Read the full op-ed: https://chicago.suntimes.com/letters-to-the-editor/2026/04/13/donate-clothes-environment-volunteer-credit-unions-fees
APRIL 13, 2026, CHICAGO, IL — In Chicago, many families struggle to afford basic clothing, even as millions of pounds of wearable textiles are discarded each year. These parallel challenges — community need and environmental waste — are more connected than they may seem.
April, which marks both National Volunteer Month and Earth Month, offers a timely opportunity to recognize that connection and act on it. Volunteer Month honors those who give their time in service of others, while Earth Month raises awareness of sustainability. Too often, we think of those as separate calls to action.
But what if one simple act could do both?
Giving back doesn’t have to be complicated or costly; it can start with something as simple as cleaning out your closet and choosing to pass those items along with purpose. Each year, Americans discard more than 17 million tons of textiles, with more than two-thirds ending up in landfills, even though many of those items are still wearable. Chicago is no exception. At the same time, families across our communities are struggling to afford basic essentials like clothing for their children.
These aren’t separate problems; they are two sides of the same solution.
In the right hands, an outgrown jacket or pair of shoes can make the difference between a child staying home and showing up to school prepared and confident, while also reducing waste.
That’s where volunteerism takes on a new meaning.
At Cradles to Crayons, we see how volunteer-driven models can simultaneously meet basic needs for kids in the Chicago area and reduce environmental waste. Through our partnership with Chicago Textile Recycling, we’ve diverted more than 1 million pounds of textiles from landfills since 2017. Proof that with the right systems in place, donated clothing can be redistributed to children or redirected through nonprofit and recycling partners to be reused, resold or repurposed.
But the impact of this work isn’t only environmental. It also brings people together. Each week, students, families, colleagues and neighbors gather around a shared purpose. At a time when loneliness and isolation are rising across the country, these moments of connection matter.
Dawn Melchiorre
Executive Director
Cradles to Crayons–Chicago