9 Easy Donations You Can Make

In a recession, many not-for-profit organizations suffer from a decrease or overall lack in donations. As the average American household suffers, so do non-profits. But the tax breaks from donations are real: a $1,000 donation in a 35% tax bracket saves $350 of taxes. Unfortunately, this is money the government is losing, which does trickle down to a loss for the average household getting aid. Following are nine easy and truly painless ways to donate to non-profits today.

Clean house
Go through every closet, drawer, and shelf in the house and box up everything you do not need or want anymore. This includes clothing, books, cooking utensils and pot and pan sets that are minimally damaged, blankets, and old, out-dated toys from childrens' rooms. Take this to a thrift store, a Humane Society re-sell shop, or donate them to a local church or shelter.

Feed the need
Soup kitchens, shelters, and low-income families everywhere are severely lacking in food donations. Clean out those cans of yams from Thanksgiving, box up the packs of Ramen noodles from your college years, and take them to a food drive. Many grocery stores, banks, and schools will have boxes out for non-perishable food donations.

Volunteer your time
Time is a very expensive asset many non-profits are losing these days. As people lose money, they work longer hours and give fewer for free. Volunteer your time at a local soup kitchen, animal shelter, or a clean-up environmental crew.

Recycle
The environment needs just as much help as others. Volunteer your time to wash out the occasional soda can and avoid using Styrofoam. If you need a kick in the pants for motivation, check out the Great Pacific Landfill - a gigantic, international waste dump (bigger than the state of Texas) in the middle of the world's largest ocean.

Teach
Many communities and churches have programs under which adults can volunteer to tutor children who cannot afford tutoring services. Donate your knowledge to a good cause and start mentoring a child through a school, church, or Big Brothers and Big Sisters.

Blood of life
If you are living, chances are you have blood. Every year, the American Red Cross sponsors blood drives where people can donate something truly for free: blood. Find out your blood type and, especially if it is universal, donate as soon and as often as possible.

Fund-raising
Since so many non-profits are short on funds and many donations these days go toward getting more money, volunteer by going out in your community and raising money for a good cause. Ask your friends and neighbors to pitch in with a bake sale and start a community-sponsored event.

Walking
Many non-profits host marathons to raise money for cancer research and other things. Ask for pledges and participate in one of these marathons for a better body and cleaner conscience.

Counseling
If you have experience with psychology or substance abuse, volunteer to host an Alcoholics Anonymous group or another support system. Many people are turning to drugs and alcohol as a means of escaping the bad economy and need help getting back on their feet.

These are just a few of many ways you can donate to non-profits painlessly and easily. Hopefully with this information, fewer people will neglect their charities in the coming years. A final, simple way to donate to charity? Send this article to your friends and tell them what they can do to help.