“O scathful harm, condition of poverty!” Geoffrey Chaucer, one of the greatest observers of human nature, was spot on when he wrote this in The Canterbury Tales, and anyone who’s ever had to face poverty directly knows how scathful it can be. Much has changed since Chaucer’s time in the 14th century but unfortunately, poverty has remained the same. In the United States alone, millions of people suffer from poverty. Poverty isn’t just a financial situation. It’s a totally different way of living life. It’s debilitating to those in it and a burden to those outside of it.
One way Americans battle poverty is by donating clothes to charity. Charitable clothing donations provide a lifeline to those in poverty or, worse yet, homelessness. Though there aren’t as many people in the U.S. that are homeless, the numbers are still heartbreaking. According to a recent report by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, there are approximately 600,000 homeless people in the U.S. Of them, nearly a quarter are children. For the wealthiest country in the world, the U.S. suffers from serious issues in poverty and housing.
Not only do charitable donations help those out the need help the most, charitable clothing donations help the environment. Nearly 5% of all waste found in American landfills are household textiles such as cotton, nylon, and polyester. Sadly, 90% of these fabrics are perfectly recyclable and can be made into clothing. That is another reason why donating lightly used clothing is so essential. Some organizations are so dedicated to the cause that there are charities that will pick up clothing right from your doorstep!
No donation is too small; no sentiment is too weak. There are 1.5 million charitable organizations in the U.S. and they all do fantastic work. Consider making a donation in the form of clothing today. For more information about charitable clothing donations, feel free to leave a comment or question at the bottom.
