Charitable Donations in 2010

Along with this de-cluttering the house, I’ve decided we need to be more charitable as a family. Obviously, even though we couldn’t control our amount of debt for a while, we are doing well enough financially to accumulate stuff. I’ve decided to start locally for the most part. I think that will help the girls grasp the concept of giving easier when we can visit these places to drop off donations.

Other Mother’s
1821 Beall Avenue
Wooster, OH 44691-2343
(330) 264-7176
othermothers.com

Other Mother’s is a store for baby/toddler/maternity items. They buy back your gently used clothing and other merchandise, and then resell it. This isn’t really charity…since they pay you for the items they decide to keep and resell, but if gives others who are on a budget a chance to get name brand clothes and really good prices. Plus, it helps us make a little money for debt payoff, and get rid of some clutter. I have a 31 gallon plastic tote waiting to be dropped off for them to go through. I’m not sure what they will take and what they won’t, so I’ve put in a variety of clothing and we’ll see what they are looking for.

Wayne County Humane Society
1161 Mechanicsburg Road
Wooster, OH 44691
Phone: (330) 262-0152
www.wchs.org

Obviously, the humane society helps out local stray animals that need homes. Their website has a wishlist of items they happily accept as donations. Anything from food and toys, to office supplies for the staff; they can use it all. I plan on setting up a small container, and as we find deals in the store on some of those items, we will pick them up here and there and when we fill the container, we can drop it off. The girls love animals, and I think they would understand that those animals don’t have homes and need someone to buy these items for them. I also think I may set up a small bank, and the girls can donate some of their money they earn from picking up toys and doing other chores. The humane society has a second chance fund that helps injured animals get the vet care they need to be well so they can get adopted.

Every Woman's House
Gault Liberty Center
104 Spink Street
Wooster, Ohio 44691
(330) 263-6021
www.everywomanshouse.org

This is our local domestic violence shelter. I don’t think the girls will understand that abuse takes place, but the idea that there are people out there that are less fortunate, and need items that we can provide is a more simple concept. They accept adult clothing, kids clothing, toys, small appliances and furniture, money, and anything else to help people get back on their feet and out in the world after going through this violence. We have plenty of kids clothing, and I’m sure Luke and I can thin our closets some, so I plan on doing the same thing we are doing with the humane society. A small container that we can add to and then drop off.

Pantene Beautiful Lengths
511 Wisconsin Drive
New Richmond, WI 54017-2613
www.beautifullengths.com

So this isn’t so much a family thing, as it is a me thing. I had my haircut shortly after Lilly was born in 2007, with every intention of donating it. I wasn’t sure where, but I knew I had enough length to do it. I had my ponytail chopped and put it in a bag and it’s been sitting ever since. Most places for donating hair are related to making wigs for children, and we are doing so much charitable work for children, that I picked Pantene because they focus on women who survive cancer. They also have less restrictions on what has been done to the hair, and the length can be shorter than the foundations for children’s hair. I plan on sending out the ponytail that I have sitting around, and I believe my hair is long enough to do it again, so in the next few months, I need to budget in a haircut so I can donate again. With 3 daughters, I would love to be able to encourage them to do the same when they are old enough to make that decision. Lexi’s hair is long enough right now, but I know she wouldn’t quite understand, and right now they both love their long “princess” hair. I would probably look into Locks for Love, or another children’s donation place for them, since they are kids afterall. I’m thinking maybe when Lexi is 5 or 6 she would understand better, but I will see what their reaction is when I do it.

Soldier’s Angels
www.soldiersangels.org

This isn’t local, but this organization has the option of adopting a soldier, and/or sending care packages, and other kinds of packages. Luke and I aren’t very social, so adopting a soldier and writing to them every week doesn’t sound like the best option for us, so for now, we are going to concentrate on just putting general care packages together and sending them to our nearest warehouse, so they can be sent overseas where they are much needed and appreciated. Personal care items, magazines and crossword puzzles, hard candies, food, clothing, and all kinds of other stuff is listed on the website as acceptable donations. I can’t image Luke or I being gone for an entire year, so sending a little part of home to these guys and gals probably makes a world of difference for their moral. I think the girls are a bit young to understand the war, but supporting our military can be such a simple act of compassion, and I know the girls will enjoy picking out things and packing up the boxes.

I hope to get some boxes/containers together and get everything organized so we can officially start buying items next month. I need to find some simple ways to explain the organizations to the girls, and get them pumped about helping. Getting them excited and involved will help hold us accountable.

I’m on the lookout for other things we can donate to. I know after yardsale season is over, we will box up the leftovers for a goodwill donation, and I hope to find an angel tree or something similar for next Christmas.

I know this may seem counter-productive, since we are trying to tighten our budget and work our way out of debt, but good Karma floats around, and giving it out will surely bring some back, and I just feel it’s time we start contributing more in life. If all I have to complain about in life is debt and clutter, than obviously I have it better than others do, so I should have the means to help them. Maybe when the kids get older, we can actually donate time, but for now, stuff seems to be a better choice.