Nursing homes provide care for people who are not able to care for themselves. Most nursing homes are for older people whose families can no longer care for them, but there are also nursing homes for younger adults with physical and/or mental challenges. Donating to a nursing home helps these often-neglected people as well as the often-underpaid people who care for them.

1. Step 1

Phone your local nursing home and ask to speak to the activities director or social worker. Inquire about what the nursing home or its residents need and/or want. Find out when the best time to bring things would be.

2. Step 2

Find out about the donation process. Each nursing home develops its own policy, so while you're on the phone ask about whether the home takes gently used or only brand-new items, or whether they only accept financial donations.

3. Step 3

Choose a nursing home that suits your donation purposes. If you have a lot of DVDs or clothing to donate, choose a home that is looking for those things. Repeat steps 1 and 2 until you find the nursing home that will be the best match for you donation.

4. Step 4

Sort through your things. Sort through your home to find gently used (meaning things you would happily give to a friend, that still work and look the way they're supposed to) items that the nursing home will appreciate. You can donate DVDs, CDs or tapes, audio books, magazines, large print books, clothing, board games, craft supplies or decorative items.

5. Step 5

Go shopping. Choose a spending limit that works for your budget and purchase items that the nursing home needs.

6. Step 6

Make a delivery. Bring your items to the nursing home during the time decided upon in Step 1. If possible, stay around and help them put things away.