Rhiannon Hendricks
If you're looking to donate your 1989 wedding dress, there are several options to choose from. You can donate to thrift stores, charities, community centers, and many other types of nonprofit organizations. Brides Against Breast Cancer, for example, resells wedding dresses to raise money for breast cancer awareness and early detection. Brides Across America is another option, which passes on donated dresses for free to military and first responder brides. Goodwill and Salvation Army are also great options, as they accept wedding dress donations and sell them in their thrift stores across the country. Donating your wedding dress can help free up closet space, give your dress a second life, and help a bride in need.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Wedding dress donation organizations | Brides for a Cause, Brides Against Breast Cancer, Goodwill, Salvation Army, Brides Across America, Cherie Sustainable Bridal, The White Dress by the Shore, The Brides Project, NICU Helping Hands Angel Gown Program, The Emma and Evan Foundation |
| Benefits of donating | Free up closet space, receive a tax deduction, help a bride in need, extend the lifecycle of clothing, reduce waste and pollution, help a charitable cause |
| Requirements for donation | Dresses should be in good condition, cleaned, and preferably less than 4-5 years old |
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What You'll Learn
Charities that accept wedding dresses
There are several charities that accept wedding dress donations. Brides Against Breast Cancer is a nonprofit that resells gently used wedding gowns to raise funds for breast cancer awareness and early detection. Brides for a Cause is another nonprofit bridal store that collects and resells wedding dresses to raise funds for women-focused charities, including those supporting women in the military, single mothers, and abuse survivors.
Some charities accept wedding dresses and transform them into infant burial gowns, also known as Angel Gowns. These are offered free of charge to grieving families and include The Emma and Evan Foundation and the NICU Helping Hands Angel Gown program.
Other organizations that accept wedding dress donations include Goodwill, Salvation Army, and Cherie Amour, the latter of which accepts outdated gowns and accessories and transforms them into contemporary styles. Brides can also shop at Adorned in Grace, which uses its profits to support efforts against sex trafficking, and Cherie Sustainable Bridal, which supports Success in Style, a nonprofit that helps individuals in crisis gain employment.
When choosing a charity to donate your wedding dress to, consider the mission of the organization and how it aligns with your values. You may also want to consider the impact your donation will have, whether it be providing a dress to a bride in need, supporting a particular cause, or reducing waste and your carbon footprint.
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Donating to a thrift store
Donating your wedding dress is a great way to give it a second life and bring joy to another bride. It also helps the environment by reducing waste and pollution and frees up storage space. Thrift stores are always looking for donations, and many accept wedding dresses. Here are some tips for donating your 1989 wedding dress to a thrift store:
First, research thrift stores in your area that accept wedding dress donations. Many thrift stores, like Goodwill and The Salvation Army, use donation sales to support various causes and programs. Call or visit their websites to find out more about their donation policies and procedures. It is important to contact the thrift store before donating, as some stores may have specific guidelines or requirements for wedding dress donations.
When researching thrift stores, consider the cause or mission that the store supports. Choose a store that aligns with your values or a cause that is significant to you. This way, you can ensure that your donation is making a difference in an area that matters to you.
Most thrift stores accept wedding dresses that are in good condition and less than five years old. However, since your dress is a vintage piece, you may need to be more flexible in your search for a suitable thrift store. Vintage dress shops and consignment stores are great options for donating older wedding dresses.
When preparing your wedding dress for donation, ensure that it is clean and in good repair. Some thrift stores may have specific guidelines for donations, so be sure to ask about any special requirements or restrictions. You may also want to include any accessories, such as veils, belts, or jewellery, to enhance your donation.
Finally, decide on the method of donation. Depending on the thrift store, you may be able to schedule a pickup, drop off your donation in person, or ship it to the store. Follow the instructions provided by the thrift store to ensure a smooth donation process.
By donating your 1989 wedding dress to a thrift store, you are not just clearing up closet space but also giving your dress a new purpose while supporting a worthy cause.
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Repurposing for burial gowns
Wedding dresses are often only worn once, and if you have no plans to wear yours again, it will likely just take up space in your closet. Donating your wedding dress is a great way to give it a second life and support a good cause. One way to do this is by repurposing it for burial gowns.
The Emma and Evan Foundation is a non-profit organisation that repurposes wedding dress donations into infant burial gowns, also called Angel Gowns. These memorial gowns are offered to grieving families as a source of comfort and remembrance, completely free of charge. The organisation provides details for mailing or dropping off your donation.
Kennedy's Angel Gowns is another organisation that accepts wedding gown donations and transforms them into burial garments for infants who pass away during their hospital stay. These burial items are handmade by volunteer seamstresses and delivered free of charge to bereaved families. Kennedy's Angel Gowns holds monthly Angel Box Team Sew-In events where donations are accepted in person.
NICU Helping Hands' Angel Gown Program also accepts wedding dress donations and transforms them into gowns for photos and burial services honouring infants of bereaved parents. The program provides these gowns free of charge to grieving families and hospitals.
By donating your wedding dress to one of these organisations, you can provide comfort to grieving families and ensure your dress goes to a meaningful cause.
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Eco-friendly donation options
Donating your wedding dress is a great way to extend its lifecycle, give it a second life, and ensure it stays out of a landfill. Here are some eco-friendly donation options to consider:
Brides for a Cause
Brides for a Cause is a nonprofit organization with showrooms in Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, and Sacramento. They collect and resell wedding dresses to raise funds for various local and national women-focused charities. Since 2012, they have collected over 40,000 wedding dresses and raised over $3,000,000 for charities across the country. They accept new and once-worn dresses that are five years old or newer. You can mail your dress or drop it off at one of their locations.
Brides Against Breast Cancer
Brides Against Breast Cancer is a nonprofit organization based in Atlanta. They resell gently used wedding gowns to raise funds for breast cancer awareness and early detection programs. Since 1997, they have sold over 50,000 donated wedding dresses and dedicated their efforts to helping people detect breast cancer early and prevent misdiagnosis. They accept wedding dresses that are 3-5 years old and in excellent condition. You can use their donation form, email them, or contact their client service to receive shipping instructions.
The Brides Project
The Brides Project is a nonprofit bridal boutique based in Michigan. They offer eco- and budget-friendly wedding gowns, with proceeds supporting programs and services at the Cancer Support Community of Greater Ann Arbor. They accept wedding dresses within five years old and bridal accessories. You can drop off your donation at their shop or mail it following their mailing instructions.
Adorned in Grace
Adorned in Grace is a bridal store in Oregon and Arizona that sells wedding dresses, formal attire, mother-of-the-bride dresses, flower girl attire, veils, shoes, jewelry, and more. Their profits support efforts to prevent and raise awareness of sex trafficking. They accept wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses in light shades of blue, pink, and purple.
Cherie Sustainable Bridal
Cherie Sustainable Bridal is a bridal store in Maryland that supports Success in Style, a nonprofit that offers professional clothing and basic interview skills to clients in crisis. They stock designer gowns less than five years old and accept donated wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses.
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Tax benefits of donating
Donating your wedding dress to a charitable organization can help you receive a tax deduction. A 501(c)(3) receipt is given when a federally certified charity receives a charitable contribution of $250 or more. Once you get your receipt, you can claim your contribution while filing your taxes and get a tax deduction. The deductible amount may be considerably less than the price you paid, as it is based on the condition of the donated items at the time of donation.
The IRS recognizes a charitable contribution as a gift or donation to or for the use of a qualified organization, such as nonprofits. It is important to document your donations with receipts and contracts, so you have the necessary documents available at tax time. The facility must be a nonprofit for tax deduction.
There are several charitable organizations that accept wedding dress donations, such as Brides Against Breast Cancer, Brides Across America, and Adorned in Grace. Brides Against Breast Cancer, based in Atlanta, resells gently used wedding gowns to raise money for breast cancer awareness and early detection. Brides Across America passes on donated wedding dresses for free to military and first responder brides. Adorned in Grace in Oregon and Arizona accepts wedding dresses, formal attire, mother-of-the-bride dresses, flower girl attire, veils, shoes, jewelry, bras, and petticoats. The company uses its profits to support efforts that prevent and raise awareness of sex trafficking.
The NICU Helping Hands Angel Gown program accepts wedding dresses, which seamstresses then remake into gowns for photos and burial services for infants who have passed away. The Emma and Evan Foundation also transforms donated wedding dresses into Angel Gowns, which are offered free of charge to grieving families.
Some other organizations that accept wedding dress donations include The White Dress by The Shore, The Brides Project, Brides for a Cause, and Cherie Sustainable Bridal.
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Frequently asked questions
Unfortunately, your wedding dress is too old to be accepted by most charities, which tend to only take dresses that are no more than five years old. However, you could contact local charities and non-profits to see if they can accept your dress. You could also repurpose the dress into other items, such as Angel Gowns for infants who have passed away.
Some charities that accept wedding dresses include Brides for a Cause, Brides Across America, Brides Against Breast Cancer, and The Brides Project.
Many of these organizations resell the dresses to raise funds for various causes, such as cancer research, disaster relief, human rights, environmental protection, and supporting military members and first responders.
You can mail or drop off your dress at one of the charities' store locations or roadshow events. Be sure to check their websites for specific instructions and requirements.
Yes, you can also donate your dress to thrift stores, community centers, or other types of nonprofit organizations. Additionally, you can consider repurposing your dress into keepsake items or burial gowns for infants, also known as Angel Gowns.
