How to Donate to the Salvation Army
Dropping a dollar into a holiday Santa's kettle is simple, but behind Santa is a complex organization that mixes service with Christian evangelism. From local to international, the Salvation Army (SA) welcomes anything you can donate--vehicles, clothing and other assets in virtually any form, from Santa's dollar to one woman's 2003 donation of $1.5 billion. Read on to learn more.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Something--almost anything--to donate: a vehicle, clothing, cash or other property
Instructions
-
Do Your Homework Before You Give
-
1
Study a charity before you donate. Some watchdog sites don't evaluate SA because religious organizations get a pass on certain charity reporting requirements. Still, SA gets high grades from the American Institute of Philanthropy's Charity Watch website (see Resources below).
-
2
Learn more about what the SA does with the help of your favorite Internet search engine.
-
-
3
Take inventory of what's in your basement, garage or closets. If you want to donate an old vehicle rather than sell it, the Salvation Army makes it easy. Same goes for clothes, books or computers--they sell almost anything in those thrift shops!
Donate What You Can, Where it Is Needed Most
-
4
Click on "Donate" from the Salvation Army home page for links to volunteer your time or donate funds, goods, vehicles, or even airline miles (see Resources below). Follow these links to find easy options, including having a collection truck come right to your home.
-
5
Search for Salvation Army centers by ZIP code to find thrift shops near you (see Resources below).
-
6
Remember the Salvation Army when disaster strikes! A special website link will allow you to dedicate funds for relief.
Keep Records of Your Donations
-
7
Request a receipt and maintain accurate records, whether it's for an old pair of running shoes, a crisp dollar bill or a big check. At tax time you'll be glad you did!
-
8
Keep a list on the refrigerator door, once you've made an "in-kind" donation, of things to pull together for the next truck pick up!
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Much Salvation Army service is local; so a great way to learn more before you donate is to volunteer at a nearby center.
If you feel pressured to make a donation, step back and get in touch later when you know what and how much you want to give.
The Salvation Army has over 8,000 centers, millions of volunteers and many imitators. You can always request a copy of its IRS tax-exempt letter to be sure you are dealing with the real McCoy.
