Organizations That Accept Clothing Donations

Clothing donations are what charities refer to as in-kind donations. In-kind donations are tangible items such as clothing and furniture given to charities in an effort to assist the charitable organization at hand. Not all charities accept clothing donations; those that do use the donations in a variety of ways that all benefit the charity’s cause. Charities that accept clothing donations ask that the items donated are clean, in good condition and do not have any irreparable tears or stains.

Goodwill is an internationally known organization that accepts charitable donations, including clothing donations. Clothing donations to Goodwill are sorted, priced and sold in Goodwill stores around the world at steeply discounted prices. The proceeds from the sale of each donated clothing item are used to provide jobs to people in the community in need of work. Proceeds pay the salaries of these people which in turn allow each Goodwill employee the ability to pay bills and live on a steady income. In addition, because clothing is sold so inexpensively, those who cannot afford brand new clothes have the ability to purchase “new to them” clothes at inexpensive prices.

The Salvation Army is another charity that accepts clothing donations. In addition to paying the salaries of employees of Salvation Army Thrift Stores, the money raised by selling donated clothing in thrift shops is used to fund community outreach programs such as adult rehabilitation. Men and women suffering homelessness, addiction and/or unemployment seek help from the adult rehabilitation programs offered by the Salvation Army. These programs are funded 100 percent from the money raised by the sale of clothes donated by generous people.

Different in a major way from other charities, Becca’s Closet works to provide young girls with prom attire that they otherwise cannot afford. Because prom is an important milestone in the lives of so many teenage girls but such an expensive one, Becca’s Closet wants to ensure no girl has to forgo her fairytale dreams of a perfect prom night because of the excessive cost of attendance. The organization accepts donated prom gowns, shoes and handbags for the prom and distributes them to girls in need of a gown to wear. Becca’s Closet might not help the community in the same way as other charities, but the organization builds self-esteem and confidence in young girls as well as providing an opportunity for more privileged girls to give back and learn the value of kindness.

Dress for Success is a charitable organization that accepts donated clothing. The difference between Dress for Success and other charities, such as the Goodwill or Salvation Army, is that Dress for Success accepts only womens' work apparel. The organization's primary concern is dressing women that are re-entering the workforce for personal reasons, whether she fought her way out of an abusive relationship and needs to provide for her children or she simply fell on hard times. Women with job interviews visit Dress for Success to obtain the appropriate attire for a job interview. Each woman is given one business suit for her interview, giving her the confidence to do well in the interview and land a new job.