Three Ways You Can Help Military Veterans Through Donations

Old clothes. Old canned veggies. Old cars.

These are among the most popular items that get donated to charity organizations every year. And in the past 10 years, given our nation’s continued conflicts overseas, the number of military-assisting charities has grown as the number of returning vets continues to climb. That means that helping disables veterans and even vets who haven’t sustained any physical injuries at all has never been easier.

So why don’t people donate more? One reason could be that old clothing can just as easily be sold to an upscale secondhand shop and old cars can be placed on Craigslist and purchased for upwards of $3,000. It’s easy to think of yourself and what you can gain from selling your old stuff, but in truth, charity organizations can benefit a great deal from it, as well. Here’s how you can get involved with helping disabled veterans right here at home.

Donating Clothing

The best charities to donate to are often the ones with the most transparency. With plenty of local clothing donation centers, there’s no mystery in what happens once you drop off your old threads. What can be sold immediately will be sold, and the proceedings will be split — some for the veterans in need and some for the operational costs of the organization. As for the torn and frayed clothes? They’re sold too and used to make industrial wipes and rags, and the proceeds are split the same. Helping disabled veterans is as easy as looking through your closet.

Donating Food

Homelessness among vets is on the rise, with those who’ve served in the military currently accounting for about 10% of all the homeless in America. They’re hungry, and it takes a lot of food to feed that many — but all it requires from you is a few cans of food. Picking up some extra canned vegetables and dry foods at the supermarket on Sundays will likely cost you an extra $10 or $15, but it could be saving someone’s life at a homeless shelter.

Donating Cars

It’s quite tempting to sell a car that still runs well, mainly because you know you can get a few thousand dollars from it if you post it online. But you might not need that money; it might just be some extra cash to play around with. As nice as that is, there are people who desperately need more money, and quite often those people are vets. Donating your car to a charity organization means the car will be sold, but the proceeds will go to a vet or a family in need. It’s one of the most effective ways for helping disabled veterans in America today.

Remember that it’s not about the money; it’s about the service. For more information, look up local veteran charities in your area.