Charitable giving tends to most often refer to giving cash donations to various charities or non-profit agencies that serve society. Certainly, cash donations are an easy way to practice charitable giving, and they are a method for organizations to raise funds to run their businesses or to directly profit the object of their charity. Yet not all people can afford to give large donations or donations of any size, and they may wish to consider the other ways in which they can support charities.
Donations to charities do not have to be cash. Many organizations look for other donations by which they can raise money. A number of charities have begun to accept donations of old cars or boats, and they resell these to benefit their business. Frequently donations of cars or other vehicles are tax deductible for the donor, and an excellent way to practice charitable giving.
Some charities run thrift stores for the public, which help them raise money. Donating clothing, household items, and furniture to these stores is another method of charitable giving. However, people should be wary of what they donate. Excessively stained clothes or broken beyond repair objects really aren’t suitable for donation, and some charities than run thrift stores end up spending some of their money to dispose of these items because they can’t sell them. For charitable giving of this kind to work best, donors should look for items to donate that are in good shape and likely to be sellable to others.
Another form of charitable giving includes donation of items too, particularly coats and blankets. Homeless shelters and charities benefiting the homeless may ask for these items to help people survive the cold when they must live outdoors. Instead of selling these items, they go directly to the people who will benefit from them.
In tight economic times, people may not have items to donate or money to spare for charitable giving. Many do still have some time on their hands, in which they could help a charity do some of its necessary work. Volunteering to work for a charity, either on a one-time basis or regularly is a fantastic way to support it. Though charities still depend on some cash and item donation, they also need helpers to keep their operation running.
Another charitable giving option is to donate money or items posthumously (after death). Many people structure their wills to at least partially benefit a specific charity, or they set up charitable trusts. Amount donated in a will does not have to be large, and some may view this as their final gift to mankind as they depart this earth.
