Christmas time gets the best rep as a time to donate but the truth is you can donate all year and help people in need. Now, you might ask yourself, what is it exactly that I can donate. I’m only person, after all. How is it that I can go about helping families in need? Well fear not. Helping military families, the homeless or any sort of charitable donation organization can seem like a daunting task but it doesn’t have to be. With a little of organization and know how, it can be incredibly easy. What follows is a short list of different items you can easily donate and when the best time to donate them is.
- Food and consumable goods
Of course, one of the most important type of items you can donate is food. People can’t live without food, after all, and, unfortunately, it can be one of the hardest items for needy people to secure. It’s just so much more expensive and inaccessible than you might think. Helping families in need is and ought to be an exercise in caring and nutrition but it doesn’t always end up like that. When donating any spare food you have lying around the house, try to start with healthier canned goods you have. Boxed food works as well although it tends to be slightly more perishable. Of course, if you can only donate chips or soda, any longer lasting snacks items, you should but, especially for families in need, proper nutrition is difficult. Often times, the homeless or families in need can actually suffer from weight and diet issues because unhealthy options are all they have. If you have any canned vegetables or fruit, try donating these first. Perishable foods, while they are by far the most nutritious and good for the body, should be donated last as, with their short shelf life, they aren’t very useful to long term charities. Actually, one of the most useful things you can donate to a food bank or food charity is direct money. Food of all types can go bad or be lost or stolen but direct money can be stored and used at any time. Many food charities are now asking primarily for cash donations as this approach yields a lot more efficient results than large amounts of food which can be unwieldy and difficult to transport.
All different types of clothing
Along with food, clothing donations are one of the most critical items for helping families in need. Both civilian charity organizations and military family organizations always accept clothing donations as they can be utilized in a wide variety of circumstances. And, like food, clothing can be donated all year round though, as you might expect, it is much more useful in the fall and winter. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t prepare all year round, however. Try going through your clothes periodically and picking out items that are slightly more worn or that you just might not want anymore. Here are a few good examples of what you might choose.
Sweatshirts
Sweatshirts, along with sweatpants as well, are one of the most critically underdonated items. Sweatshirts are cheap, fit all body types and shapes and don’t wear out easily. More than that, they are incredibly warm and resistant. For those out on the street or in shelters, sweatshirts go from being a novelty clothing item to possibly being a literal life-saver in cold weather.
Jeans
Much like sweatshirts and sweatpants, jeans are one of the most functional items of clothing you can donate for helping families in need. Jeans also have the benefit of being resistant and clean for long periods of time. Unlike sweatshirts and regular shirts which stay warm but get dirty quickly, jeans and other items of denim pants don’t get soiled or unwashed very easily. Jeans are great for those families, groups or individuals who might not have easy access to clean water to wash those clothes. If you’ve got an old pair of jeans you don’t wear anymore, don’t hesitate to donate them. You will not come to regret the choice. Guaranteed.