When Was the Last Time You Made a Donation to the Red Cross?

You were surprised, but thrilled when you walked into your the rooms of your two daughters on Saturday morning. Without any prompting from either of you, your girls had decided to go through their closets and their drawers the weekend before Thanksgiving. With an eye out for items that they could give to the American Red Cross donations collections that was going on at school, your girls started their weekend thinking of others.
Both you and your husband were thrilled. In fact, your husband was so excited he headed downstairs to make the girls their favorite breakfast. Typically only made for holidays, your husband cooked up Belgian waffles for the whole family, He even took the time to make his famous homemade raspberry syrup. He simply told the girls that one good deed deserves another, and if they could spend time going through their closets in search of clothing to contribute as American Red Cross donations, he could spend an equal amount of time in the kitchen.
What a great way to start Thanksgiving week!
‘Tis the Season to Think About Giving
Many of us live pretty charmed lives. With a warm place to go to bed every night and cupboards full of food to fill our stomaches, many Americans have never spend even a single day wondering if we will have warm clothing to wear as soon as the temperature drops. None of us have to look very far, though, to find someone in our community who is far less fortunate. From the children in our son’s and daughter’s classrooms to the neighbors down the street, this time of year finds many families struggling. Struggling to find warm mittens, gloves, and coats. Struggling to find enough food to put on the table. For this reason, an increasing number of individuals, families, and organizations spend this time of the year collecting American Red Cross clothing donations or clothing and food to give to other groups that provide assistance to those who are most in need.
Finding the best way to help those most in need can sometimes be a challenge. When you make American Red Cross donations, however, you are giving to a group that is well known for connecting those who are in need of the most help with the necessary resources. And while Americans often think of American Red Cross donations whenever there is a natural disaster, the fact of the matter is that this group helps those in need all year long. From blood to blankets and coats to coffee, the Red Cross is one of many organizations in the country that helps distribute gifted items and funds to those who are most in need. Are you ready to do your part?
Consider some of these statistics about the charitable giving that goes on in this country and the impact that it has on the nation’s economy:

• Donation to selected charities are tax deductible for the value of the items that are donated.
• The American Red Cross provides relief for families and communities in the form of blankets, food, blood and shelter 24 hours a day, and 365 days a year.
• As of January 2015, 564 thousand people were homeless on any given night in the U.S.
• $666.1 billion is contributed to the U.S. economy every year by non-profits.
• 70% of people in the U.S. give to charity each year.
• 3% of American income is given to charities each year.
• Sometimes the clothing that people give even helps people around the world. In fact, on an international level more than 14.3 million tons of donated American textiles help clothe individuals and families worldwide.

This is the time of year when it is pretty easy to get caught up in the frenzy of making lists of gifts that we want. This is also the time of year, however, when we should all also take the time to give to those who are less fortunate. Whether those gifts come in the form of gently used clothing from our closets or new pillows and blankets from the store, as long as these gifts come from the heart they will serve an admirable purpose.
To see more, read this.