We just can’t seem to stop ourselves.
Even though the last week has been full of presents from immediate family members, gifts from colleagues at the office, and gift certificates from relatives and neighbors, we still wake up On New Year’s Day wanting to get to the mall.
Undeterred by the full parking lot, we just can’t avoid rummaging through sale racks advertising 50% off current reductions. We buy more pants, we purchase more shirts, we collect more shoes.
This year, however, we promise it will be different. When the shopping frenzy and gift opening have finally come to an end, we promise that we will take the time to clean out our closet’s and drawers and get rid of the items that we no longer use. In fact, this year the promise is that for every new item we receive or purchase we will get rid of two items in our closet that have been collecting dust and not being used.
At the same time some Americans are filling their closets and drawers to the point of complete overload, our country has children in need of clothing, including shoes and warm outerwear. What are you doing to help address the needs of those less fortunate in your community?
What Do You Have in Your Closet to Help Children in Need of Clothing?
At the same time as we pat ourselves on the back that our 15-year old daughter is willing to pay $20 toward the $40 dollar coat that she has found on the sale rack, there are children throughout your city who do not even have one warm coat to wear. And while your daughter is offering to contribute half of the money toward what will be the fifth warm coat that she has hanging in the closet, there are children throughout your community who wish that they had the $20 to have something extra to eat tonight. Children in need of clothing often live in environments where their choice are not between which coat they will wear to school on a cold morning, but instead their choice is weather they will be wearing a pair of gloves when they head out the door or if they should let their younger sibling wear the gloves.
And while the message does not have to be that you should not buy the things that you want, the message should include a reminder to take stock of what you have and see if there are things that you can donate to those in need. Charitable donations, whether they are household items or clothing donations, can be given to a variety of locations in most communities. Where do you go when it is time to clean out your closet, drawers, and cupboards?
Clothing Drop Boxes with 24 Hour Access. If you are a night owl and find yourself cleaning out your closets and drawers late into the evening, did you know that there are 24 hour locations in many cities where you can donate to children in need of clothing? In fact, each week organizations like GreenDrop prevents about 100 tons of used clothes, electronics, and household goods from being thrown into landfills. With specially marked wooden buildings throughout the nation, this organization provides an easy way for people to donate items. The latest statistics indicate that GreenDrop currently has 30 free-standing locations and mobile trailers that collect on average 100 tons of donations every single week. In fact, the organization raised $2.5 million for participating charities in 2014.
Local churches and shelters. A quick search online can help you locate any number of local churches or shelters that collect clothing, household items, and other donations. In fact, if you are so inclined, many churches have one day a week where their members actually work with local shelters to help sort and organize donated items. By volunteering time at many of these locations you can actually get a better understanding for the kinds of items that are most needed. Who knows? Some of these most needed items may actually be the things that are cluttering up your kitchen cabinets.
Don’t you think it is time to do more than praise your teen for how she spends her Christmas money?