Learn How to Donate Clothes to the Red Cross
It’s wise to cut back on the amount of trash we produce. One study by the EPA found that each adult in the United States tosses out nearly 10 pounds of clothes per year. These clothes end up contributing to already crowded public landfills. In this post, you will learn how to donate clothes to the Red Cross.
You likely know the Red Cross is an organization where you can donate blood. It’s important to know that the Red Cross also accepts clothing donations. The Red Cross provides relief for those in need for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The first thing to keep in mind when donating is the condition of your clothes. The Red Cross will prefer items in a gently used state, if possible. Brand new items are great to donate. However, it’s understandable that you might want to keep new items.
You will want to do a quick check of the clothes you are planning to donate. Checking clothes shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. You will want to check for holes, tears, and stains. Items with major defects should not be donated.
The Red Cross has two major options for clothing donations. Two options are having clothes picked up or dropping them off at a Red Cross Donation Center. These centers are built all across the nation to allow for charitable items to be dropped off. You can donate clothes to Red Cross facilities closest to you.
It’s possible you are unable to get into town. The Red Cross offers a pickup service that is quite popular. In this situation, you’ll prepare items and someone from the Red Cross will come to collect the items. If someone is unable to come to you, it’s recommended to find a ride to the nearest donation center.
You might be unaware that donations might end up actually saving you money. A donation to the charity of your choice is tax deductible. The amount of taxes deducted will be equivalent to the value of what you donate. It makes a wise choice to donate more in order to receive a larger tax break.
In closing, it’s fairly simple to donate clothes to Red Cross centers. Certain areas qualify for Red Cross representatives to collect items from your home. Red Cross clothing donations will need to meet certain criteria. The main thing to check for is that donated clothes are gently used. Clothing that is gently used has been worn but isn’t torn or stained. Donating items to charity invokes a sense of pride. In addition, donating items to charity is tax deductible making it a very wise decision. When you donate clothes to Red Cross facilities it helps those in need.