Mondays Matter: Week 46

Taken from the book Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways To Make A Difference by Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza

DONATE CLOTHES

-20 billion pounds of clothing and textiles are thrown away every year - an average of 68 pounds per person.

-1.5 billion pairs of unworn or barely worn shoes are lying in closets.

-Over 35 million people live in poverty and have limited money to purchase new clothes.

-On average, 3 million men, women and children are homeless at some point each year.

-50% of all homeless women and children are fleeing domestic violence, usually with only the clothes on their backs.

-Clothing donations to qualified charitable organizations are tax deductible.

ACTION STEPS

1. Contact a local shelter or organization that receives clothing donations and ask about any specific clothing needs.

2. Look through your closet, kids' closet, or husband's closet for clothing, coats, shoes, suits, blankets, pillows, purses, briefcases, umbrellas, and scarves that are in good condition, and that you haven't used in a year or more.

3. Organize a clothing drive at work, school, your place of worship, or in your neighborhood.

4. Wash or dry-clean items. Don't donate items that are stained or torn.

5. Fold and pack clothing in boxes, attach appropriate labels, then deliver them.

6. Consider giving directly to a homeless person.

Donating clothing is one of the easiest ways to affect someone's life in a very tangible and significant way. Also, just look in your own family or friend circle. Is there someone that you could passs on your children's clothing to? I truly appreciate the clothing we get for the kids from my sister-in-law and a girlfriend. This helps us save money and then we continue the cycle by passing on the clothes we have outgrown to my niece's children, and my friend's children. You can help someone stay warm, wear shoes without holes, dress porperly for a job interview, or wear a new outfit for school. Look in your phone book for homeless shelters, call your local United Way, contact your church or school, and find out if there are families who could use a donation of clothing. Then go through your closets and drop them off. With cold weather coming, winter coats are going to be in high demand. Please consider dropping off a winter coat to an organization today. Do you really need all those clothes filling up your closet? Millions of other people do.