How Do I Donate Clothes to Hurricane Victims?
When a natural disaster such as a hurricane strikes, many people feel the inclination to help those in need. Although clothing and shoe donations seem like an obvious way to help hurricane victims, not all organizations have the time to sort through used clothing during emergencies. Some charities would prefer monetary funds instead, or clothing can be donated to specific local relief agencies equipped for processing clothing items.
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Salvation Army
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The Salvation Army is a long-standing charity that specializes in the resale of used clothing items. By calling your local Salvation Army, collection services can be arranged and a truck will come to your home and receive any clothing donations. Clean and gently used clothing items are resold at the Salvation Army store to raise funds for specific charitable projects, including housing for homeless individuals. During natural disasters such as hurricanes, local Salvation Army chapters provide shelter and clothes for these victims.
Red Cross
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The Red Cross is one of the first responders in times of hurricanes. They operate in the United States and internationally. The Red Cross donates blood, medical supplies, hygiene items, food and clothing to victims of natural disasters. As they do not have appropriate sorting facilities to handle large quantities of used clothing, the Red Cross prefers financial or blood donations. However, large amounts of new clothes directly from stores or manufacturers are appreciated, as these do not require extra labor to redistribute. Retail clothing suppliers should contact their local Red Cross chapter if they have new clothes to donate.
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Monetary Donations
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As many organizations do not have the capacity to sort used clothing, they would appreciate monetary donations to purchase necessary items for hurricane victims instead. Choose charities carefully as many false operations spring up during natural disasters that scam well-intentioned individuals. The Red Cross is a reputable choice--or search the database at Network for Good, an online organization that helps link interested parties to relief organizations.
Local Charities
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If you live in an area that has been recently affected by a hurricane, there may be local options available for donating clothing. Contact area churches, check bulletin boards or call your local newspaper to see if they know of places to donate clothing and who is assisting the natural disaster victims. Some local organizations may actually host or sponsor a small number of families that are in need of direct donations. If you already have a large amount of clothing set aside to donate, consider bringing them to your local Goodwill chapter, as they always appreciate clothing donations.
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