Don’t waste, donate

Donate clothes

There are a couple of famous organizations that accept clothes donation, like Humana, Cáritas and others which have containers around town where people can deposit unwanted clothing items. But recently there has been some concern about the containers, since they are often raided by those looking to make a quick buck by reselling it. If you want to guarantee that the clothes you donate are going to reach someone in need, look for smaller, independent organizations that have proved to do good work. Websites like Miaportacion allow people and NGOs to create posts sharing specific needs that have to be covered, some of them regarding clothes for shelters, impoverished communities, etc.  There is always the possibility of taking your clothes to GratiFeria, a market where people can donate or exchange items.

Donate hair

There are a variety of organizations that accept hair donations in order to create wigs for people undergoing cancer treatment or suffering from a medical condition that causes hair loss, like alopecia, burns, etc.

The rules to donate hair are basically the same from organization to organization.

1. The hair donated must be at least 20cm long.
2. The hair must be clean and dry.
3. The hair must be cut and sent in a tight braid or ponytail.

Almost all organizations allow you to either cut your hair yourself and send it to them, or drop it off at one of the various hairdressers that collaborate with them.

For more information visit Las Melusinas, Mi pelo por ti, or Mechones solidarios.

Donate furniture and electrical appliances

If you have furniture and electrical appliances in your home or office that you don’t use anymore, contact donalo.org, an NGO that collects those items and delivers them to schools, workshops, non-profit organizations, etc.

Another possibility is exploring websites like Miaportacion.org, in which a variety of organizations post specific needs.

Donate money

There are a number of organizations like Cruz Roja, WWF, Greenpeace, and Doctors without borders that have ongoing campaigns for donations you can contribute to. But if you want something more personal, try visiting some of the online crowdfunding platforms like Mi grano de arena, Mi aportación, and Microdonaciones. Each of these platforms present a series of situations in which people with needs can request help from those who wish to help. There are requests for donation of time, money, services, clothes, and items wheel chairs, medication, blankets and much more. The money donations are usually related to children’s health, homeless people, fighting disease, helping animals and other similar topics.

Donate time

Few things are more generous than donating your time to help worthy causes. There are plenty of volunteering opportunities in Barcelona, in areas related to animal care, domestic violence, oncology, and the elderly. Take a look at our article about volunteering in Barcelona for more information.