45 Million Americans Are in Poverty Used Clothing Donations

The United States Census Bureau reports that the current poverty rate in the country is 14.5%. That is, 14.5% of all Americans live in households that earn less than the federal poverty line. This equates to about 45 million people: men, women, and children. People who live in poverty cannot afford basic needs and rely on outside help in addition to working themselves. Many of these income earners work full time or as much as they can, and yet that’s still not enough to get out of poverty. Being poor does not mean you have to spend less. Quite the opposite, it means you have to spend more. As James Baldwin once said, “Anyone who has ever struggled with poverty knows how extremely expensive it is to be poor.”

That is why donating clothes to charity is important now more than ever. Clothing donations ensure the the poor and the homeless get the clothing they need. Charitable clothing donations go a long way in helping out those who are not able to fully help themselves. It’s much easier said than done to “get out” of poverty. The fact remains that the longer you are in poverty, the more likely you will remain there. To donate household items, therefore, is to help people get on their feet as they fight against the odds and emerge out of penury.

Charities that accept lightly used clothing are just a few of the 1.5 million tax-exempt non-profit organizations in the U.S. today. They all do fantastic work. However, charities that focus on clothing accomplish two things: helping the poor and recycling used clothing. Unfortunately, billions of pounds of recyclable fabrics are thrown away into landfills every year. Of all the textiles found in landfills, a whopping 90% are perfectly reusable. More distressing yet, Americans throw away about 68 pounds of clothing a year each but they only purchase 10 pounds of recycled clothes. Help fight the trend by donating your clothing to charity.

For more information about how to donate household items, lightly used clothing, and other items, feel free to leave a comment or question at the bottom.