Deborah Chan
Donating your wedding dress is a great way to give it a second life and support a good cause. Many brides struggle to afford their dream wedding dresses, and donating your dress can help make their dreams come true. There are several charitable organizations that accept wedding dress donations, including Brides for a Cause, Brides Across America, and The Emma and Evan Foundation. These organizations use the donated dresses to raise funds for various causes, provide dresses to brides in need, or transform them into angel gowns for infants who have passed away. Donating your wedding dress is not only a generous act but also an eco-friendly one, reducing your carbon footprint and helping to preserve the environment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Organization | Charitable, Non-profit |
| Donation Accepted | Wedding dresses, gowns, accessories |
| Causes Supported | Cancer research, disaster relief, human rights, environmental protection, women-focused charities, military, first responders, bereaved parents, sex trafficking prevention, professional clothing and interview skills for clients in crisis |
| Benefits of Donating | Help those in need, more closet space, tax deduction, reduce carbon footprint |
| Location | Northwest (Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, Sacramento), Oregon, Arizona, Maryland, North Andover, MA |
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What You'll Learn
Donating to thrift stores
Donating your wedding dress to a thrift store is a great way to give back and support a good cause. Many thrift stores are affiliated with charities, so your donation can directly benefit a worthy organization and make a positive impact. It is also an easy and convenient option, as thrift stores are often readily accessible and may even offer pick-up services.
When considering which thrift store to donate to, do some research on their mission and values to ensure alignment with your own. Local thrift stores, for example, often support community-based initiatives, so your donation would directly help those in your area. Larger, national thrift chains also have their own charitable programs and can provide tax receipts for your donation, which is an added bonus.
It is important to ensure your dress is in good condition and has been cleaned before donating. Consider having it professionally cleaned to ensure it is in the best possible state, which will make it more appealing to potential buyers and maximize the benefits of your donation. Some organizations may have specific guidelines for donations, so be sure to check their websites or give them a call to understand their requirements and ensure your donation is accepted.
When you drop off your dress, be sure to ask about any special procedures or paperwork, especially if you intend to claim a tax deduction. Most thrift stores will provide you with a receipt of donation, which is important to keep for your records. Some stores may also offer additional services, such as displaying your dress in a prominent position or promoting it through their marketing channels, which can increase the chances of it being sold and benefiting the charity.
Donating your wedding dress to a thrift store is a wonderful way to give back and support those in need. Your dress can find a new life and bring joy to someone who may not otherwise be able to afford a wedding dress, all while benefiting a worthy cause.
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Charities supporting veterans
If you're looking to donate your wedding dress to support veterans, there are several charities you can consider. Here are some options:
Brides Across America (BAA)
Brides Across America is a non-profit organization with a mission to honour military members, first responders, and front-line healthcare workers by gifting them wedding dresses and weddings. They accept wedding dress donations and also host Operation Wedding Gown giveaway events to show appreciation for military and first responder brides. BAA has specific criteria for accepting gowns, including age and size requirements, and they provide tax-deductible donation receipts.
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is an international faith-based non-profit organization that provides various services, including veteran support. They accept donations of wedding dresses and other items, which can be dropped off at their locations or scheduled for free pickup.
Fairytale Brides on a Shoestring
Fairytale Brides on a Shoestring is a nonprofit boutique in Rockville, Maryland, that sells reduced-priced wedding gowns. Their net proceeds go towards supporting various charities, including the Alzheimer’s Association and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Donating your wedding dress to this boutique can indirectly support veterans through the chosen charities.
National Veterans Foundation (NVF)
While not specifically focused on wedding dress donations, the National Veterans Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to serving the crisis management, information, and referral needs of US veterans and their families. They accept various donations to continue their work in supporting veterans.
Donating your wedding dress to any of these organizations can help support veterans and brides in need, while also providing benefits such as freeing up closet space and receiving tax deductions. These charities work to honour and assist those who have served our country and their families.
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Nonprofits supporting women
Wedding dresses are often preserved by brides as a memory of their special day. However, for some, the benefits of donating their bridal gowns, such as freeing up closet space, a tax deduction, and helping someone in need, outweigh the sentiment of keeping it.
There are several nonprofit organizations that accept wedding dress donations and use them to support women in various ways. Here are some notable ones:
Brides for a Cause
Brides for a Cause is a nonprofit organization that collects and resells wedding dresses to raise funds for various local and national women-focused charities. Since 2012, they have collected over 40,000 wedding dresses and donated more than $3,000,000 to charities across the country. Brides for a Cause has showrooms in Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, and Sacramento, where they resell donated wedding gowns and distribute the profits to organizations supporting women. They accept wedding dress donations that are five years old or newer.
Bride Across America (BAA)
Bride Across America is a nonprofit organization that supports military members and first responders by providing them with free wedding dresses during their monthly giveaway events. They accept wedding dresses that are less than five years old, as well as accessories, engagement rings, and wedding favors. BAA also covers the wedding costs for some of their recipients.
The Emma and Evan Foundation
The Emma and Evan Foundation transforms donated wedding dresses into angel gowns, which are burial gowns for infants who have passed away. These memorial gowns are offered to grieving families as a source of comfort and remembrance. The foundation accepts wedding dress donations year-round and provides instructions for mailing or dropping off donations.
Cherie Sustainable Bridal
Cherie Sustainable Bridal in Maryland accepts donated wedding gowns to support Success in Style, a nonprofit that provides professional clothing and basic interview skills to clients in crisis. They stock designer gowns that are less than five years old and also accept donated bridesmaid dresses. Cherie Sustainable Bridal does not require gowns to be professionally cleaned before mailing or dropping them off.
Donating your wedding dress to one of these nonprofits is a wonderful way to support women in need and give your dress a second life.
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Charities for cancer research
There are several charities for cancer research that accept wedding dress donations. Here are some options:
Brides Against Breast Cancer
Brides Against Breast Cancer is a charity that accepts wedding dress donations to raise funds for breast cancer awareness, early detection, and to reduce the impact of breast cancer. The charity was founded in 1997 and has been promoting its "National..." campaign. They accept wedding dress donations within four years of the wedding, as dresses that are still in fashion are more sought-after by buyers. Donating your wedding dress is a great way to support a good cause, save money on storage and cleaning costs, and give your dress a second life.
The Brides Project
The Brides Project is a Michigan-based organisation that raises funds through the resale of donated wedding dresses to support adults and children impacted by cancer. The funds are directed to the Cancer Support Community of Greater Ann Arbor, which provides various programs and services such as support groups, counselling services, and nutrition workshops. The Brides Project accepts both "pre-loved" and brand-new wedding dress donations from former brides and bridal salons across the country.
Brides for a Cause
Brides for a Cause is a nonprofit organisation with a mission to support women-focused charities. They collect and resell wedding dresses, including new and once-worn dresses, with showrooms in Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, and Sacramento. Since 2012, they have collected over 40,000 wedding dresses and distributed more than $3,000,000 to local and national charities across the country. Brides for a Cause offers a sustainable and affordable option for brides-to-be while supporting worthy causes.
Additionally, there are other charities with different focuses that also accept wedding dress donations. For instance, The Emma and Evan Foundation transforms wedding dresses into Angel Gowns, which are burial gowns for infants who have passed away, providing comfort to grieving families. NICU Helping Hands has a similar program, where they accept wedding dresses and remake them into gowns for bereaved parents to honour their infants during photos and burial services. Adorned in Grace and Cherie Sustainable Bridal are other organisations that use donated wedding dresses and gowns to support efforts against sex trafficking and to help clients in crisis, respectively.
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Burial gowns for infants
Wedding dresses often carry precious memories, but they can also be donated to charitable organisations to help someone in need. Brides for a Cause is a bridal store that raises funds for charity by selling donated wedding dresses. The organisation has given away over $3,000,000 to various local and national charities across the country.
Another way to donate a wedding dress is to give it to a charity that will repurpose it into burial gowns for infants. The Emma and Evan Foundation is one such organisation that transforms wedding dresses into Angel Gowns, which are burial gowns for infants. These memorial gowns are offered to grieving families as a source of comfort and remembrance.
Little Angel Gowns is another charitable organisation that creates burial attire for babies made from donated wedding gowns. They work with hospitals, funeral homes, and individual families to provide this special service. Their mission is to create comfort for families that have suffered the loss of an infant. Their Angel Gowns are suitable for infants from under one pound to over 13 pounds, and they also offer specially designed angel pods for infants who are too small for a gown.
The NICU Helping Hands Angel Gown program is another organisation that accepts donated wedding dresses and remakes them into gowns for photos and burial services for infants. They connect seamstresses with nearby donations of wedding dresses to create these special outfits for bereaved families.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several organisations that accept wedding dress donations, including:
- Brides for a Cause
- Brides Across America
- The Emma and Evan Foundation
- Cherie Sustainable Bridal in Maryland
- NICU Helping Hands Angel Gown Program
Brides for a Cause resells the dresses and distributes the profits to charities that support women. Brides Across America gives the dresses to military and first responder brides for free. The Emma and Evan Foundation transforms the dresses into burial gowns for infants. Cherie Sustainable Bridal in Maryland gives the dresses to Success in Style, a nonprofit that offers professional clothing and interview skills to people in crisis. NICU Helping Hands Angel Gown Program gives the dresses to seamstresses who remake them into gowns for bereaved parents to use for their infants' photos and burial services.
The organisations have different requirements. Brides for a Cause accepts new and once-worn dresses. The Emma and Evan Foundation accepts dresses year-round. NICU Helping Hands Angel Gown Program accepts dresses that are less than four years old and in wearable condition.
Donating your wedding dress can free up space in your closet and help someone in need. You may also be eligible for a tax deduction.
