Where do you give away old clothes?

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If you’re looking to donate some old clothes, check with your local Catholic Charities and see if they do anything. Or call your local Chancery and see if they know of any parishes that might be interested.

Failing that, there are lots of charities out there that do that. Some kidney charity has been calling me for donations and I gave a bunch of old clothes and other stuff to them. They come over and pick it up for me, which is nice and convenient, though come to think of it it isn’t very Christian or sacrificial for me to take part in that because I don’t make any actual sacrifices.

But, to each his own. It might work out for you a lot better.

I’m surprised you haven’t had charities call you up and ask if you have anything to donate. That kidney charity calls me at least twice a year for stuff. I assumed charities do that in all neighbourhoods, but I guess that’s sort of a dumb assumption for me to make, considering the furthest east I’ve been was to Nevada and I haven’t even seen 47 states.

As a rule, I always try Catholic-related charities first. Maybe that principle might help out while you scan your yellow pages trying to find a good place. If no Catholic places are around, I’d donate toward an Orthodox charity. If none of those, I’d do it toward a Christian charity that doesn’t attack the Catholic Church and isn’t connected with a particular Christian denomination. I’d be willing to try a Jewish one, though I don’t think we have any where I live. Only after that would I try a secular one.
nobody said:
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A local parish has an office dedicated to helping the poor of the community, regardless of the needy person’s religion of lack of same. I give those few things not worn out…like the ones that seem to have shrunk:D …to them. You might check with your parish office.
Another large, well-known Catholic charity that accepts used clothing, books, and household items no longer gets my stuff because they became fussy, demanding that each item be dry-cleaned, folded and individually packaged, and an operating used refrigerator our family had outgrown was not accepted because it had a scratch on the door. A local veteran aid group was happy to get the refrigerator.
 
I give mine to the Cerebral Palsy Association. You just call them up, and then put the clothes in a bag with a tag on it that says, “Cerebral Palsy.” They come and pick it up the next morning, really early.
 
Our town has an open clothes closet where anyone can come in and take things they need. I have been told by the volunteers that the people who come in are truly needy and not just looking for something to sell themselves in a yard sale.

I’ve given to Goodwill because I like that they employ handicapped people in the organization.

I don’t often give to Salvation Army, because I know way too many people who could afford to shop anywhere but go there for a deal, so I don’t feel like it’s really helping anyone.

I give children’s items to Catholic Charities, except winter coats, which go to the local clothes closet.

God bless,

Trish
 
Usually the Goodwill, family members or the People Against Domestic Violence. I will also send toys and furniture there as well.
 
Society of St. Vincent de Paul stores! These are totally not-for-profit thrift stores that serve their communities. Nearly all of the money from sales of goods in the stores goes back to the poor, whether it is in employing the poor to work in the store with benefits, or supporting parish conferences whose members go out and meet with the poor in their homes, in their cars if they have no homes, or in the parish facilities. This is a really excellent charity to support with your donations.

Here in Detroit we also have the Capuchin friars who run not only a couple of soup kitchens and a halfway house, but a big warehouse where needy people can “shop” for donated clothes and food, free of charge. Your area may have something similar that could use clothing. Contact your parish or diocesan office.
 
We usually go to Goodwill. It is for a good cause, helps with tax deductions and is easier than a garage sale.

Here in Omaha we have various local shelters as well. Two main Catholic ones with noticeable differences. One place the donor has to bring the stuff from the car to the shelter by herself and no residents either help or thank. The other the men quickly come to your car, empty it out and thank you the whole time. Not that my non-Catholic MIL was looking for adulation but the first turned her off and she was very glad to help the second one. There is a truth to God helps them who help themselves. Shelters, like prisons, should be rehabilitating people by dare I say it telling them what they do is wrong when it is and encouraging and requiring them to reform themselves.
 
I give stuff to St. Vincent de Paul or I freecycle it. I looooove freecycle. You actually find a lot of needy people that way, too (someone posting a wanted for a low-income family they know, etc). I’ve met a lot of good-hearted people that way.

A lot of people I know give it to the vets. They come around and pick up, too, just like St. Vincent de Paul and other charities.
 
I would bet your local parish has a place to take them, if not, there may be another church that donates to charity or has their own place that is similar to goodwill. There isn’t a Catholic church in my town (the one I attend on Sundays is about 40 minutes away) so I donate old clothes to the local Methodist church down the road because they have a second hand store like goodwill called the Gleaners House. I think wherever you can donate them as long as it is to a good and legitmate cause you are ok! 👍
 
St Vincent de Paul society, at least one parish in each town has one here. there is a great need. there is a rumor going around that some of this clothing is sent to Mexico but this is not true, Mexico will no longer allow used clothing to be brought over the border and the checkpoints are enforcing this very strictly.

Please donate only wearable, clean mended clothing, items your family would wear except that they don’t fit anyone. When you give to the poor you are giving to Christ, and they can’t use your rags. Most centers that accept used clothing do not have resources to launder or dry clean.

Also, do not drop clothing in bags or boxes outside the center when it is closed. IN most states health laws do not allow such clothing to be given out, and it adds to the agencies overhead to dispose of such things in the waste stream. Call first and find out when donations are accepted, or if they have pick-up trucks. Also check first on household items and electronics, many agencies cannot store such things unless they have a thrift store.

Purple Heart and Salvation Army usually pick up.
 
nobody said:
Mummybee, What is freecycle?
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:::raising hand:::
I know, I know! It’s an online thing…www.freecycle.com where people can send emails to other people listing the stuff they don’t want anymore.

It’s a good thing cuz sometimes things are still very good. I got a hand powered lawn mower from a couple for free!

You can get TVs, stereos, air conditioners, books…everything!

In our small way we are helping the environment which was, I think, the original intent of the site.

BTW,it’s free
 
We like to take our stuff to the Sisters of Charity, but it’s a pretty long drive out of the way, and the Salvation Army is like a block away, so it’s much easier to drop it off there. We also have family with younger kids than ours, and they get a lot of the nicer children’s things.

Note to self: Stop giving away maternity clothes – I think it’s why you keep getting pregnant. 🙂
 
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