With the holiday season quickly approaching, many of us are taking the time to be thankful for our blessings. There are many that will unfortunately have no home to go to on the holidays however; these folks will have to rely on food and clothing donations to keep fed and warm during the holidays. Studies have found that Americans send 10.5 million tons of clothing to rot in landfills every year. In contrast, Americans only recycle or donate 15% of their used clothing — this is surprising when one learns that 90% of clothes that are thrown away could have been reused by someone in need this winter.

Why It Feels Good to Give

A recent survey found that around 43% of those questioned gave more during the holidays than the rest of the year, while 44% reported giving around the same amount year-round. For many, the holidays bring out a spirit of compassion, good-will, and charity that already makes the altruistic act of giving even more attractive. In 2014, thanks to the generosity of millions of Americans, charity organizations were able to raise $358.38 billion to help those in need. Donating doesn’t just feel good: it genuinely is good for everyone involved.

The Benefits of Charitable Donations

There is already enough violence, hate, and cruelty in this world: this holiday season, lets make an effort to spread goodwill and love to those around us. Like a domino effect, studies show that up to 70% of social media users would “like,” comment, or share a friend’s post related to local clothing donations. Any local clothing donations worth more than $250 can help as a tax write-off as well, just make sure you receive a receipt with it. Giving away clothing that you don’t use anymore literally costs you nothing but time and can mean the world to someone who is truly in need.