Iāve worked in food banks a lot, and I can verify that these are true! Here are some other tips for helping charities that give items other than food:
- Toilet paper, paper towels, and napkins are lovely, helpful items
- Diapers, baby formula, and baby clothes always help parents who need extra support after WIC benefits are applied
- Toothbrushes and toothpaste are incredibly, incredibly important
- A lot of people skip breakfast because they donāt have the extra items to put into mixes and things. You can avoid that problem by donating granola bars, oatmeal, cream of wheat, etc.
- On the above note, peanut butter lasts forever, itās full of protein, and it has enough healthy fat to supplement a diet that is otherwise calorie-restrained. I know the given list says that their food bank got a lot of it, but the few Iāve worked with could never keep it on the shelves
- All shower products are a gift, even if theyāre just travel-sized soaps and things that youāve stolen from hotel but never plan to use (no judgement!)
- Those little bagged toys that come in fast food meals? They make fantastic stocking-stuffers for parents who have trouble affording Christmas
- I once watched a 60 year-old man cry because he got a glasses cleaning cloth and cleaning solution. They were luxury items he could never justify getting for himself, so he just scratched every pair of glasses he owned by using the hems of his shirts
- If you have used electronics, PLEASE consider donating them! That outdated iPod from 2009 that just sits in your drawer could be a kidās most prized possession and the thing that helps them feel like theyĀ ābelongā (bonus points if you leave some age-friendly positive songs downloaded onto it)
- No one has ever turned down socks or underwear
- Money is the most versatile donation, because it can be used to buy off-the-wall things, food items that would spoil, clothing in a special size, etc.
- If you canāt donate money, consider donating your time! Even a few hours of volunteering can help a non-profit organization help countless people!
- If you accidentally buy shoes that donāt fit and can afford the loss, consider donating them, especially if theyāre specialty shoes! I knew a man who got a good job in construction but was fired on his first day because he couldnāt afford the steel-toed boots he needed
- Cans of soda are great donations! You can use a can of any flavor soda - regular or diet - to replace all extra ingredients in a dry cake mix. We used to give out a box of cake mix, a container of frosting, and a can of soda. (These can also be a lot of fun because of the combinations! Orange soda + vanilla cake mix = creamsicle, cherry cola + devilās food = chocolate-covered cherry, etc)
- The best advice is just to think of the things you use every day and couldnāt live without, then try to donate that. Contact solution, hand lotion, air freshener, lint rollers, and other things that make your life easier will 100% help someone else
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