Homelessness in the United States has always been a major problem. Right now, there are over 600,000 thousand homeless people in the country according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Nearly a quarter of them are children. Homelessness isn’t exclusive to a handful of areas; it exists in all corners of the country. The homeless are one of the most vulnerable members of society. Without the assistance of the government or charity, many of these people would be even worse off than they are now. These men, women, and children are people who, for a number of complicated and tragic reasons, must live on the kindness of others.
For the more than half a million people in the U.S., clothing donations provide warmth and comfort against the elements. For the homeless in wintry climates, these donations are sorely needed to brave the cold. Donating clothes to charity directly aids the homeless and the less fortunate. There are approximately 1.5 million charitable organizations in the country today, all of them doing wonderful work for the struggling. Charitable clothing donations accomplish two goals: first, to provide clothing for the needy and second, to save reusable fabrics from garbage landfills. Over 90% of discarded textiles are perfectly usable. But unfortunately, these garments and fabrics compose 5% of total landfill waste. Millions of pounds of fabric are needlessly wasted every year — fabric that could have been made into clothing. Donating clothes is good for the environment and society.
There are several charitable organizations in the U.S. that specialize in clothing donations. There are even charities that will pick up donations right from your doorstep or curb! Please consider donating your lightly used clothing today. Chances are, you have at least something — a t-shirt, a pair of socks — you no longer where. They may not mean much for you but to the homeless, they mean the world.
