Charitable donations of clothing go a longer way than you think. Here are a few benefits of making local clothing donations that you might not have realized.
1. Donations Improve the Lives of Others.
Local clothing donations provide one of the only ways that the homeless, disadvantaged, and victims of disaster can afford clothes. Not only do local clothing donations help put coats on the cold, but they generate revenue that goes to a number of community projects, like shelters, rehabilitation clinics, and family emergency services.
2. Donating Protects the Environment.
Did you know that Americans discard an estimated 68 pounds of clothing each year, while only buying 10 pounds of recycled clothes? The sad truth is that about 99% of what’s tossed can actually be recycled. By making local clothing donations, you can help eliminate about 32 million pounds of trash a year, which keeps landfills from getting needlessly full. If charities are unable to resell your old clothes, they try to recycle or repurpose them.
3. Charity Deducts From Your Taxes.
One of the more selfish reasons to make local clothing donations is that it can help keep your taxes down. Many charities will make it easy to figure out how your the value of your donations deduct from your taxes. The key is to keep a good record. Itemize your local clothing donations, keep receipts, and report your charitable deductions on Schedule A of Form 1040.
4. It Just Feels Good.
Donating just feels good. Your local clothing donations support a system that fights social injustice, helps others, and empowers the less fortunate. This means that by the transitive property, you do all of those things, too. You should feel very proud of your donations.
These are just some of the benefits of making donations. If you have any questions about donating, feel free to ask in the comments.
