Give & Take: Give Back by Donating this Fall

With many of us returning to working from the office this fall, now is the perfect time for summer cleaning. If you’re like me, you’ve accumulated items over the past 17+ months while working from home. There’s likely items you no longer need, but that would be a huge help to others.

Below are some easy ways to clean out your space while also giving back this season:

• Admit it – we all have our favorite pair of cozy pants that we’ve worn while working from home. However, if you’re planning on doing a “wardrobe refresh” this Fall before heading back to the office, there’s an opportunity to clean out your closet and donate your previous wardrobe. Many places in your community will accept gently used men’s and women’s clothing, among other items for their shops or community support centers. Check out HousingWorks, a NYC-based non-profit fighting AIDS and homelessness, or a similar organization in your local area.
• After donating items from your closet, consider updating your wardrobe with designer items from The Fashion Foundation. Designers and retailers donate products to The Fashion Foundation. The Foundation then sells the donated items at a fraction of the retail cost and use the funds raised to buy school supplies to support students who may not be able to purchase the items themselves.
• Consider donating those quarantine books that you may have accumulated! Donate them to your local library, try a book exchange site, or consider swapping with a coworker once you return to the office.
• While there’s still a lot of uncertainty about back-to-school plans, there’s no question that schools are always in need of extra school supplies and other essential donations for students. Consider providing extra office supplies you may have accumulated to your local school.
• You can also donate to Donor’s Choose. This organization, founded in 2000 by a high school teacher in the Bronx, empowers public school teachers from across the country to request much-needed materials for their students. We all know how important it is for students in every community to have the resources they need for a great education. You can find a classroom to support here and sort by subject matter, preferred age group, specific requests, project type and more. Once a project is fully funded, Donor’s Choose purchases the requested items and ships them directly to the teacher. In the spirit of new beginnings and back-to-school, help both teachers and students have what they need to excel this coming year.

Consider these ways, and more, to “Give Back” this Fall!