When many people think of donating to causes, they think of donating money to a charity or cause. Even though these causes are all rooted in good ideas and actions, many people are cautious to spend money because of the decline in the economy recently. It is important to know that many people involved themselves in charitable actions, as a matter of fact, 95.4 percent of all Americans will participate at some level of charitable giving. Veterans donations are different than most donations and causes in one very unique way. Veterans donations can be more than just donating money. You are also able to donate clothes to Purple Heart, and they then donate those clothes to Americans. Here’s how donating your clothes is just as good as donating money, if not, it can even be considered better than donating money.

Every single year Americans will recycle or donate about 15 percent of their used clothing. The rest of the clothing, about 10.5 million tons a year, go into landfills, giving textiles one of the poorest recycling rates of an reusable material in the United States. According to research and studies, 12 million tons of clothing and textile waste is thrown out in the United States every single year. Veterans donations can benefit from clothing recycling every year in ways beyond purely donating these clothing to veterans that need clothes to wear on a daily basis. Veterans have a difficult path ahead of them when they return home from war. In the United Staes, the unemployment rate for veterans is 2% above the national average for regular citizens. Veterans donations can come from the Purple Heart foundation which works in turn with Salvation Army stores to help provide veterans without work clothing to wear. Estimates show that about 1.7 million Purple Heart awards have been awarded to soldiers wounded or killed while serving in the military. The veterans who do survive should be able to receive help and benefit from the citizens who owe their safety and protection to those who died in combat.

A charitable donation is one of the greatest offerings a citizen can give to the community that they are a part of. Charitable donations are selfless, and can help benefit and help those who are in need. Veterans donations are great as well as they will help benefit someone who risked their life to protect the daily freedoms that all American citizens use and value. If money is tight for you, a simple clothing donation is enough to help benefit some greatly.