WhereToDonate.org

Leah Ingram is the founder of WhereToDonate.org. The idea for this website had been building for a number of years and for a number of reasons.

"I was raised with the notion that giving back to your community is an important part of being a good citizen," says Ingram, an author and writer by trade. "One of the ways I've wanted to give back is to give away gently used items from my home to local organizations that could use them to help others or as part of their fundraising."

However, despite Ingram's good will, it was impossible for her to locate nearby good causes, charities or organizations that wanted her used books, clothing or housewares. "Or if I did find places that took donations, they had set up so much red tape that I didn't even want to bother making a donation," adds Ingram.

After sharing her frustration with friends and family from around the country, Ingram realized that she was not alone: there are many people who would rather see their used goods go to a good cause than in the trash. However, like Ingram, they hadn't felt welcome in making donations either.

With WhereToDonate.org's "Local Links" in place, Ingram hopes that donors will find places near to them where they can bring their goods, and these places will welcome their donations with open arms, not with red tape.