Homelessness and poverty have always been serious problems in the United States but during these hard economic times, homelessness has become even more exacerbated. Perhaps more troubling than the sheer number of homeless people (roughly 600,000 according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development) is the fact that 25% of them are children and 12% of them are military veterans. The homeless are some of the most helpless members of society who need support and guidance during an awful time in their lives. Without charitable giving, these brave men, women, and children would have no where to go and no one to turn to.
There are a number of charities to support to help the homeless. Many of them not only take cash donations but also used clothing. Many homeless people depend on lightly used clothing donations to cloth themselves. Moreover, many of these charities operate thrift shops for people who aren’t homeless but have very little money. Donating clothes is one of the best things you can do for the homeless.
Americans are a very generous people overall. In 2013, individual donors gave $240 billion to charity, making up about 72% of total charitable giving in the U.S. Americans give generously all-year round. A recent survey has shown that about 43% of Americans give more to charity during the holidays whereas 44% claim to give “about the same” throughout the year, showing that no matter what, Americans love to give back.
There are approximately 1.5 million tax-exempt charities in the U.S. today, all of them doing phenomenal work. Charitable donations truly help the lives of those who need help the most. Please consider finding charities to support in your local area. Donating your old clothes or toys may not seem like much but to the thousands of homeless people in the country, the make a world of difference.
