Tag: vva

Shopping for Christmas … From Your Screens

Posted on by Jordank

The novel #coronavirus has upended life as we know it. Even the holidays haven’t been spared, with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommending that more than 330 million Americans reconsider their Thanksgiving travel plans to stop the spread.

Generally speaking, the fewer people you come into close contact with, the better. And with Christmas, Hannukah and other celebrations due up, CDC lists “Going shopping in crowded stores just before, on or after Thanksgiving” as a high-risk activity.

Since it rarely requires interpersonal interaction, online shipping is low-risk. It has been growing apace with the internet for more than 25 years, and it is now set to eclipse all other channels for holiday gift-giving during the pandemic.

Retailers are ready to provide home delivery and contactless pickup if you’re willing to offer a credit card number. The deals aren’t bad, either; many outlets are offering loss leaders just to get you through their online storefronts.

Sitting in front of a screen trying to source great gifts can be tedious — there’s just no way to browse as fast as you might in a physical setting. That’s where online gift guides can help: They can point you in the direction of good gifts for anyone on your list.

Stuck for ideas? Just Google “gifts” and few keywords of the things and activities your giftee likes, and you’ll soon have a page of links to lists suggesting products with click-throughs to online stores ready to take your money.

Whatever they like — be it tech, gaming, music, movies, pets, exercise, cooking — there’s a gift guide for it. At the Organizing Blog, we like to give gifts that don’t add to clutter, meaning they are immediately useful or take up little space. Gourmet foodstuffs, a subscription to a streaming service, or a charitable donation are good options.

To help fund valuable veterans programs during a particularly stressful and often isolating holiday season, consider donating your extra stuff to ClothingDonations.org or making a direct donation of money or a vehicle to VVA.org. The veterans appreciate the help. Now get shopping!

Building Upon the Benefits of Decluttering

Posted on by Jordank

The Organizing Blog has often extolled the many virtues of decluttering in streamlining your space and building your overall well-being — and offered plenty of targeted advice on many aspects of the topic.

We have also made it easy to get rid of the extra junk that we’ve helped you clear out of your closets, basements and garages by contacting ClothingDonations.org for convenient, tax-deductible pickups throughout the year.

But you may not yet be aware of what happens to your donations and the ways in which they help the nation’s veterans. Reducing clutter is reward enough, but your donations are crucial to programs that help veterans throughout the country.

When you donate to ClothingDonations.org, the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) coordinates pickup. VVA is a national veterans service organization that’s funded mostly though fundraising activities and membership fees.

The association’s primary source of funding is the resale of items donated to ClothingDonations.org. VVA picks up your generous donations and resells them in bulk to qualified, privately owned thrift-store operators, who in turn sell the used goods to bargain-shoppers.

Money from resale goes directly to local, state and national programs designed to help VVA’s more than 75,000 members, other veterans in need and their families. They help throw chapter get-togethers, build memorials to those who gave their lives in service, send veterans’ grandchildren to college and more.

Proceeds from your donations assist veterans nationwide in accessing guaranteed government benefits, affordable housing and health care. They help veterans cope with problems such as Agent Orange exposure, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse.

On a national level, VVA uses the funds to advocate for legislation supporting veterans such as the Blue Water Navy Act. In short, all funds garnered from donation pickups help veterans continue to be active and vital members of the communities in which they live.

So, the next time you schedule a pickup with ClothingDonations.org, you can feel doubly good. Your simple act — decluttering — will not only improve your situation, but will also improve the lives of thousands of veterans in your community and others throughout the country.

We make it easy to #ThankAVeteran and give something back!

Donations Offer Veterans Direct Support

Posted on by Jordank

Donations of used clothing and household goods made to ClothingDonations.org are resold to thrift and secondhand stores throughout the country, with the proceeds going toward funding veterans’ programs at a hyperlocal level. With the help of the local chapter of the Vietnam Veterans Association, for example, more than 30 homeless veterans in Northern Virginia received Veterans Administration Supportive Housing (VASH) program gift cards to assist in finding stable housing during the holidays, and still more received grants to cover sudden financial emergencies.

Donations Contribute to VVA’s Mission

Posted on by Jordank

This week, the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) proudly presents its 18th biennial convention in New Orleans, La. Held in conjunction with the Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America (AVVA), the convention will host as many as 900 veterans for five days of speakers, recognitions, planning and camaraderie.

The five-day event not only helps assist VVA in steering its nationwide activities, but also helps veterans and their families cope with the legacy of service and come together in support of one another. And the convention couldn’t be staged with the help of your generous donations to VVA and ClothingDonations.org.

We’re excited to welcome Charles Figley, a Vietnam veteran who is become an expert on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as the show’s keynote speaker. Acclaimed Native American actor Wes Saudi (Dances with Wolves) and author/environmentalist Doug Peacock (Grizzly Years: In Search of the American Wilderness) — both veterans — will also appear to collect VVA awards for Excellence in the Arts.

Paula Cinko, Rosie Gitlin and Jackie Chidsey — all veterans of Bob Hope’s tours to Vietnam — will entertain and reminisce. Veterans and their family members will be invited to share memories with Louisiana Public Broadcasting, as well as screen excerpts from the forthcoming 18-hour PBS documentary series, The Vietnam War.

VVA and the Veterans Administration will join for Veterans Benefits Claims Clinic during the show to help veterans get support, guidance and education related to pensions, education, employment and insurance. The convention will also feature a remembrance ceremony for POW/MIAs, and recognize the accomplishments of chapters and individuals.

Whether you donate lightly-used clothing and household goods to ClothingDonations.org or donate directly, the proceeds help us provide job training and housing, protect veterans benefits, help individuals cope with problems such as PTSD and substance abuse, and much more.

The convention will forge treasured memories for hundreds of veterans and help VVA direct its efforts in the years ahead. VVA programs allow veterans to connect and build a sense of belonging long after the end of what was an unpopular war. The association couldn’t do it without your donations — and the nation’s veterans thank you for your support.

Our New Design Makes It Easier Than Ever to Donate!

Posted on by Jordank

We’re excited to announce our fresh, new web design!

It’s been a work-in-progress for some time now as we’ve carefully developed ways to make connecting with us better than ever. The simplicity of our home page easy to schedule a free pick up or find a drop-off location. Additionally, it provides users with all of the essential information needed for making donations. The site also offers access to background information about our mission, FAQs, and useful information that can be taken from our Tales From the Closet blog and Quick Tips.

ClothingDonations.org is a service of the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), but we actually support all veterans regardless of when or where they served. Your donations are delivered and sold through thrift stores, and the money received is used to fund our programs.

We gratefully accept gently used clothing of all types and sizes, accessories, baby items, glassware, books, toys, bikes, electronics, housewares, furniture, and appliances—just about anything!

Your generous donations make a big difference in the lives of veterans who have bravely served our country, as well as their families. We hope you’ll consider making a donation by scheduling a pick up, or dropping off your items at a convenient location near you.

Don’t forget to connect with us on Facebook and Twitter!