Here at TEM, I talk about two things that make a man stand out: style and character. The style part of that equation means that I talk a lot about things to consider buying. But when the things you’ve bought no longer interest you or serve any purpose, the character part needs to kick in. Living in a very wealthy society like the United States means that we have a lot of possessions, many of which sit around in our closets, or basements, or storage spaces when there are people who could actually get some use out of them.
Personally I try to make it a habit never to get too attached to anything. This keeps me from getting too upset when my favorite dress shirt gets puked on by my 6-month-old son, but it also means that I’m much more likely to give something away when I haven’t touched it in years. When was the last time you searched your closet for older things that someone else needs?
Here are just a few charities in the Chicago area that could benefit from your closet raid:
- The Brown Elephant
- Deborah’s Place
- Jane Addam’s Hull House
- Junior League of Chicago
- Heartland Alliance
- Zacharias Abuse Center
- Lakeview Pantry
- Bottomless Closet
- Harper House
- Goldie’s Place
- The Warming Center
- The Harvest Food Pantry and Clothes Closet
- Cornerstone Community Outreach
- Sarah’s Circle
- White Elephant Resale Shop (benefiting Children’s Memorial Hospital)
This list is by no means extensive, so if you know of any other worthy donation centers, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
Why not give a monetary donation while you’re at it. Character feels good, doesn’t it?
Photo credit: drp
