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Where to Donate Clothes |
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Donate clothes and accessories to charity and help others more easily meet their needs. For families struggling to pay the rent and put food on the table, clothing can be a burdensome expense. This is especially true for families with growing children. By donating your gently worn clothing to charity you can help to alleviate this burden in someone else's life.
Organizations are grouped into categories of clothing and accessories and then listed alphabetically within each category. The order of listing does not indicate any sort of hierarchy.
Organizations are grouped into categories of clothing and accessories and then listed alphabetically within each category. The order of listing does not indicate any sort of hierarchy.
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Keep it Clean |
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Before you donate clothes to charity, please be sure to wash all items. This will save the charity
a lot of time and money. In the case of formal wear or business attire, it may be necessary
to have items dry cleaned.
a lot of time and money. In the case of formal wear or business attire, it may be necessary
to have items dry cleaned.
Accessory Donations
Indigo Rescue is a non-profit organization working to combat animal abandonment and pet overpopulation. They hold an annual jewelry sale to raise funds. Donate jewelry you no longer wear to the address on their website.
Kars4Kids is a non-profit Jewish organization that collects handbags, scarves, ties, belts, hats, jewelry, watches, sunglasses, and shoes. They use the proceeds from these products to fund a variety of programs aimed at youth development, education, and community and family outreach. Fill out the online form and receive a shipping kit free of charge. You'll also get a tax deductible receipt.
Eyeglass Donations
According to their website: "New Eyes for the Needy purchases new prescription eyeglasses through a voucher program for children and adults in the United States who cannot afford glasses on their own. New Eyes accepts, recycles and distributes donated glasses for poor people overseas." Click the link for details on how to donate not only eyeglasses, but also jewelry, watches, silverware, and giftware.
One Sight provides eye exams and eyeglasses to people in need around the world. When I first learned of OneSight they distributed gently used eyeglasses to impoverished people. They have grown significantly and they now only dispense new eyewear. That said, they do accept donations of used eyewear which they recycle for a modest compensation. To donate to OneSight, drop off used eyeglasses at your local LensCrafters, Sears Optical or Pearle Vision center.
Shoe Donations
Nike's Reuse-a-Shoe ProgramDrop off your worn out athletic shoes at a Nike retail store and feel good knowing they won't be sitting in a landfill somewhere for centuries to come. Nike recycles old shoes into athletic courts, playground surfaces, and even new Nike products (71% of Nike apparel and shoes are made from their recycled materials). They accept any brand of athletic shoes, but no shoes with metal such as cleats. To read more about the Reuse-a-Shoe program and the products created through this process, click here.
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MORE is a Delaware based non-profit organization funded entirely on the sale of gently used athletic shoes. Order a collection box for your business, school, or organization and when it's full FedEx will pick it up free of charge. Proceeds from the sale of shoes are used in reforestation and the training and support of farmers in Africa and South America in the MORE technique. Once trained farmers receive all the tools, seed, trees, and livestock needed to be successful. I used their Shoe Donation Location tool and found five drop off locations within 25 miles of my home, and I live in a small town in the Midwest.
Founded by a group of runners in Boulder, Colorado, One World Running collects new and gently used athletic shoes for distribution in the United States and around the world. Their interest is in promoting health and goodwill among people. The organization hosts a variety of 5K running/walking events. In addition, they sponsor a program called Running Shoes for Recruits which provides running shoes for low income enlistees in the United States armed forces. Drop off locations are available in 13 states.
Soles4Souls uses donations of new and gently used shoes to bless the lives of those in need in the United States and around the world. In addition to providing people with much needed footwear, this non-profit provides people with business opportunities to help lift their families out of poverty and provide education for their children.
General Clothing Donations
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Planet Aid collects used clothing and shoes in large yellow bins located in 21 states. The clothing they collect supports the needy in numerous countries around the world. One interesting thing about Planet Aid is their commitment to keeping textiles out of landfills. Their website boasts: "We're proud to be the bin you can put everything in!" Users are urged to donate all clothing including items that are stained, torn, or have holes. Planet Aid recycles clothing they can't use. See their website for the bin nearest you.
This organization collects new and gently used coats for distribution to those in need. Coat drives take place in the fall. Check out their website for a coat drive near you. You can even volunteer to organize one!
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Professional Clothing Donations
Alliance of Career Development NonprofitsAccording to their website, "The Alliance of Career Development Nonprofits (ACDN) is a network of grassroots organizations that serve women and men who seek to join or reenter the workforce. We believe anyone who wants a job, should get one." The various nonprofits that make up the alliance provide professional attire and career skills training to low income individuals.
On their website you will find a list of participating organizations and find one near you that accepts donations of gently worn business clothing and professional accessories. All organizations report their greatest need is for plus size clothing. |
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Dress for Success is designed to help underprivileged women attain employment. They accept donations of nearly new interview appropriate skirt and pants suits as well as blouses, blazers, jackets, coats for all seasons, practical and professional shoes, and handbags or brief cases. They are particularly in need of larger sizes.
Prom Dress Donations
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This lovely organization was created to honor the memory of 16 year old Becca who lost her life in a car accident. Before her death Becca organized a dress drive to provide prom dresses and accessories for girls who otherwise could not afford them. She collected 250. The organization continues to support that mission. There are chapters across the country. They accept donations of gently used prom dresses, handbags, shoes, and costume jewelry. In particular, they have a need for dresses in small sizes (0-4) and plus sizes starting with size 16.
The Glass Slipper ProjectBased in Chicago, Illinois, The Glass Slipper Project collects and distributes prom dresses, jewelry, shoes, accessories, and unused makeup to underprivileged teens. They are looking for clean dresses in good condition that are less than five years old. They accept all sizes but have a particular need for sizes 0 and 2 and sizes 16 and up.
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Project Granting Lasting Amazing Memories (G.L.A.M.) provides prom dresses and accessories to disadvantaged high school girls. They are located in Chicago, Milwaukee, and New York. Donations can be mailed. The address is located at the bottom of their home page. Dresses must not be older than 2008 unless they are black, and they do not accept shoes.
Operation Prom provides free prom dresses and (in some cases) tuxedos for underprivileged teens. They currently operate in nine U.S. states. In addition to dresses, they accept donations of handbags and jewelry. They do not accept shoe donations.
Wedding Dress Donations
One way to feel good about parting with your wedding gown is to gift it to NICU Helping Hands for their Angel Gown Program. Donated gowns are used to make baby gowns which are presented to bereaved parents who have lost an infant child. Gowns are used for final photos and burial services. There are cities in every state except South Dakota which offer Angel Gown Programs. Learn more about the donation process here.
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Brides Across America provides free wedding gowns to military brides. They accept donations of dresses not more than five years old as well as veils and tiaras. The process for donating a gown is outlined on the website. It begins with telling them about your dress. They decide if they want it and provide you with shipping instructions.
Brides Against Breast Cancer
Brides Against Breast Cancer provides programs for breast cancer patients and their families which are funded by the sale of new and used wedding gowns. Gowns must be clean, in excellent condition, and less than two years old. Accepted styles are fit & flare, trumpet, A-line, or ballgown. All designer brands are excepted excluding David's Bridal. If you have a couture gown that is more than two years old you would like to donate, you can submit an image/description for review.
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Declutter your closets and help others at the same time. Choose from one of the many options available to donate clothes and accessories.
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Disclaimer
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The appearance of an organization on this list does not constitute a recommendation on my part, nor do I represent any of these organizations in any way. To contact charities directly, simply click on the name of the organization above to link to their website.
This page was last updated on December 27, 2021. If you come across a link that is broken or an organization that is no longer operating or whose policies have changed, please notify me in the comment section below so that I can provide the most updated information to my readers.