One way that people can help families in need is through providing used clothing and other household items to charitable organizations. When people want to specifically offer support to organizations that help military families, such as the Military Order of the Purple Heart, their donations will be able to assist this organization, along with related organizations, to provide health, education, and family support programs to veterans.

Many people may not be aware of how an individual earns a Purple Heart. This military decoration is awarded in the President’s name to individuals that have been wounded or killed while serving. At present, approximately 1.7 million of these awards have already been bestowed.

Donations for military families can be picked up by GreenDrop. You can show your support for military families by gathering clothing, household materials, and other items. Given that 12 million tons of clothing and textiles are thrown away every year in the United States, it’s highly likely that most of those materials could have been still wearable or put to other beneficial uses.

Military support can also be demonstrated by asking family and friends to make clothing donations. For many Americans, making donations to charity, including those that provide military support, is something they do on a regular basis. While other individuals may be intending to do so, all they may need is some encouragement or a gentle reminder.

It’s important to remember that each and every charitable donation can make a difference. Charitable organizations, including those that provide military support, have made use of approximately 80% of donated clothing to help those in need and to provide necessary program funding.

In 2007, for example, approximately $5.8 billion in donations, including clothing, were given to charitable organizations. In 2011, charities in the United States received around two million tons of textiles and clothing.

When you make charitable donations, it will benefit you as well as those to whom you give. While one of the benefits you experience may be having more closet and cupboard space, the most important one is the feeling of making a difference.