Share the Wealth by Donating to Worthy Organizations 2017

It’s that time of year and in the spirit of giving, we’ve made donating easy for you. I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite national donation sites.

Dress for Success

The mission of Dress for Success is to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. The organization accepts pantsuits, skirts, dresses, blazers, blouses, shoes, purses, and unused cosmetics and jewelry. To donate clothes to your local Dress for Success, please visit dressforsuccess.org/affiliate-list to find the affiliate nearest to you.

Give Back Box

Amazon and Give Back Box? are working together to make donating easier for you. Using Give Back Box? you can donate items you no longer need to charity with ease and bring new life to your empty Amazon box.

It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3:

Open Your Box: Unpack your merchandise from your Amazon shipping box.

Pack Your Box: Fill the box with usable clothing, accessories and household goods you no longer need and print your free shipping label from givebackbox.com.

Send Your Box: Let UPS or the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) deliver your box of donations for you.

Donations go directly to your nearest participating charitable organization using a free shipping label and empty Amazon (or other) box. Your donation helps support employment placement, job training other community-based services to create strong families and communities.

To print your shipping label visit givebackbox.com/amazon

BetterWorldBooks

BetterWorldBooks.com collects and sells books online to donate books and fund literacy initiatives worldwide. Because they believe that most every book has lasting value and the potential to help change the world, BetterWorldBooks.com sees their job as helping to find new homes for unwanted books. Thus far, they’ve donated over 5 million books to partner programs around the world. Their five primary literacy partners are Books for Africa, Room to Read, Worldfund, the National Center for Family Literacy, and Invisible Children. To donate your gently used books, visit this link – betterworldbooks.com/go/donate.

Secure The Call

Secure The Call provides free 911 emergency-only cell phones to senior citizen centers, domestic violence shelters and police and sheriff departments which in turn are given back to the community and used to contact the police in the case of an emergency. If you have the cell phone’s charger, please donate that too. For more information on how to donate a phone visit securethecall.org/get-involved.

Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA)

Your generous donations of clothing and other household goods make a big difference in the lives of America’s Veterans and their families. Many veterans don’t have access to the health care services they need, making it difficult to seek proper treatment. The items you donate generate the majority of funding to help them obtain these services and support local, state and national programs of the Vietnam Veterans of America. To schedule a pick up visit scheduleapickup.com.

Toys for Tots

Toys for Tots helps less fortunate children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas by collecting new, unwrapped toys during October, November December each year. They distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community in which the campaign is conducted. You can contribute to your local Toys for Tots campaign in several ways. You can donate a toy at one of the area toy drop locations, host a Toys for Tots event at your home, office or other venue and collect toys for Toys for Tots, or volunteer at the local warehouse. Connect with your local Toys for Tots program here – toysfortots.org/donate/toys.aspx.

Ronald McDonald House

Their network of local Chapters has been helping millions of families with sick children find comfort and support when they need it most. Ronald McDonald Houses host thousands of children a year, so the toys, books games in the Houses are all well used. And after long days at hospitals, families welcome home-cooked meals prepared in the House kitchen as well. But keeping their Houses fully stocked depends on the help of the community and we want to make sure they have everything they need. Here are some items that Houses can generally use, but we encourage you to contact your local House program to get specific lists. For local donation information visit rmhc.org/other-ways-to-help.

Goodwill

It’s simple. When you donate your stuff to Goodwill?, you create opportunities for individuals in your community looking to find a job and build skills, including veterans and military families, single mothers and many others. For more information on how to donate visit goodwill.org/donate-and-shop/donate-stuff.

Big Brothers/Big Sisters

For more than 100 years BBBS has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. When you donate to Big Brothers Big Sisters, you directly support children in your own community. Donation centers are limited but are growing. To see if one is located near you, please visit bbbs.org.

Donation Town

Did you know that there are dozens of charities that will actually send a truck to your home and pick up your used clothing donations and other household items donations? The Donation Town donation up service directory connects donors with charities all over the country that offer free donation pick up service. The charities in their directory accept clothing donations, furniture donations, toy donations, shoe donations, general household item donations, and MORE! To a donation pick up visit donationtown.org/donation-pick-up.html.

Autism Speaks

Autism Speaks is dedicated to promoting solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the lifespan, for the needs of individuals with autism and their families through advocacy and support; increasing understanding and acceptance of people with autism spectrum disorder; and advancing research into causes and better interventions for autism spectrum disorder and related conditions. They have some really unique ways to donate too!

1. Install the We-Care app to donate by shopping online (includes AmazonSmile). Visit we-care.com/smileplus.
2. Install the FREE Charity Miles app. Visit org. Walk your dog, take an evening stroll, run or bike around the neighborhood – just MOVE and you’ll help earn money for Autism Speaks! This has got to be one of the easiest ways to make a difference in the lives of people with autism and their families… AND, it’s good for you! For more information visit autismspeaks.org/ways-give/charity-miles.

Operation Gratitude

Operation Gratitude seeks to lift spirits and meet the evolving needs of the U.S. Military and First Responder communities. For each used phone that is donated, SmartphoneRecycling.com will contribute up to $200 to Operation Gratitude. Using these funds, Operation Gratitude volunteers send 250,000+ individually addressed care packages to U.S. Troops deployed overseas, to their children at home, and to First Responders, New Recruits, Veterans, Wounded Heroes and their Care Givers. Each package contains food, hygiene products, entertainment and handmade items, as well as personal letters of support.

For more information on donating visit smartphonerecycling.com/operation-recycling.html.

GreenDrop

Donating clothes to GreenDrop helps many different charities including Military Order of the Purple Heart, American Red Cross, National Federation of the Blind and Society of St Vincent de Paul. Donations help to raise funds the generation and collection of donated clothing and household items. Donated items are converted into critical dollars for these organizations, to assist them in upholding their mission and programs for supporting American veterans, the nation’s blind and neighbors in need. To schedule a pick up please visit gogreendrop.com/who-we-serve.

One Warm Coat

One Warm Coat is a national non-profit organization that works to provide a free, warm coat to any person in need. One Warm Coat accepts donations of gently used coats and also supports individuals, groups, companies organizations across the country by providing the tools and resources needed to hold a successful coat drive. For more information on donating please visit onewarmcoat.org.

Dreaming Zebra

Dreaming Zebra provides music and art access to underserved children. They accept donations of art supplies as well as gently used instruments, which are delivered to young artists in need, with an emphasis on serving diverse populations of vulnerable youth in underserved communities. For donating information please visit dreamingzebra.org.

Computers with Causes

Computer donations are completely tax deductible and make an amazing difference to families in need throughout the United States. They accept Pentium 4 and above computer donations to benefit numerous charities and families. Whenever financially beneficial, Computers With Causes will repair, refurbish, and properly prepare for placement into an educational environment or other cause they support. Donations Accepted: Pentium 4 and above; old and new computers, laptops, and computer equipment and more. For more donation information visit computerswithcauses.org.

Furniture Bank Association of North America

Furniture banks are not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizations whose mission is to provide furniture at little or no cost to families struggling with poverty and other severe life challenges. These families are financially unable to furnish their own homes to even a minimal standard. Furniture banks collect donations of gently used furniture and provide the furniture at little or no cost to these families in need via referrals from other social service agencies, churches, schools, employers, etc. To find a local Furniture Bank please visit furniturebanks.org/list-of-furniture-banks.

For FREE printable list of my favorite charities for 2017 CLICK HERE

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