Are you preparing to make an American Red Cross clothes donation? When you make donations of used clothing and household items, you are assisting the the American Red Cross’ efforts to assist families and communities in need. The Red Cross, as you are probably aware, provides relief in the form of blankets, food, blood, and shelter for 24 hours a day throughout the entire year.
Once you have your items gathered, you can take them to a Red Cross donation center or call for a Red Cross clothing pick up. You may have heard of GreenDrop, which collects used clothing donations on behalf of the American Red Cross. In addition to having mobile trailers that collect American Red Cross clothing donations, they also have roughly 30 free-standing locations where you can drop off your used clothing and household items.
Were you aware that 70% of people in the United States make charitable donations every year?Furthermore, approximately 3% of American’s annual income is donated to charitable organizations. In 2014, $667 million in private donations were made to the American National Red Cross. In the following year, proceeds from the sale of donated items amounted to over $2.5 million, which provided the funds necessary to support local and national charitable programs.
Given that it’s tax season, you may be aware that charitable donations are deductible. The amount you are able to deduct will depend on the value of the donated items, however. The IRS will require receipts, which are usually available at the time you make a donation. If you have any questions about the value of an item, especially when it is over $500, you may need to have it appraised prior to donating.
It’s interesting to note that people in the United States purchase almost 20 billion pieces or clothing every year, The Environmental Protection Agency indicates that they also throw away an average of 10 pounds of this clothing. Rather than these items ending up in landfills, they can be sold at charitable thrift stores and worn again.
When you make a Red Cross clothes donation, you are making a contribution to your community by helping others. Since you’re in the process of collecting items for donation, you may also want to encourage your family and friends to do so as well.
