Wig donation is an important source of support for many foundations that provide care and assistance to cancer patients. While many people donate money to cancer research and patient support every year, they may not realise that their new or lightly used wigs also make great donations. When donating wigs for cancer patients, seek out organisations that accept or specifically solicit wig donations and make sure to document your transaction. If you have a wig and are interested in donating, following a few basic steps can ensure that both you and the recipient of your wig benefit from your donation.

  • Wig donation is an important source of support for many foundations that provide care and assistance to cancer patients.
  • If you have a wig and are interested in donating, following a few basic steps can ensure that both you and the recipient of your wig benefit from your donation.

Make sure that the wig is of a suitable quality for wig donation, since, as any donated items, wigs should be lightly used and should not be damaged. Make sure that the hair has been well cared for and that there is no wear and tear from styling or storage before you begin the process of wig donation.

Make a package with the wig and include whatever accessories came with your wig, including tools for styling and storage, to ensure that the recipient can properly care for the wig as well.

Contact your local cancer centres and organisations to find out if they accept wig donations, since a number of organisations allow people to donate wigs, including the American Cancer Society and CancerCare , two leading patient-support organisations.

Ask your local wig retailer about donating a wig through its charitable contributions if it has an arrangement with a particular cancer centre or organisation, since many cancer centres contact wig distributors specifically to solicit donations of wigs when needed.

Call your local cancer centres and hair salons to find out if they have a wig drive coming up, since local cancer centres, support organisations and hair salons may also hold donation drives for wigs for cancer patients, or work with a representative to organise your own wig drive if you want to get more involved in wig donation.

Obtain a receipt for the monetary value of your contribution if you intend to include charitable giving on your federal tax return.

Ask your local salon or wig retailer about any services or discounts they may offer to customers who donate wigs for cancer patients, so you can receive some valuable perks to thank you for your wig donation.

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Check the legitimacy of the organisation to which you intend to donate. Some organisations may simply resell donated wigs rather than providing wigs for cancer patients at no or low cost. Ask for documentation about how wigs are used before you donate to ensure proper use of your contribution.