how to donate clothes to homeless shelters

by Miss Kamille Hegmann I 10 min read

Skimming your closet for items you no longer use is the easiest way to donate clothing to homeless people. Though, when doing so, one should ensure that the clothes are in good condition. Clothing items should be clean/washed, free of hair (pet or human), holes, stenches, and stains.

If local shelters aren't the way to go and one prefers a different route, Goodwill, The Salvation Army, and American Red Cross will take your gently used items as well. The great thing about clothing donations with the organizations mentioned above is that they will issue donation receipts for tax purposes.Jun 2, 2021

Full Answer

What items should I donate to a homeless shelter?

May 14, 2020 · Donate Your Old Clothes to a Women's Shelter. Donate Clothing to Crisis Centers and Homeless Shelters. Give Away Clothes to Disaster Relief Organizations. Give Old Clothes to Local Churches. Donate Clothes to Coat Drives. Donate Clothes via Freecycle. When Donating Clothes, Give Worthy Clothes.

Where can I donate clothes directly to homeless?

Aug 19, 2019 · You could patch them with a fun design or use them to make something completely new. Churches Contact your local church and ask if they are currently in need of clothing donations. They might be open to receiving other items and forms of help as well. Donate Online Some websites, such as The Freecycle Network, specialize in online donating.

How to raise money for a homeless shelter?

Mar 21, 2022 · Here is a list of seasonal clothes you can donate. 1. Coats. Coats are very useful for homeless people in shelters. You can donate your coat and you can also collect some coats from your family members. It will be very useful if you and your family donate them to help the homeless to survive winter. 2.

How to volunteer at a local homeless shelter?

Donate new or used items to homeless people in need. Urgent need for winter clothing, boots and hats. Find a shelter near you and donate today. Learn more!

image

What is the most requested clothing item in homeless shelters?

Socks#TBT: In 2013, two guys quit their jobs at a media company and decided to make a difference in the world with socks. We made this video to celebrate 1 million pairs donated.Feb 18, 2021

Where is the most helpful place to donate clothes?

GoodwillFor Americans, Goodwill is the go-to place to donate clothing. Goodwill is a non-profit that provides job training and generally affordable clothing....Other Places to Donate ClothesSchools. ... Soles4Souls. ... Foster care programs. ... LGBTQ+ centers. ... Refugee organizations. ... Prisons. ... Churches. ... Free clothes banks.More items...•May 23, 2021

What do you do with used clothes?

What to do with old clothes1) Transform and upcycle into something new. ... 2) Check out local textile & fabric recycling spots. ... 3) Ask your council about textile collections. ... 4) Give to an animal shelter. ... 5) Donate to charity. ... 6) Pass on or hand them down. ... 7) Rent your clothes. ... 8) Swap your old clothes.More items...•Dec 26, 2020

How do I donate to Goodwill?

Whether you have outgrown a favorite outfit, are ready to retire a certain fashion trend or are simply clearing space in your closet, donating clothes to Goodwill is easy! Simply load the clothing you wish to donate into a bag, box or vehicle and head to the Goodwill donation center nearest you.

What are some charities that accept donations?

Money-Based Organizations. Some charity organizations, such as Goodwill and The Salvation Army accept donations, sell them, and then use the money to help the homeless and other individuals in need in various ways.

What is the glass slipper project?

If this is something you need, take a look at The Glass Slipper Project – a Chicago-based charity, or Project G.L.A.M.

Can you know if someone is receiving your donation?

Some websites, such as The Freecycle Network, specialize in online donating. One downside to this is that you can’t really know if the person receiving your donation is in need.

What do Peace Passers accept?

Got any old jerseys in the back of your closet? Then contact Peace Passers. They accept sportswear such as jerseys, socks, or shorts for soccer, as well as soccer balls, sports bags, and more.

Can you donate clothes you have never worn?

Items You’ve Never Worn. If there are any garments you have owned for a while but never worn, it is a safe bet that you can give them away. Since they are as good as new, you won’t have to worry about their condition making them unfit for donation.

What is the Red Cross in need of?

During times of crisis and natural disasters, the American Red Cross (and other local and national organizations) is often in need of clothing for those who were hit by the crisis.

Can you donate clothes to hurricane victims?

It is a wonderful idea to donat e clothes to fire victims and to donate clothes to Hurricane Harvey (and other hurricane) survivors. Many communities work together to gather clothing donations during these times of crisis thanks to the American Red Cross or other similar organizations which accept clothing donations.

How do homeless shelters help?

One of the best ways for them to help restore dignity to their residents is by helping them get cleaned up. For this reason, there is always a need for personal care items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, shaving items, deodorant, feminine care products, portable first-aid kits, nail clippers, baby wipes, hair brush, combs and some types of over the counter medications. While these items we may take for granted in our own home, these are things that many homeless people do not own. These items should be left in their original packaging to assure they have not been tampered with.

Can you volunteer to help the homeless?

If you are able to volunteer time to helping the homeless, this is something that is humbling. Depending on where you live, you might volunteer directly at the homeless shelter or you might hit the streets and help deliver hot meals to those who are reluctant to seek shelter for whatever their personal reasons might be.

What is the Red Cross?

One of the oldest and most well-respected humanitarian organizations in the country , the American Red Cross provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and disaster preparedness education for millions of people around the world. The non-profit currently has a partnership with GreenDrop, an organization that will take donated clothes and re-sell them to thrift stores to benefit the American Red Cross.

What is the Salvation Army?

The Salvation Army is an international charity organization that provides assistance to nearly 23 million Americans each year, with services that include everything from operating homeless shelters and conducting disaster relief to providing support for veterans, the elderly and the LGBTQ+ community. Clothing donations go toward stocking the charity's network of thrift stores, with all proceeds helping fund The Salvation Army's adult rehabilitation centers.

What is one warm coat?

Donate your spare jackets to One Warm Coat, a non-profit that provides free coats to people in need. Working towards its mission of raising awareness of the vital need for warm coats across the country, the organization has hosted more than 38,000 coat drives and has provided 6.6 million free coats since 1992.

Does Goodwill take used clothes?

Accepted donations: Goodwill accepts all new and gently used clothing, including shoes and accessories. They also take other household items such as books, furniture, appliances and more.

What is Planet Aid?

Planet Aid. Many charities only accept clothing that's in good and wearable condition — but Planet Aid is different. The organization makes it easy to donate and recycle all of your unwanted clothes, with the mission of saving all textiles from the landfill to help protect the environment.

What is the VVA?

The Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) is an organization dedicated to promoting and serving the needs of Vietnam War veterans through legislative initiatives, education and outreach programs. The non-profit collects donations of clothing and household items, which they either give directly to homeless and low-income veterans or re-sell in their resale stores to generate funds for their various programs and initiatives.

Is Goodwill a non profit?

The non-profit is funded by a massive network of retail thrift stores across the country. Revenue from the stores goes directly toward helping individuals find employment and grow their careers by providing them with job training, placement services and other community-based programs. Anything they can't sell, Goodwill will forward to recycling organizations that will help the items avoid the landfill.

25 Things To Donate To Homeless Shelters This Winter

I may have been compensated for this post. Please keep in mind that it affects you in no way financially. If an item is being reviewed, I am not obligated to give a positive review and always use my own words.

Reasons To Give

Restoring hope in humanity is the first reason why giving to charity is a good thing. It is the stepping stone to bringing smiles, joy, inner peace, and build trust. From there, we know that the world will turn out to be a much better place than it is. As you decide to give, you can choose between the various charities to do this.

What To Give

Packing the giveaway boxes or bags are not so complicated, and the things to put in are general items that are for basic human sustenance. When organizing, it would be ideal for putting in categories so it would be much better to sort out for the shelter staff and those in need.

image