What if a piece of clothing or accessory you have wasting away in your closet could be worth thousands of dollars?

Here is a charitable organization that you may not know about. This Vancouver-based initiative might be just the charitable cause and motivation you need to assist you in letting go of the “What If…” in your life.

Working Gear is as a non-profit society that undertakes the work similar to that done by Dress for Success. Dress for Success works with women of modest means who are unemployed, by providing them with professional clothing in which they can attend job interviews and start a new job.

Working Gear does the same type of work with a focus on providing support and help to men in the Vancouver downtown and downtown eastside. They solicit business casual clothing and construction clothing and redistribute them to men who are making a serious attempt to return to work. This is a free service provided in tandem with local employment service agencies.

As you undertake to loose those last 10 pounds (the same ones that you have been trying to loose for the last 10 years), you might consider a fresh start by donating your never and under-used dress shirts and ties, business casual clothing, or steel-toed work boots.

Doing so might create the opportunity for an under-employed person to start a new job – a job worth thousands of dollars in income – a job that might not have been accessible to someone because they did not have interview-appropriate or work-site appropriate clothing to wear.

Used Books New Start is a campaign created by Adam Hill to help with Canadian and global literacy programs. Access to education and books is critical in the fight for literacy.

In the week of February 4-8, 2008, corporations throughout Canada will be asked to participate in the ‘world’s largest ever corporate book drive’. The goal is to collect one million books. These books will be resold by Better World Books and the proceeds will then fund select literacy programs such as Room to Read.

Our city recycling programs have come a long way in making it easier for us to recycle paper and plastics, but there are may items that do not go into the Blue Box.

If recycling or donating eases your conscience and allows you to let go of items cluttering your home and work spaces easer, you may want to consider the following alternatives.

Batteries
Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC)
recycling@rbrc.com
1.800.822.8837
Accepts common rechargeable batteries. Collection depots at A&B Sound,
Blacks Photography, Canadian Tire, Cell City Communications, Future Shop, London Drugs, Mountain Equipment Co-op. No Fee.

BC Digital Divide
info@bcdigitaldivide.org
A non-profit organization whose mission is to provide the opportunity to get a computer to those who are not able to afford one. Visit the website to apply for or to donate a computer.

Cell Phones
Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC)
recycling@rbrc.com
1.800.822.8837
Vancouver depots at London Drugs, Mountain Equipment Co-op, the Source By Circuit City, The Bay, Staples Canada/Business Depot outlets. No Fee.

Computers for Schools
mwaddington@cfsbc.ca
604.250.9936 or 1.877.250.9936

The Computer for Schools (CFS) program is a national, federal government-led program that operates in cooperation with all provinces and territories. The program collects surplus computers from government and private sector sources and distributes them to schools, libraries and non-profits throughout Canada. Computer workshops are staffed by volunteers who clean, refurbish and prepare computers for delivery. CFS has provided more than 750,000 computers since it was founded in 1993.

They are seeking equipment donations of PIII-800MHz CPU or better, with hard drive/memory intact, and CD-Roms. Working SVGA or flat panel monitors. Working printers (toner too!) Peripherals such as scanners, speakers, projectors, servers, etc.

Recycling Council of British Columbia
rcbc@rcbc.bc.ca
604.732.9253 or 1.800.667.4321

A non-profit organization working towards waste avoidance. Supports waste management solutions by conducting research, facilitating the exchange of ideas and providing information services.

The Cinderella Project
info@thecinderellaproject.com
604.603.9155
The Cinderella Project provides underprivileged high school graduates – girls and boys (Cinderfellas) – from the Greater Vancouver area with formal attire so they can attend their graduation festivities with pride. School counsellors, teachers, principals or social services agencies throughout the Lower Mainland refer students to the organization. A Boutique Day is held each Spring where each grad selects a gown, suit or tuxedo, shoes, purse and accessories. Students also have their hair and makeup done.

Third World Eye Care Society
eyecare@twecs.ca
604-874-2733

The Third World Eye Care Society consists of eye care professionals and individuals who collect used eyeglasses from the public and travel to Third World countries providing free eye care and eyeglasses to the poor.

Many of these resources are drop off options and may not offer pick-up service. If time is what you are short of and space is what you crave, we are a believer of bringing in the experts to get the job done. Avoid the procrastination trap of deferring to ‘later’.

Thomas of Fresh Start Recycling and Disposal is our action partner in getting your piles to the right recycling or donation resource.

We are continually searching for local community recycling and donation resources. Please forward your favourite recycling or donation centre to Out of Chaos, as we are continually adding to our online Recycling and Donation Resources List.

For more resources, visit our website.

Often, my clients ask me how they can ‘get’ their children to let go of their ‘stuff’ and clear out their rooms.

I would always recommend that you should start your children off at a young age. Encourage them by engaging them in a practical manner. Take them down to a shelter for homeless families. Single mother’s shelters, for example, often take clothing and toys donations.

By taking your children down to the shelter, they may see first hand signs of the homeless in the neighbourhood and witness that the children in the daycares may not have any toys of their own, much less appropriate clothing. Children, like adults, need to see the direct effect of their donations.

With the Holidays around the corner, it would be a good habit to encourage your children to give up to charity one toy for every new one they receive and take it down personally to a shelter. Not only are they lending a helping hand to those in need, they are helping you to clear and de-clutter their rooms at the same time.

As for the adults…lead by example. Your stuff collects just as fast and takes up just as much room, if not more.

I used to work for the YWCA, who has many programs supporting women and families in need. We used to have a drive every year, collecting household items for their battered women’s shelter, so that women and children who leave their homes, with nothing but the clothes on their back, can set up a new home with the essentials like dishes, bedding, clothing, etc. To find a local YWCA in your area, go to www.ywcacanada.ca for Canada and www.ywca.org in the USA.

You will be surprised what you can find in your pantry of canned goods and pre-packaged foods that you have not used and may have forgotten that you own. The Food Bank is always open year round to accept your donations.

As you rummage through your garage for your annual ski trip, you may discover old skis. boards, and equipment that are no longer in use. Did you know that The Zanskar Ski School is a small non-profit organization in the Indian Himalaya? By donating your used skis, poles, boots, sunglasses, ski clothing, climbing equipment or ice-hockey skates, you will be supporting the mission of the ski school. Have a look at our partners page under Donating Skis to Charity.

Don’t allow your busy schedule to get in your way of helping yourself and others by clearing out your stuff. If you are too pressed for time a team from Out of Chaos will help you to clear your possessions and with the help of recycling companies like Fresh Start Recycling, they will come by load up their trailer and deliver your unwanted items to charity first and then recycling, avoiding the landfill as much as possible.

A friend of mine Sean Jamieson, an investment planner by day, and Boy Scout leader by night/weekends, is collecting School Supplies for school kids in Grahamstown, South Africa. Their troupe, Burnaby 4th Southwest, will be sending a container load to South Africa to give children the tools to learn in school.

Consider donating your office supplies for a good cause. Paper, pens, pencils, rulers, scissors, staplers, hole punches, chalk, and more are needed. If you are a corporation who has just re-branded or moved and have old letterhead, and old logo office supplies, what a worthwhile cause to recycle your paper for.

Have a look at the Boy Scout Troup and their collection to date, in this picture.

You can contact Sean to make arrangements for your donation, by calling 604.941.4697.