Giving Compass' Take:
- Jessica Cunha shares her guide to donating and giving back, from clothing donations to working in a food bank.
- Cunha argues that with any in-kind donation, giving locally should be your first choice, as it is a way to invest in your community. Which type of donating can you engage in now?
- Learn about the potential pitfalls of in-kind donations.
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Charity Navigator has guides on everything surrounding in-kind donations, whether it be what to donate to your local animal shelter, food bank, or homeless shelter. Yet, tracking down each of these articles in the moment can feel like going through a virtual junk drawer.
- Clothing Donations - Practice quality control. When it comes to clothing, there should be an emphasis on “gently” used. If it’s new, even better.
- Supporting Homeless Shelters - Often, these shelters get a large influx of people during the winter, and that’s when they are the most in need of volunteers and support.
- Donating Books, School Supplies, and Toys - If you were to go through your house right now, you may find at least half a dozen old toys or school supplies that were bought and then never used.
- Assisting Animal Shelters - Some of the most important members of our families are our pets. While you may want to adopt an army of cute fluffy dogs, it’s not exactly realistic.
- Car Donations - About to trade in your old car for a new one? Consider donating it to charity.
- Fueling Food Banks - Just like homeless shelters, food banks are open all year, which means that they must restock their shelves often.
Read the full article about your guide to donating by Jessica Cunha at Charity Navigator.