Many of us want to give back to the community but cannot afford to make cash donation. Luckily there are a lot of ways to help others that do not involve writing a check. There are many kinds donations for non profit organizations that make a big difference in the communities the organizations serve.
Ways to Give Back to the Community
- Donate your clothes and household items. When considering making donations for non profit organizations, think about clothes and other items you own but no longer need or use. This is one great way to clean out your closet. Experts recommend going through your closet twice a year to get rid of clothes you no longer wear. Remember that one person’s trash is another’s treasure. Just make sure you have the clothes cleaned and the items work. Also, take some time to sort your clothes so it is easier for the charity’s staff to deal with the donations.
- Donate your time. Do you have a valuable skill? Do you like being around people? There are a lot of organizations that need help all year round. Call a food bank and see if they need help stocking their shelves or organizing donations. Maybe the local animal shelter needs help. Anything you can do will be appreciated. Look into charities that interest you. If you have a skill you can give, for example if you are skilled at repairing things or are a writer, you can use those skills to help a nonprofit.
- Spread the world on your social media networks. You can talk up the organizations you care about on your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media channels. Many people may not know where they can donate time or items. They also may not know there is a need in the community for certain items like non-perishable foods or coats.
There Are Many Benefits to Giving Back to Your Community.
- Donating is easy. Many non profits have item and clothing drop off locations. If you cannot make it to the non profit, you can schedule a pick up. Some people organize clothing drives at work and have their coworkers bring items to the office and then schedule a pick up from there. This is one way a business can work together to make a big difference in the community and charitable clothing donations make a big difference.
- You can help the environment. Making donations for non profit organizations that are items, such as clothing, is very good for the environment. In 2006, these kinds of donations meant that more than 2.5 billion pounds of fabric went to people who needed it rather than into landfills. People in the United States donate about 15% of their clothing each year.
- Giving back to the community makes you feel good. Anytime you do something that makes someone else’s life better, you feel better about yourself. Whether you can make donations for non profit organizations or you give your time, knowing someone else’s day will be a little brighter is good for your karma and the world. You will leave with a smile on your face.
- You strengthen and improve your community. Giving back does a lot of good for your neighbors and community as a whole. People who live in areas that are more communities of neighbors than just people who live near each other are happier places. The property values are better and the bonds between people who live there is stronger. You will get to know more people in your community and strengthen the bonds between you. This just makes everyone happier.
- It is a tax deduction. Whether you make donations for non profit organizations as cash or items, you can take it off of your taxes. Make sure you get a receipt if the donation is over $250 (that is an Internal Revenue Service rule).
The more you give back to your community, the better a place it will be. There are many ways to make a difference in the lives of others. Giving clothing away is really important to a lot of families. Most clothing that is donated goes to families in need or veterans organizations. This need is especially great in the winter.
