How to Donate to Charity Without Spending a Dime

Donating to a charity is an amazing act. It helps provide for others in need while giving us the satisfaction that comes with performing an otherwise selfless act.You don’t have to wait to be asked to donate and you don’t have to have money to spare. There are many ways to give to nonprofit organizations that touch your heart without opening your checkbook. Here are a few approaches that will help you make a difference without spending any money.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Learn about your local charities. They range from branches of national nonprofit organizations that fund research to cure diseases to small, local nonprofits that rescue companion animals or grant sick children dying wishes. Your local library, newspaper and Chamber of Commerce are all excellent resources for learning about local nonprofit agencies.

2. Visit the websites of the agencies that most spark your interest or give them a call. Ask them to mail you some literature about their operation. This information will help you narrow your focus. Once you know more about the agencies, make appointments to meet with someone from each group to learn more.

3. Start by doing some work for one of the organizations’ fundraising events. Nonprofits are always happy to have new people involved, because there is always more work to be done than people to do it. You might man a booth and distribute literature. If you have a green thumb, consider starting new plants from cuttings, and when they’re big enough, wrap bows around the pots and donate then for sale at a fundraising event. If the group hosts community cookouts, offer to make a dessert or to help with cleaning up after the event.

4. Some nonprofits operate secondhand stores or conduct periodic garage sales. Donate books, DVDs, clothing, kitchenware and other items that you no longer use or have tired of, but which may be a treasure to someone else.

5. Volunteer to spend time with a particular person or group. Read books at the wing of a children’s hospital twice a month or pay a brief weekly visit to a nursing home resident whose family lives in another state. Once you’ve started volunteering, the personal rewards you receive are so powerful that you will be motivated to continue. You are limited only by your imagination and the size of your compassion for others.

[daniel1414]

on 9/29/2009 Great article. A site you should also be aware of is www.donationharbor.com which donates a few cents to charity every time you do a google search. Another free way to donate! My friends and I use it to donate to ASCPA. check it out.