Tag: donating for veterans

Give Up Clutter for Good

Posted on by Jordank

Just a week ago, New Orleans revelers celebrated Mardi Gras, tossing some 25 million pounds of beads. The following day—Ash Wednesday—marked the beginning of Lent, the annual religious observance that asks Christians to engage in six weeks of penance or self-denial by giving something up.

Whether or not you’re a regular churchgoer, there’s one way to give things up that will reward you immediately, even as you help others: Pledge to give up clutter during Lent—and maybe for good—by cleaning out your old clothing, housewares and other unused goods and calling ClothingDonations.org for a pickup.

Clutter not only gets in your way, it clutters and confuses the mind. “Like used plastic shopping bags stuck on the branches of a riverbank tree, our clutter poisons our view and enjoyment of the objects that we do need and want and use,” says green living expert Annie B. Bond.

Her “8 Easy Steps to No More Clutter” begin with a thorough sorting exercise. Arrange your stuff into five categories: “Essential” things you need every day; “Favorites” such as photos, jewelry, and souvenirs; “Other people’s stuff” that winds up in your space; and “Annoying” or “Downright gross” items like junk mail and dirty laundry.

Start with the gross, she says, and sort out the simply annoying. Return other peoples’ stuff and find places for your favorites. Finally, put all of your essentials in places you can access and use them. Anything that still doesn’t have a home when you’re finished is clutter—and you can throw it away or donate it.

This is a comprehensive approach to spring cleaning, to be sure, but with almost five more weeks of Lent, you’ll have time to give something up and still do the virtuous work of helping others. When you donate the stuff that clutters up your house, the proceeds go toward programs that help feed, house and thank the nation’s veterans for their service.

There’s never a bad time to give up clutter, but you, your family and the nation’s veterans will all be better off once you do. So start today—you’ll be happy you did!

Make Sure to Thank a Veteran This Week!

Posted on by Jordank

Memorial Day is symbolic for many reasons. For many people, it signifies the start of summer. It represents the beginning of camping season and time spent around the pool and the grill. Memorial Day makes us excited for the warm, sunny days of a brand new summer, waiting with vacations and adventures.

But, the most important reason for Memorial Day 一 actually, the only reason we even have Memorial Day 一 is to honor those in the United States Armed Forces who have lost their lives serving our country. It’s an important reminder to all of us to take the time to truly be thankful for the freedoms and safety we have due to the brave men and women who fight for our country.

Wondering what you can do to give back to veterans in your community? We’re glad you asked!

Any and all of the donations you make to us go toward funding and supporting the programs we provide to veterans. We accept:

  • Clothing items (sweaters, coats, shoes and more)
  • Kitchenware (storage containers, cooking utensils, pots and pans)
  • Accessories (jewelry and scarves)
  • Entertainment/media items (DVDs, CDs and board games)

Making a donation to us is easy and stress-free! Simply put your gently used items in a bag or box marked clearly with the words “for donation.” Then, visit our website to schedule a donation pickup time. Set your bag or box outside by your mailbox, and we’ll come by to pick it up for you. It’s that easy!

Another way to honor our veterans is to simply say, “Thank you.” It doesn’t seem like much, but acknowledging how much you appreciate their service will mean more than you know. Also, while some veterans don’t want to talk about their time serving, some do. Ask them about being in the armed forces, and if they offer up information, be sure to listen.

We hope you had a great Memorial Day this year and enjoyed your time with family and friends. But we also hope you took the time to give thanks to the people who allow you to celebrate.