Fashion trends come and go. Something that was hip and trendy two months ago can be a big fashion no-no now. Clothes, shoes, and accessories come in and out of style all the time and when this happens, most of the time we push our unpopular attire to the back of the closet. In some cases, it is never seen or heard from again. When this happens, people tend to end up with a large amount of clothes that they never intend on wearing again. This also happens when people grow out of clothes or they lose weight and can no longer fit their clothes. There are many different facts that can lead to someone getting a closet full of clothes that they?ll never need again in life. Some people tend to let these clothes just sit in their closet and create a mess. Not only is this a bigger hassle for you, but it is depriving a group of people who could use the clothes you no longer need. The clothes you can no longer wear or simply do not have use for anymore can be sent to military charities to help veterans. Military charities do a great service for our retired military personnel who return to the states with little to nothing.
Charitable clothing donations to military charities creating a winning situation for all parties involved. Charities that pick up clothing donations will come to your house in order to grab your unwanted clothes free of charge. All you have to do is get the clothes together, which is a lot easier than having to haul them to your car and then bring them into the charity. When you donate clothes, you are helping military families in need and helping families in need as well. Military support is very important. These people put their lives on the line for us and when they come home, they should be treated like the heroes they are.
The average American purchases 10 pounds of previously used clothing each year in the United States. In 2007, an estimated $5.8 billion worth of clothing related donations were made to charity foundations in the United States. The recovery rate for used clothing and textiles in 2011 was an estimated 15.3% in the United States. In 2011, an estimated 2 million tons of clothing and textiles were recycled or donated to charity in the United States. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an estimated 207,000 recent veterans were unable to find work in March of 2013. The unemployment rate for veterans in the United States is 2% above the national average for regular citizens. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for veterans between the ages of 18-24 in the United States was a whopping 20.4 percent in 2012. The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration given in the name of the President to those wounded or killed, while serving in the military. It is estimated that around 1.7 million Purple Heart awards have been awarded to soldiers wounded or killed while serving in the military. An estimated 80% of donated clothing in the United States is used by charitable organizations for donation to the needy, and for funding. Research shows that 12 million tons of clothing and textile waste is thrown out in the United States each year. The average person generates 4.5 pounds of trash every day ? about 1.5 tons of solid waste per year. The EPA estimates that 75 percent of solid waste is recyclable, only about 30 percent is actually recycled. In 2012, Americans recycled and composted almost 87 million tons of material. If every American recycled just one-tenth of their newspapers, we could save about 25 million trees each year. We generate 21.5 million tons of food waste each year. If we composted that food, it would reduce the same amount of greenhouse gas as taking 2 million cars off the road. According to CNN, identity fraud claims a new victim every 42 seconds. Philadelphia has the worst poverty rate among the top 10 largest cities in the United States. Approximately 440,000 Philadelphia residents currently fall below the federal poverty line. This can be increased with military charities.