December 3rd, 2008 · No Comments

The clothes closet

This is an area you probably are familiar with, because you’re used to donating clothes to Goodwill or the Salvation Army. But there are some organizations with special callings.

Wedding dresses: Brides Against Breast Cancer takes donated wedding dresses from individuals and manufacturers, and then tours the country, putting on events where brides-to-be can buy the dresses at very reduced prices (most from $99 to $799). The organization has received more than 50,000 gowns so far, and is part of the Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation, which uses money to make wishes come true for seriously ill patients. You say your gown is torn, or stained? You can donate it anyway; Making Memories has quilters who make quilts from gowns that cannot be sold, which are then sold or raffled to raise funds.

Prom dresses and formal gowns: We know it’s pretty, but say it with us, now: You’re never going to wear it again. Let’s get it to someone who will. You probably know about Chicago’s Glass Slipper Project, which collects new and gently used formal dresses and gives them to high school girls who can’t afford to buy them. But you may not know that there are lots of similar programs across the country, helping send those young Cinderellas off to the ball.

Women’s business attire: Dress for Success is dedicated to providing professional clothing and support to disadvantaged women, many entering the job force for the first time or after a long break. They accept interview-appropriate suits, blouses, blazers, jackets and shoes, and have places around the world where you can donate.

Men’s business attire: Men’s Wearhouse has an annual national Suit Drive, where every one of the company’s 500+ stores accept gently used men’s suits. They accept suits, sport coats, slacks, ties and belts, and work with nonprofit organizations in more than 40 states to distribute the clothing.

Coats: The Salvation Army partners with media organizations in many cities for their Annual Coats for Kids drives. One Warm Coat collects coats for adults and children both, and also holds coat drives throughout the country; last year, they held more than 2,000. Their national map will help you find a coat drive near you.

In addition, One Warm Coat has partnered with ABC’s Good Morning America and Burlington Coat Factory in the Warm Coats & Warm Hearts campaign. People can participate by dropping off their gently used coats at donation sites within Burlington Coat Factory stores or at the GMA studio at Times Square in New York City. GMA has posted a page to help you locate Burlington Coat Factory stores.

Athletic shoes: Nike accepts donations of any used athletic shoe – regardless of condition or brand – and turns them into Nike Grind, a material used to build tracks, kids’ playgrounds and basketball and tennis courts, among other things. The website counts the number of shoes collected internationally since the program began in 1990; the latest count was more than 21 million. In October, Nike put bins in all of its stores to help with the collection effort, which may make the tally move even faster. If you can’t get to a store, there’s a mailing address as well.

Regular shoes: Soles 4 souls accepts donations of nearly all kinds of shoes, both new and gently used, and redistributes them worldwide. Their efforts after the Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina resulted in more than a million shoe donations. They have drop locations around the country; if one isn’t close enough, you can mail your shoes to one of their warehouses.

Eyeglasses: There are several ways to donate old prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses. The Lions Club, LensCrafters stores, Goodwill and New Eyes for the Needy all make sure the glasses get to people who need eyeglasses but can’t afford them. Remember how amazing it was the first time you put on a pair of glasses and could see well? Your old prescription will be perfect for someone.

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