GETTING YOUR CHILDREN INVOLVED IN CHARITABLE GIVING

Pay it Forward with Books

There are many communities that rely on charities and nonprofit services. Supporting a charity is a great way to give back to your community. For parents, helping a nonprofit group is also an important way to teach their children lessons about giving and compassion. Many parents are hesitant to bring up charities to children because it is a difficult concept to grasp. Children have a limited understanding of the world, so even the idea of supporting a local group may seem beyond their scope, let alone some of the larger global charities. Even if your children do not grasp the full significance of donating to charity, there are still valuable lessons to learn.

Talking to your child about nonprofit groups is a great way to develop empathy. By donating unused items, such as old books, clothing, or school supplies, you are not only helping children in need but also helping your own children understand the value of their belongings. It also teaches them to be grateful for the possessions and support they have.

What to Donate

A common misconception is the only way you can help charities is by donating money. While there are some nonprofit groups that only accept monetary contributions, there are plenty of charities, especially local groups, that accept items. A great item to donate is old toys. As your children grow up, their interests will start to shift and they will lose interest in their old toys. This is especially common with children who outgrow baby toys or young adults who no longer need items like action figures or doll houses. Instead of throwing away these items and leaving them in storage, you can donate them.

Books are a great item to donate, and there are many groups that accept children’s books. Every few years, have your children go through their collection of books. Help them organize which books they want to keep and which ones they no longer read and are willing to donate.

Clothing is another popular item to donate. Even if your clothing is used, charities will still accept it. Given how quickly children grow, you most likely have a whole host of clothing that no longer fits. Additionally, children often have an easier time donating old clothing compared to toys since it is easier to get attached to toys than an outfit. Warmer clothing, such as coats, sweaters, socks, gloves, and hats are some of the most helpful items to donate. Similarly, old blankets or sleeping bags are also useful.

Old school supplies are also helpful to donate to charity. These can include writing utensils, art supplies, notebooks, scissors, and backpacks. Items like rulers and pencil sharpeners are also appreciated. Some schools even need earbuds and headphones for their computers.

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is one of the largest charitable organizations in the United States. If you are looking to donate items, the Salvation Army is an excellent choice because they frequently partner with other nonprofits and accept a wide range of items, including books, toys, and clothing. It is also considered by many a convenient charity to donate to because the drop-off process is so easy. You can use an online locator to find the nearest drop-off location, as well as a list of recommended or highly sought-after items.

Goodwill

Another charity group you can donate to is Goodwill. Goodwill is an excellent charity group that places a greater emphasis on supporting the community. While many of their resources are geared towards adults, they frequently partner with local schools and libraries as well. They also offer resources to parents, including helping them get access to clothing, books, and other supplies for their children.

Kids Need to Read and Reader to Reader

Both ‘Kids Need to Read’ and ‘Reader to Reader’ are charities that focus exclusively on literacy. Both of the charities accept used books. Kids Need to Read works with schools, libraries, and literacy programs. Reader to Reader also teams up with schools, as well as Native American reservations. They also place a greater emphasis on assisting smaller, rural towns.

Alex’s Lemonade Stand

Alex’s Lemonade Stand is a unique charity opportunity because it allows your children to directly help. Unlike other charities, the group does not accept donated items. Instead, families can participate by running a lemonade stand event. When you register an event, you can advertise the lemonade stand through the charity. The charity also walks you through the process of raising funds and how to send the money after the event. All of the money raised goes to supporting childhood cancer research.

Local Charities

If you are having trouble finding charities that need children’s items, consider looking at smaller, local charities. For example, many schools and libraries will accept book donations. These charities are not always advertised. One of the best ways to find smaller charities in your community is to search through Donation Town. Donation Town not only has a list of all the charitable organizations in your area, but it also helps you schedule free donation pickups. This is especially helpful if you are clearing out your storage and are unable to make multiple trips to deliver all your items.

Other Ways to Help

Not every family has items to donate to charity. Some parents choose to hold onto items because they plan on having more children in the future and want to pass their possessions down. There are still ways you can support charity. There are many groups that donate a portion of their proceeds to a charitable group. For example, Nabila Khashoggi donates a portion of all proceeds from her Spartan and the Green Egg graphic novel series to The Children for Peace.

If you shop online, you can make an Amazon Smile account. Amazon Smile allows you to pick a charity and whenever you make a purchase, a percentage of your spending goes to your chosen charity. Box Tops for Education supports local schools whenever you purchase select products, including major brand names like Nature Valley, Pillsbury, General Mills, and Betty Crocker.

While these contributions may initially seem small, they ultimately make a large contribution over time. Most charities and nonprofit groups also receive significant discounts, allowing them to make many important purchases with only a few dollars.