These days, it doesn’t take long to come across someone with a cause that they are fighting for. In fact, in a time that peace and unity should be at the forefront of everyone’s mind, many communities, and in fact the nation itself, is more divided than ever. Maybe you are on the front lines, one fist in the air, the other holding a sign declaring your bold message. Maybe you are someone who does their best to avoid conflict, can’t be bothered with politics, or have a hard time understanding just what opposing sides are facing off about in particular.

Wherever you fall on this spectrum, one thing is true: you do not necessarily have to be thrust into politics, or join up one fight or another in order to make a difference. There are plenty of opportunities, all around you, to do good in the world and make a difference in even one person’s life. And when it boils down to it, isn’t that the most important thing?

Looking into local charity foundations
No matter where you live in the world, there are ways to start helping families in need. And your contribution could be as simple as cleaning out your closet or boxes in the garage. Finding out where to donate household items and clothing helps in more ways than you might immediately realize.

• Charity foundations
  Donating money, clothing, or household items to charity organizations is always a good way to connect with others in the community, find out where there is the greatest need in your area, and see just how your actions make a difference. Do your research on charity foundations, as there are some that do not explicitly operate the way that may be implied. Even the legitimate ones could have stances that you don’t agree with, and to make a difference in the most effective way, you should know just what your chosen charity foundations stand for.
• Cleaning house
  One great thing about making clothing and household donations is that you also benefit, and not just from the good feeling that you get for contributing. Going through your house and your wardrobe and actually getting rid of everything that you do not use or wear is quite liberating. And let’s be honest, pretty much everyone has an excess of possessions, especially clothing, stored up just taking up space. Clearing out all of those things gives your home a clean, fresh feeling.
• Save the planet
  The problem with the consumer mentality in this country is that people constantly feel the need to buy, especially when trends change faster than most of us can keep up with. Articles of clothing are quickly forgotten about or tossed out. But nearly 100% of all clothing and other household textiles, such as linens, are recyclable. And they don’t even have to be in great condition. Sadly, about 10.5 million tons of clothing end up in already overflowing landfills each and every year. But we can change that, and it seems that some people are already hopping on board, as over 4.5 billion pounds of clothes avoid landfills every year when they are donated instead of thrown out.

Change on a global scale
You have the chance to make a difference in the world, on multiple levels, even if it seems like the actions that you are taking are insignificant. Every small act of love and goodness matters in this world that is too often harsh and unforgiving. You may not see where your donations end up, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t gratefully accepted and put to good use. In fact many items that are donated are sent to other nations that are not as well off, and citizens can buy those used goods at much more affordable prices. Americans donate over 14 million tons of textiles to families in other countries. Just be sure to choose an organization that is straightforward and honest about their role and actions during the donation process.

Maybe you have a cause, maybe you don’t. But what you do need is to be a diligent and responsible citizen of this planet, and that can be as simple as cleaning out your closet and making some local clothing donations.