Spring is here and with it often comes the urge to clean out our homes and simplify our lives. For many of us that looks like task lists of quarterly or annual house chores, literal cleaning of surfaces and rooms, and deciding which of our belongings should stay or move on to their next home. We make piles of donations to thrift shops, sell items on Facebook Marketplace and other local sites, and maybe organize garage sales. What if your spring cleaning could mean second chances for members of our communities?

Helping Hands Ministries Partners with Vision House

Helping Hands Ministries International is a nonprofit organization with four thrift stores in Snohomish County that benefit underserved people both locally and worldwide. Their thrift stores offer an opportunity for low-cost goods, direct fundraising for community partners and their sister organization in Peru through their register fundraisers, job opportunities, and landfill reduction.  We’ve shared about their partnership with Vision House before, how they’ve donated stacks of gift cards to their thrift store that we are able to distribute to residents and at our Diversion Centers. These gift cards enable recipients to access low-cost goods they may be needing.

If you are cleaning out your closets or cabinets, donating acceptable goods to the Helping Hands thrift stores (located in Bothell, Snohomish, Lake Stevens, and Monroe, Washington) can mean a second chance for the items, and for friends who may make use of them – as well as keeping these items out of landfills!

Sold Items Turn Trash to Treasured Gifts

For bigger items that you might be selling locally instead of donating, turn your sold unwanted possessions into a treasured gift and consider donating that unplanned income! Your cash donation can provide a night of safety to vulnerable families, allowing them shelter, food, professional care and more. Just $60 provides one night of safety and care. Items that are sitting in your home, taking up space and collecting dust, could instead, provide hope and a second chance. Gather the neighborhood together and host a garage sale, you’d be surprised by what others are cleaning out that could find a second life in another neighbor’s home, and add cash to the collected donation pot.

Get the Whole Family Involved in Spring Cleaning and Shop our Wishlists

Do you have kids with lots of toys they no longer play with? Items they’ve outgrown can be turned into a generosity and teaching moment, by cleaning out with your kids.  Consider having your kids take part in the joy of giving, and teach generosity and detachment from belongings with a 1 for 1 opportunity. For every toy your child passes on to donate or sell, let them pick an item from our wish lists and support both our Diversion Centers and families living at Vision House. Our Amazon wish list is full of fun items kids love at all price points, from glow-in-the-dark blankets, stuffies and sensory activities, to play kitchens! By helping kids connect their own abundance to gifts for others, you are growing compassionate hearts in your home.

Old Gift Cards Make New Gifts Families Need

According to the Consumer News and Business Channel, nearly half of Americans (47 percent) have at least one unused gift card or store credit, with an average balance of $175 per household. Maybe you came across a few while you were cleaning out your junk drawers. Those unused gift cards to cafes and coffee shops, book stores, or online retailers can help someone grab a hot drink, a meal, or a sleeping bag. Gas cards can make a difference in someone getting to work, or kids to school.

One easy option for giving without feeling a pinch on your own pocketbook is to donate those unused gifts cards. What’s better, connect with your kids’ school classroom, your book club, life group or social group and host a gift card drive! No matter the retailer, if you don’t feel it applies to the Vision House mission, companies like CardCash or ClipKard offer the opportunity to resell a gift card, and you’ll have cash in hand to donate or shop with.

However you wish to help, we hope you’ll consider using your spring cleaning to provide a second chance to someone in our community. Cleaning out your closets and drawers this spring can mean someone else gets a second chance at safety and your items get a second chance at being useful. Already cleaned out and just looking to give? You can always shop our current greatest needs list to help stock the shelves of our food pantries or buy gifts for children’s birthdays!