It’s that time of year again; the days are getting shorter, the holidays are on the horizon, and moving season has just about come to an end. With Thanksgiving in only a few weeks, many of us are thinking of how fortunate we are to have all that we do.
However, not everyone is lucky to have a roof over their heads, warm clothes to wear, or furniture to enjoy. If you’ve just moved, however, there’s a good chance you still have a few possessions you’re not interested in keeping. Certainly, you could sell or junk said items, but why not consider giving them away to one of the many New Hampshire charities?
If you’re a new NH resident, it can be hard to know where to go to give your goods to the less fortunate. Luckily, we’re here to help direct you to the best charities in your area, and provide some tips along the way!
Donation Criteria
While many donate with the best of intentions, sometimes they don’t put thought into what it is they’re sending along. Others treat charities like their own personal dump, casting off broken or heavily soiled items that take away precious volunteer time in sorting, cleaning, and disposal. Remember that your old stuff is going to be someone’s new treasure, so some care should be taken in picking out what you plan to donate.
Items should be:
- Clean, or as clean as you can get it
- Undamaged or only moderately worn
- Relevant for reuse
- On the list of accepted items taken by your chosen charity
Most charities have websites or offer handouts at their locations for what they can and can’t accept. Things like already opened bathroom products, hazardous materials such as engine oil, and outdated electronics often don’t make for good repurposing.
Beware the Drop Boxes
You might have seen them around: big, often brightly painted drop boxes that offer to take your donations away for you, and thus take minimal effort on your part. The problem with these boxes is that there is currently no regulations to be certain your items are actually going to charity. For-profit businesses can buy a charity logo, put it on the drop box, and then take your donated items and sell them without ever giving back.
Charity Pickups
Don’t have time to make a donation delivery? That’s ok! Thankfully, some charities have wonderful volunteers who are willing to come and pick up your secondhand goods for you. Donation Town, a helpful website that’s all about New Hampshire charities, has a useful search engine to help you find the closest one. Your local church might also offer donation deliveries, so if there isn’t a pickup for your town, you might be able to drop off your goods closer to home.
The Best NH Charities
We took the liberty of doing a little research on the most reputable New Hampshire charities. After all, if you’re going to donate in order to help someone, you might as well pick a charity that’ll do the most good! Here are some reputable places you can consider donating to:
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- Family OutFITters Thrift Store, is a non-profit organization who assists homeless families and individuals off the streets with the proceeds from their store locations in Manchester and Concord. They take mostly furniture, clothes, books, and kitchenwares.
- New Hampshire Public Radio and Car Talk are accepting old cars and other vehicles that they will attempt to fix up and give to those in need. This can be a great way to help those who can’t afford a new car, but need one in order to live and work. Bonus: donations are tax deductible.
- Habitat for Humanity ReStore, NH. Most people know this charity for their volunteer-based affordable housing construction, but now they’re also seeking furniture donations to help fill those homes. Consider donating that old bureau that just won’t fit, so that others have a place to store their things.
Not only will donating help you to move along your unwanted items and declutter your home in time for the holidays, but it just might help to make someone’s life a little brighter.
What are you thankful for? Tell us in the comments below!
