When you’re cleaning out your closet, don’t just toss your old clothes in the trash, give to someone who could actually use them instead. Americans throw away 14 million tonsof clothing a year and it ends up in landfills, but donating the garments to people who need them instead could help cut that number down. Check out these groups before your next wardrobe purge.
Party Dresses - TheBelieve in Yourself Project collects evening wear for girls between 13 and 18 to wear to their homecoming dances. They work with Boys and Girls clubs across the U.S. to find out who can use the fancy dresses most.
Workwear- Help other women dress for the job they want by donating gently-used career clothing to the nonprofit Dress for Success. The organization provides work attire and professional development support to women in 150 cities in 30 countries.
Wedding gowns- Most brides spend a lot of time searching for the perfect wedding gown and a lot of money buying it, but they still only get to wear it once. So why not share it with another bride-to-be? Brides for a Causeis a bridal store that raises money for charities and collects and resells wedding dresses. Brides Across Americaprovides gowns for military and first responder brides who are struggling financially.
Jeans and denim - Tired of your old skinny jeans? Donate them to be recycled into insulation so they don’t end up in a landfill.Blue Jeans Go Green program collects denim to be turned into insulation for homes of those in need and the best part is you can drop off your pair at stores like J. Crew and Madewell, which will in turn give you$20 off a new pair.
Winter coats - Help someone stay cozy this year by donating your coat toOne Warm Coat, a nonprofit that distributes coats in the communities where they’re collected. You can also help a woman and child specifically by donating toWomen In Distress, a group that helps provide shelter and services to women and kids escaping abusive households.