Organization Week: Donate Your Excess Scrapbook Supplies to Charity

If you’re anything like me, you may have trouble parting with scrapbook supplies — even if it helps you be more organized! 

If you’ve taken the tools organization quiz and the product organization quiz and, despite determining which supplies you can let go of, still find yourself in need of a little motivation,  what if I told you that you could put those supplies to good use in another way?

Finding a charity you feel good about helping out can make parting with your scrapbook supplies a little easier.

Not sure how to get started?  Try approaching some of your local organizations to see if they are accepting donations. Some of these organizations may include:

• Day care centers
• Schools
• Hospitals
• Retirement centers
• Nursing homes
• Art-therapy centers

You can also donate your supplies to charities specifically created to help others heal through scrapbooking.

Operation Scrapbook is a charity that accepts new or gently used scrapbooking/stamping supplies to provide scrapbooks for foster children and hospice patients.    

Mothers of Angels is a group of mothers celebrating, remembering, and supporting each other through the emotional times of losing a child. They accept supply donations from individuals and companies to help mothers survive day-to-day by offering an emotional outlet through the creative process of preserving a child’s memories.

Charity Scrapbook Buddies is a Facebook group that was set up to get the word out about crops and other scrapbook functions that help those in need.

For US military personnel, Operationwritehome.org collects homemade cards for men and women in the military to send to their families. Use your excess supplies to create and donate your homemade cards. Be sure to read the guidelines posted on the home page, and then check out the blog for updates on what cards are currently most needed.

Crops of Luv is a non-profit organization founded to create scrapbooks for children to preserve the memories created as a result of participating in the wishes granted by non-profit organizations. Crops of Luv collects and puts together memory books for these children and their families, who fill them with treasured photographs and stories. You can help these families remember their fun times by donating your excess supplies.

Want more ideas about how to donate? Take a look at the March/April 2009 issue of Simple Scrapbooks for a list of additional community and non-profit organizations that will use your supplies to help others. 

With these and many other charities out there, desperately in need of supply donations, why not take this opportunity during Organization Week to enrich the stash of other scrapbookers who are facing the opposite problem you are?

Pull out those extra supplies and give someone else the healing experience of scrapbooking. You never know; donating to a charity and helping someone out could be your favorite part of getting organized.

What other charities or organizations have you donated to? We’d love to hear your ideas so please leave a comment for your chance to win a copy of The Organized & Inspired Scrapbooker!

Amber Ellis, online senior editor

P.S. Don’t forget that today is Free Font Friday! Download the CK Scratchy Box font for free.