Are you familiar with The Military Order of the Purple Heart? The Purple Heart is a military decoration awarded to those who have been wounded or killed while serving in the United States military. This medal of distinction is awarded in the name of the president.
The Military Order of the Purple Heart is also one of the organizations that provide different types of services to help military families. One of the ways that they are able to provide support for military families is through accepting donations of clothing and other household items.
Approximately 80% of clothing that is donated is used by veterans charities to help military and other needy families. They also use these donated items for funding programs for the blind.
There are many forms of charitable giving, and 95.4% of people in the United States engage in this practice at some level. Donating clothing to charity makes a major difference in how much organizations such as The Military Order of the Purple Heart can assist families in need.
In 2011 alone, for example, Americans donated approximately two million tons of clothing and household textiles. In addition to keeping these items out of landfills, they were also able to be reused or worn again by others. On average, Americans tend to purchase ten pounds of used clothing every year. In addition to assisting veterans services through these purchases, they also contribute significantly to recycling efforts.
Every year, around two million tons of clothing is recycled. While less than half of this clothing may be worn again, 30% is used for industrial rags. The remaining 20% or so is utilized to stuff couches and provide housing insulation.
Given that the unemployment rate for veterans is two percent above the national average for other citizens, having programs such as those provided by The Military Order of the Purple Heart make a significant difference in the lives of military families. When Americans discover they no longer need clothing or other household items, it’s important to donate, rather than throw these items away.
Once donations for non profit organizations are gathered, they can be picked up by GreenDrop or taken to a convenient drop-off location. This makes it easy to donate on a regular basis.
