Where to Donate those Extra Blankets and Coats this Holiday Season
When you go through your winter clothes this season, take a second look at them with an eye for charity. Do you have extra coat that can be donated? Does your favorite coat no longer fit or are you ready for a new one? How about that pile of blankets at the bottom of the closet; do you really need all ten of them? Or can you sort through some of them and donate them to charities and shelters that can benefit from your help during the cold winter season?
Who needs coats?
There are several places that you can donate your coats and other clothes to. Before you donate:
Make sure you check all the coat pockets for any money, jewelry or even a wallet.
Wash or dry clean any coats before donating. The possibility of someone buying a coat that’s dirty is low. If the coat is too dirty, it will just end up in the rag bag.
If the coat is unwearable or if you wouldn’t buy it because it’s torn, don’t donate it. Don’t use the charity as a clothing disposal place.
You may know of a neighbor or a friend who needs extra warmth this winter – start there. Next, consider donating the remaining coats to women’s shelters. Most of the time, these women and their children flee with just the clothes on their backs and not much else. Another place to donate to is a homeless shelter for the homeless who need warmer clothing to brave the elements.
You can also donate to Goodwill and the Salvation Army. Both of these places will resell the coats at a very low cost. Sometimes churches and other organizations will have a coat drive where you can donate new or gently used coats. This is one of my favorite options as it engages the community as a whole and helps local neighborhoods come together to serve others.
Where can you donate blankets?
Blankets can be donated to homeless shelters, local churches and charities that have a clothing donation program, victims of domestic violence shelters, and animal shelters.
Make sure the blankets are freshly washed and placed in suitable containers such as plastic garbage bags to keep them from becoming dirty. You may need to call to find out where a suitable drop off point is too.
Domestic abuse shelters may not give out their addresses, but they can arrange a meeting point or drop off for donations at a safe place such as a church. You can also call the homeless shelter and arrange a time for a drop off that is convenient for both parties.
If your blankets are somewhat threadbare, they can still be donated to animal shelters. The blankets can be used for cleaning, bedding and keeping animals warm. What you can’t use, someone else may be able to! And what better time of the year than the cold, winter season when shelters are already operating at their peak capacities?
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12 Comments
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We will like to donate disgarded linen that we have at the Doubletree Suites by time Square. We would need someone to pick it up and send us your tax id number.
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Hi Jessica! What city and state are you located in?
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Hi I wood like to collect coats an blanket etc to help homeless ppl an ppl in need of them I live in limerick Ireland do u no wa I need to do plz
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Hey! I am looking to collect anything I can get for a Homeless Outreach Event in Santa Rosa California! We (Love Outreach Christian Club) would love to partner with you, Thanks!
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Hello, I have coats
I want to donate to those in need. I live in CT. -
I have blankets to donate ! I’m in Surprise ,Az
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I make handmade blankets for children. I live in the south side of Chicago. Do you know of a place with need to where I can donate them?
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I make handmade blankets for children. I live in the south side of Chicago. Do you know of a place with need to where I can donate them?
I realize now you are for seniors. Do they need blankets? If so, what size?
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I have blankets and coats to donate. I know where Goodwill and Salvation Army places are but I was trying to find a place to donate where they actually don’t resale the items. I live in Birmingham, AL do you know where the closes donation place is.
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I am looking for a homeless shelter or organization to donate warm coats to in San Jose CA. Does anyone know of a reputable shelter or organization?
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I have used blankets and coats that I would like to donate but I don’t want to give them to someplace that sells them. I live in Griswold, CT do you know any places I could donate to.
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I have blankets and sheets that I want to donate to the homeless shelters in Cathedral City area.
Where can I drop them off?
