When you think of donations, you probably think about cash, but the unwanted items in your closet can be just as valuable for charities. Charity clothing donations are used to fund programs for charities for wounded soldiers and for the blind. Services like charity clothing pick up are making it easier, too. Donating is not only a good deed, it is also good for the environment and a savvy tax saver too.
In fact, if you donate to groups granted tax-exempt status under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code you can reduce your tax bill. You can write off as much as $60 for a man?s suit or overcoat, for example, or between $4 and $15 for a donated coffee machine. You do need to be aware of stipulations that may ask for receipts or qualified appraisals, particularly if you are claiming a large amount of $250 or more.
As a nation, we are givers, with our charitable donations topping $358 billion in 2014 and more than 4.7 billion pounds of second hand clothing being donated each year. The figures could be upped, though, and make even more of a difference to charity organizations. After all, we donate or recycle just 15% of all of our clothing, meaning there is still room for growth in the number of donations.
Close to 11 million tons of used clothing ends up in landfills annually and linens and clothing make up as much as 5% of all waste in municipal areas. We throw away as much as 70 pounds of textiles, including clothing, per person every single year. Cutting that by even a fraction can make a significant difference to the environment and also positively impact the lives of veterans and families in need.
Potential donors might be put off by not knowing where to donate household items or clothing. With charity clothing pick up options, donating to a good cause couldn’t be easier. Most used clothing charities offer some type of charity clothing pick up where they collect your donations direct from your home or wherever is easiest for you at no cost. Whichever way you look at it, then, donating makes sense. Cut the closet clutter and offer a helping hand to those in need.
