Donating Your Wedding Dress: A Guide To Giving Back

how can I donate my wedding dress

There are many reasons to donate your wedding dress, from freeing up closet space to helping someone in need. There are several charitable organizations that accept wedding dress donations, such as Brides Against Breast Cancer, which resells gently used wedding gowns to raise money for breast cancer awareness and early detection. Brides Across America is another organization that accepts wedding dress donations and gives them to military and first responder brides. Brides for a Cause is a nonprofit that collects and resells wedding dresses to raise funds for women-focused charities. The NICU Helping Hands Angel Gown program accepts wedding dress donations and turns them into gowns for bereaved parents to use for their infants' photos and burial services. The Emma and Evan Foundation offers a similar program, turning donated wedding dresses into infant burial gowns, also known as Angel Gowns, which are offered free of charge to grieving families.

Characteristics Values
Charities Brides Against Breast Cancer, Brides Across America, Brides for a Cause, The Emma and Evan Foundation, NICU Helping Hands Angel Gown program, Cherie Sustainable Bridal, The Brides Project, Housing Works
Causes Raising money for cancer programs, providing free wedding dresses to military members and first responders, preventing sex trafficking, providing burial gowns for infants, providing clothing and interview skills to clients in crisis
Benefits More closet space, a tax deduction, helping someone in need, saving money on cleaning and preservation costs
Requirements Dresses must be in good condition, preferably donated within 4-5 years of the wedding

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Charities that help raise money for cancer programs

Donating your wedding dress is a great way to raise money for cancer programs and services. Here are some charities that help raise money for cancer programs by accepting wedding dress donations:

Brides Against Breast Cancer

This company, based in Atlanta, resells gently used wedding gowns to raise money for breast cancer awareness and early detection. They have sold over 50,000 donated wedding dresses, all towards their mission of helping people detect breast cancer earlier and prevent misdiagnosis.

The Brides Project

The Brides Project is based in Michigan and raises money for programs and services at the Cancer Support Community of Greater Ann Arbor. They fund support groups, counselling services, nutrition workshops, and more through the reselling of donated wedding dresses. They accept dresses from all over the country, including gently used dresses from former brides and brand-new dresses donated directly from bridal salons.

Brides for a Cause

Brides for a Cause is a nonprofit organization that collects and resells wedding dresses to raise funds for local and national nonprofits that support women. They accept wedding dress donations that are five years old or newer.

The Emma and Evan Foundation

The Emma and Evan Foundation transforms donated wedding dresses into infant burial gowns, also known as Angel Gowns. These gowns are offered free of charge to grieving families, hospitals, birthing centres, and funeral homes. The foundation aims to provide comfort to families experiencing the loss of a baby.

Stand Up To Cancer

Stand Up To Cancer is a charitable organization focused on raising awareness and funding research to detect and treat cancers. They aim to find cures for all patients and make early-stage detection an essential part of standard cancer care.

Family Reach

Family Reach provides financial support to families facing cancer. They offer grants to help cover everyday expenses, including food, housing, transportation, and utilities. They also provide personalized referrals to local and federal financial support programs.

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Organisations that provide wedding dresses for low-income people

There are several organisations that accept wedding dress donations to provide wedding dresses for low-income people or raise funds for charitable causes. Here are some notable organisations:

Brides for a Cause

Brides for a Cause is a nonprofit organisation with locations in Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, and Sacramento. They collect and resell wedding dresses donated by designers, manufacturers, and brides from across the country. The proceeds from the resold dresses are distributed to charities that support women. Brides for a Cause has collected over 40,000 wedding dresses and donated over $3,000,000 to various charities since 2012. They accept wedding dress donations that are five years old or newer.

Brides Against Breast Cancer

Brides Against Breast Cancer (BABC) is an organisation based in Atlanta, Georgia, that has been in operation since 1997. They resell gently used wedding gowns to raise funds for breast cancer awareness and early detection. BABC has sold over 50,000 donated wedding dresses, raising over $40 million. They accept dress donations from across the country and also provide details for mailing or dropping off donations.

The Brides Project

The Brides Project is a Michigan-based organisation that raises funds for the Cancer Support Community of Greater Ann Arbor. They accept wedding dress donations from former brides and bridal salons and resell them to fund various programs and services, including support groups, counselling services, and nutrition workshops.

The Emma and Evan Foundation

The Emma and Evan Foundation transforms donated wedding dresses into infant burial gowns, also known as Angel Gowns. These memorial gowns are offered free of charge to hospitals, birthing centres, funeral homes, and grieving families. The foundation has a network of volunteers across the US who work to provide comfort to families experiencing the loss of an infant.

Adorned in Grace

Adorned in Grace, with locations in Oregon and Arizona, is a bridal store that offers wedding dresses, formal attire, and accessories. The profits from their sales are used to support efforts to prevent and raise awareness of sex trafficking. They accept donations of wedding dresses and bridesmaids' dresses in light shades.

These organisations provide an opportunity to give back to the community and help those in need by donating your wedding dress. Whether it's raising funds for charitable causes or providing wedding dresses at affordable prices, your donation can make a significant impact.

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Charities that support women

Donating your wedding dress is a great way to give back to the community and support charities that empower women. Here are some fantastic organizations that accept wedding dress donations:

Brides for a Cause

Brides for a Cause is a nonprofit organization with multiple locations across the United States, including Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, and Sacramento. They collect and resell wedding dresses to raise funds for various local and national nonprofits that support women. Brides for a Cause accepts wedding dresses that are five years old or newer, and they offer a wide selection of reasonably priced second-hand dresses for brides-to-be.

Brides Against Breast Cancer

Brides Against Breast Cancer is a charitable organization that resells gently used wedding gowns to raise funds for breast cancer awareness and early detection initiatives. They have been in operation since 1997 and have raised over $40 million by selling more than 50,000 donated wedding dresses. Donating to this cause not only supports women's health but also helps reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing new dresses and prevents your dress from ending up in a landfill.

The Brides Project

Based in Michigan, The Brides Project raises funds for the Cancer Support Community of Greater Ann Arbor. They accept wedding dress donations from former brides and bridal salons and resell them to support various programs, including support groups, counseling services, and nutrition workshops.

NICU Helping Hands Angel Gown Program

This organization accepts wedding dress donations and transforms them into burial gowns for infants who have passed away. The seamstresses remake the donated dresses into angelic gowns for photos and burial services, providing comfort to bereaved families during their difficult time.

Adorned in Grace

Adorned in Grace, with locations in Oregon and Arizona, is a unique boutique that sells wedding dresses, formal attire, and other bridal accessories. Their profits are used to support efforts to prevent and raise awareness of sex trafficking, helping to protect and empower women and girls.

By donating your wedding dress to any of these charities, you can give your dress a second life and make a positive impact on the lives of women in need.

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Charities that support bereaved parents

There are several organisations that accept wedding dress donations. Brides for a Cause is a nonprofit organisation that collects and resells wedding dresses to raise funds for women-focused charities. Brides Against Breast Cancer is another organisation that resells wedding dresses to raise funds for breast cancer awareness and early detection. Brides can also shop at Adorned in Grace, which uses its profits to support efforts that prevent and raise awareness of sex trafficking.

Now, here are some charities that support bereaved parents:

ARC

ARC is a UK-based national charity that provides support to bereaved parents and healthcare professionals dealing with the consequences of antenatal screening. They offer nationwide support to families when a child of any age dies or is dying, and also have bereavement support groups for bereaved dads in the Thames Valley and London.

Winston's Wish

Winston's Wish provides digital bereavement information, advice, and support for grieving young people across the UK. They also offer advice to adults who are caring for grieving young people, including parents, school staff, and healthcare professionals. They can be contacted via phone, email, online chat, and text message.

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Charities that support military members and first responders

Donating your wedding dress is a great way to give back to the community and support charitable causes. Brides Against Breast Cancer, for example, resells gently used wedding gowns to raise funds for breast cancer awareness and early detection. Similarly, Brides for a Cause collects and resells wedding dresses to support women-focused nonprofits.

Now, if you're specifically looking to support military members and first responders, here are some charities to consider:

  • Robert Irvine Foundation: This foundation, led by world-renowned chef and entrepreneur Robert Irvine, supports the physical and mental well-being of service members, veterans, first responders, and their families. They provide food, wellness, community, and financial support, including grants and scholarships, to over one million heroes and their families.
  • Semper Fi & America's Fund: This nonprofit organization cares for critically wounded, ill, and injured service members, veterans, and military families. They offer one-on-one case management and lifetime support to ensure that these warriors and their families achieve the highest possible quality of life and independence.
  • Wounded Warrior Project (WWP): WWP is a leading veterans service organization dedicated to the total well-being of post-9/11 wounded, ill, or injured veterans and their families. They provide a range of services, including mental health support, physical wellness, VA benefits assistance, and peer support, to help veterans thrive in their communities.
  • Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS): TAPS is a resource mentioned on the Robert Irvine Foundation's website. It provides emotional support and crisis resources for those in need, including a 24/7 anonymous phone, chat, and referral service called the Marine Corps Distress Line.

These charities offer vital assistance to military members, veterans, first responders, and their families, ensuring their well-being and helping them navigate challenges. Your donation of a wedding dress can contribute to these organizations' funds, enabling them to continue their invaluable work and make a positive impact on the lives of those who have served.

Frequently asked questions

Brides Against Breast Cancer, Brides Across America, and Brides for a Cause are some organizations that accept wedding dress donations. Local organizations like Housing Works in NYC also accept wedding dress donations.

Donated wedding dresses are usually resold to raise funds for various causes, such as breast cancer awareness and support for military and first responder brides. Some organizations also repurpose wedding dresses into infant burial gowns for bereaved families.

Donating your wedding dress can free up closet space and may provide tax benefits in certain countries. It also helps support charitable causes and gives another bride the opportunity to enjoy your dress.

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