Contributing to Charity without Donating Money

When we think of contributing to charity many think of donating money. But if you can’t afford to donate money to a charity there are still many things you can do to contribute towards a good cause.

One way of contributing towards charitable causes is by volunteering, and there are many ways of doing this. Of course charities do need funding, but they also need volunteers in order to be a success.

Charity shops always need volunteers and without them they simply wouldn’t survive. Visit most town centres in the UK and you will likely come across a charity shop or two. If you enter a charity shop and buy something then the person serving you will likely be volunteering their time. It is not just working in the shop that volunteers are required for but for a host of other roles too.

Charity events across the country raise vast amounts of money for good causes every year. From nationally known events for Children in Need and Comic Relief to small local initiatives raising a few hundred or a few thousand pounds, these are an important lifeline for many charities. For these events to take place volunteers are required both in the lead up with organisation and during the course of the event itself. Some of the more common examples of charity events are runs, bike rides and jumble sales. These events are only possible due to those willing to volunteer their time. Taking part in a charity event is another way of contributing. If you take part in a charity bike ride, for example, then you can get people to sponsor you. You are taking part in a challenge and others are usually prepared to sponsor you to do this. Many enjoy this challenge as they are achieving two goals; they are taking part in a challenge and raising money.

While volunteering is a great way of contributing your time to a charitable cause, it is not the only way of contributing. Donating items is another effective way people can help. Clothes you no longer wear or clothes that have outgrown your children can be donated. Children get older and no longer use the toys they once cherished and rather than leaving them unused in the garage or loft or throwing them out they can be donated to charity. Clothes and toys are just two of many examples of items that can be donated. There are a number of ways this can help charities achieve their goals. Items, especially clothing, can be given to those who really need them. Items can also be given to charity shops, where they will be sold on with profits going towards good causes. Without items being donated they would not have anything to sell.

For charities to successfully achieve their objectives they need financial contributions from the public. This is not the only way of donating to charity though. Without volunteers most charities would simply not be able to operate no matter how much was donated. And donating unwanted items means that things that would otherwise go unused will be used by those who can make use of them or they can help raise much needed funds.

Andrew Marshall ©