How Your American Red Cross Donations Can Help Those Less Fortunate
For 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, the American Red Cross provides relief for communities by providing shelter, food, water and blankets among many essentials to individuals and families in need of a helping hand. The American National Red Cross is the 13th largest charity in the United States as ranked by private donations. It received $687 million in 2014 in private donations.
Seventy percent of Americans donate to charity and about three percent of income is donated. From canned goods and pints of blood to used clothing donations and bedding, the Red Cross takes all sorts of donations. The need for American Red Cross donations is constant and there are many benefits to donating:
- It goes to good causes: The Red Cross says 91 cents of every dollar it spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs.
- Making use of old clothes: The EPA says Americans throw away an average of 10 pounds of clothes per person every year. Those who donate clothes to Red Cross are helping to make a difference. Many communities have clothing donation centers for American Red Cross donations and other organizations and will accept many forms of gently used clothing for donations.
The Red Cross also partners with GreenDrop, which raises money for clothing and other essentials. It converts donated items into money by accepting clothing donations such as hats, coats, swimsuits and other items. - It’s tax deductible: A donation is a selected charity is tax deductible for the value of the items donated.
- A chance to give back: More than 60 percent of high net worth donors choose giving back to the community as their main reason for donating and value of helping a person or people need can’t be measured.
- You make a difference: Donations, whether clothes or blood or money, go to help those in need and can make a real difference in the life someone in need. American Red Cross donations help the Red Cross respond to almost 64,000 nationwide disasters a year.
- Workplace giving
- Fundraising
- Major contributions
- Donating through a will
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The American Red Cross provides many means of assistance to people in need and every monetary donation or item donation, big or small, goes a long way in helping those who need it. Red Cross clothing donations are important too and the choice to donate clothes to Red Cross is a good one. Donating clothes to the Red Cross is a better way to get rid of old clothes instead of throwing them out. Americans consume nearly 20 billion garments a year, nearly one piece of clothing per week. By making used clothing donations, you are insuring those items end up with people who need them.
Those interested in making American Red Cross donations, can do so here
There are many ways to give to the Red Cross as well. In addition to online donations or monthly donations, those interested in giving can donate by phone or by text or by mail.