Monday, January 21, 2008

How to Recycle Eyeglasses, Suits & More

It was a satisfying afternoon. In two hours, I cleared several suits, skirts and blouses from my closet. While in excellent condition, they have languished unworn for too long. Gently used professional outfits as well as eyeglasses and electronics donated to various charities can help those less fortunate.

Eyeglasses: Give the Gift of Sight Foundation, http://www.givethegiftofsight.org/, collects old eyeglasses and frames and provides free eyewear and vision care to poor families worldwide. The foundation has receptacles at various chains including Target Optical, LensCrafters, Sears Optical, Pearle Vision, BJ's Optical and Sunglass Hut and some doctor's offices.
Dress for Success: My unwanted dress suits -- many in excellent condition -- are going to Dress for Success, (http://www.dressforsuccess.org/) a nonprofit organization that provides business attire to underprivileged women seeking employment.
Recycled electronics: Cellphones collected by Staples and FedEx Kinko's stores are recycled through partnerships with CollectiveGood, a nonprofit that provides low-cost, refurbished phones to consumers in the Caribbean, Latin America, Eastern Europe and India. Staples also accepts electronics, such as digital cameras, pagers and PDAs, which are recycled.
Thrift stores: Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity and other nonprofit thrift stores accept donations through drop-offs, scheduled pickups or trucks stationed at shopping centers.



No comments: