5 Unexpected Items You Can Donate to Charity

Food, clothes, and money are three staple donations people make to school supply drives, shelters, and other charitable programs. These are staples because organizations can practically never have too much of any of the three, but there are ways you can branch out as well. Take a moment to consider the many different kinds of people who experience need. Rather than a monolithic block of identical people, each is unique and lives a different life than the next. These unique people require more than clothes to lead a fulfilled life. To help you broaden your mind, here are some unexpected items you can donate to charity.

Toilet Paper

Quite the hot-ticket item in 2020, toilet paper is a constant need for homeless and other shelters. Due to coronavirus-related shortages, this is truer now than ever. As you stock up on toilet paper for yourself, consider sending that extra package you won’t actually need to an organization that’s looking for some.

Musical Instruments

People’s minds often, and for good reason, go straight to the necessities when thinking through what they can donate. Learning how to perform and take pleasure in music is also life-giving. Donating musical instruments allows underprivileged students and others the opportunity to do this.

Electronics

Electronics are another unexpected item you can give to charity. In our device-dependent society, devices are cheaper and more tied to upward mobility than ever. Shelters supply residents with cheap phones to correspond with companies after an interview, which helps with the job process. Also, as schools increasingly utilize computers and tablets, donating these items for students helps with their schoolwork.

Wire Clothes Hangers (and Other Items Suitable for Recycling Programs)

If you have wire clothes hangers accumulating, consider finding a program to take them off your hands. While some charities will use them, others recycle the raw material to use for other purposes. Be aware of other products that have no direct use yet are recyclable, such as cables and old electronics.

Hygiene Products

Finally, all manner of hygiene products come in handy. Donate dental products—toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, and more—to help shelter residents or those who receive a care package with their oral health. Additionally, some donors hesitate when donating women’s products—pads and tampons—when they shouldn’t. Women’s shelters need these as well as diapers to aid as many victimized women and children as they can.

If you see a need that Backpacks USA can meet, perhaps a more unconventional one such as wholesale insulated lunch bags for students, contact our compassionate team. We pride ourselves with supplying the highest-quality wholesale products for donations.

Charity and donations