Get Organized—For Good

Lots of folks are talking about tidying up these days. And January seems to be the month when doing so is especially on our minds.

While we’re at it, why not dispose of items in a way that benefits some ministries or minimizes the effect of used goods on landfills? Here are a few options to get us started: 

·      Used Bibles and Christian literature. "Love Packages" recycles Bibles, Sunday school materials, VBS literature, and tracts. Ship yours to Love Packages, 220 Union Street, Butler, IL 62015.  

·      Technology. Take used books and DVDs to your church library or resale shop. Some electronics stores pay for phones—giving more cash for items with cords and no personalization. Some receive cassette players, phone rechargers, and VCRs and dispose of them cleanly. You may make no money, but you care for God’s earth. 

·      Eyeglasses. Do drug-store reading glasses and non-prescription sunglasses clutter your tables and glove compartments? People living near the equator need sunglasses, prescription or non. Grab a padded envelope and send yours to New Eyes for the Needy, 549 Millburn Avenue, Short Hills, NJ 07078. Why not put an announcement in your church bulletin and stick a box in the foyer for donations of glasses?

It costs nothing to take these simple steps, and doing so clears out space while benefiting others. What do you have lying around that could make a difference in someone’s life?

What other ideas come to mind?