Spring cleaning & giving back...

Everyone is spring cleaning now, so it's a good time to box up the things you no longer use and make a donation (possibly tax-deductible) to those in need. We make regular trips to Goodwill to donate things that we no longer use/need, but that still have a lot of life left in them. I hate to throw things away - especially if it's something that someone else could put to good use.

I was reading the June issue of All You and came across an article that listed places to donate specific items.

Books - at booksforsoldiers.com you can find out how to donate books to a soldier or whole unit. Boxes are free from the USPS and shipping is a flat $8.10 fee. You do need to fill out a notarized application in order to provide more security for the troops.

Bras - at support1000.blogspot.com you can learn how to donate gently used bras to low-income women. As of April 21, they had far surpassed their initial goal of 100 bras - they had collected & distributed over 5000 bras! They are an official non-profit organization now, and they are still accepting donations of bras or money.

Cell phones - every time you send a cell phone to shelteralliance.org to be recycled, they earn up to $30 to benefit domestic violence shelters. You can print a free shipping label on their site.

Eyeglasses - take used lenses to any Pearle Vision or Lenscrafters store and they will donate them to Onesight - which recycles them for the needy.

Suits, clothes, accessories - dressforsuccess.org accepts donations of work clothing/accessories to help dress low-income women for job interviews.

Shoes - I've mentioned this group in the past - soles4souls.org - they have local drop-offs, so you can check their site for a drop-off near you.

And don't forget your local charities: womens' shelters, churches, hospitals (toys), soup kitchens (silverware), and schools or libraries (books). You can always call to ask their specific needs.