring their boots and get down to some country music. The act of dancing alone seems to bring anxiety levels down and helps harbor a sense of community and belonging as the vets recover. Bringing these veterans together allows them to see they are not alone, and there are others in their exact position willing to help them in the recovery process.

The success rate of this dance program is outstanding. Over 90% of the group’s participants said their memory and mood increased substantially from attending classes. It also provided an outlet for the whole family, giving them something fun to do together.

These dance classes don’t focus on skill or ability as the dance teachers focus on giving the veterans a good night out while helping them forget their troubles. Who knew lives could change with a little power of dance?

Another rewarding way to help veterans is through clothing donations. We all have extra clothes that can be sent to a good home. After all, over 12 million tons of used textile waste is thrown out in the United States every year. With the homelessness rate for veteran’s being almost 10%, giving charitable donations can help out in more ways than one.

Military families will also benefit from the clothing donations. An estimated 27% of military families in the United States have over $10,000 in credit card debt. Donating anything you can will help these families overcome their hurdles.

Have any clothing donations that are looking for a new home? Bring them over to Purple Heart Pickup today!

The Joy of Giving — How Far Your Donations Go

Clothing donation pickup

We’ve all seen Red Cross clothing pickup areas. You may have seen them set up outside of shopping malls, public events, or near their own stores and facilities. They’re everywhere! The Red Cross, short for The American National Red Cross, is the 13th largest charity in the United States, as ranked by the amount of private donations made. In 2014 alone, they received $687 million in private donations. That’s quite a lot of people who decided to donate clothes!

Their role in society and the amount of aid they provide has not gone unnoticed or unappreciated — a study conducted in January of 2015 revealed that on any given night in the United States, there are over a half million homeless people on our streets. Continue reading →