It makes you feel uncomfortable. Even more so when your children are with you.
On the way to and from school every morning, you see a homeless man on the last corner before you pull into the lot. You have given him a cup of hot coffee before, you have given him a five dollar bill before, and you have given him a care bag with a bottle of water, a tooth brush, and some toothpaste. You wish, however, that you did not feel so uncomfortable. So helpless.
You have explained to your children that homelessness is a difficult situation and the answers are not always easy. You have explained that it is often just one bad piece of luck after another, and that there are many ways that they benefit from the good luck and the good fortune that has blessed your family. It is not an attempt to make your children feel uncomfortable or guilty. You simply want them to realize that they lead a pretty charmed life and that there are many people who are not nearly as fortunate.
Red Cross Clothing Pickup Services Make It Easy for You to Make a Difference in the Lives of Others
There are many times in life when people feel helpless. Feel like they are not able to make a difference. Red Cross clothing pickup services, however, provide a way for everyone to contribute. By taking the time to go through your closets and cupboards, for instance, you might be able to come up with some small kitchen appliances, snow boots, winter coats, or dress suits that someone could make better use of.
With an eye out for items that you are no longer using, you can accomplish two things at once. You can declutter your home while at the same time making it a little easier for people who are far less fortunate. If you want to have an even bigger impact, you can make a monetary donation. The fact that American Red Cross helps people around the world 24 hours a day, seven days a week means that they are a group in need of many resources.
From clothing for families who have lost their homes to fires or natural disasters to funds for clean drinking water and other necessities, the Red Cross helps many people around the world. And while American Red Cross clothing donations may seem like a very small part of the big picture, clothing donations are a great way to teach children how to thing of others every time that they sort through unworn or little used clothing and other items.
Finding a way to take advantage of Red Cross clothing pickup times can get you, and your children, in the habit of having less and giving more. Statistics show that 564,708 people were homeless on any given night in the U.S. in January of 2015. Individually, Red Cross donations may not seem like much, but collectively the can have a big impact. In fact, receiving $687 million in private donations in the year 2014, the American National Red Cross is the 13th largest U.S. charity when they are ranked by those private donations.
Instead of feeling uncomfortable the next time you see someone who is homeless or in need, take the time to make a difference and see if the guilt subsides if you become one or the Americans who give 3% of their income given to charities each year.
