Donating to charities is extremely important. People less fortunate then others need help, and all people can offer help, even if they encounter financial problems. When it comes to the question which is more effective to donate, money or goods, I vote for money.
While goods can often help, they are however chosen by some people. There are no guarantees that the recipients will truly appreciate them or use them in any way. People who do not like reading books, will not be thrilled upon receiving books. People who are too thin, will not be able to wear clothes in big sizes, that are donated to them, even if they like them. There is always a risk involved, when people decide to donate goods of their choice. The recipients may not like them, or may not be able to use them for various reasons.
On the contrary, when donating money, the recipients have more chances of getting helped. Supervisors are allowed to carefully consider how money can be spent. They can even ask from potential recipients to share their opinions with them so as to make an informed decision. Often enough, the amount of money donated can be used in various ways that donators would not even imagine. For example, donators might have never thought that money could be spent to relocate rooms, or create a new library.
Money allows freedom of choice and that helps recipients feel more responsible, as they will have a say in the decisions that will be made. They do not feel as if they are offered leftovers, or that others make decisions for them without caring about their needs and tastes. They consider themselves capable of acting like responsible adults, something that boosts their self-confidence and self-esteem tremendously.
People who are in need of donations, try to hold on to whatever is left of their pride. Knowing that they need help has already bruised their ego, last thing they want is to suffer the humiliation of accepting leftovers from others. Receiving money at least gives them the chance to at least decide how to spent it. After all, they are the ones who know best what they need and want.
Unless donators are absolutely sure that the goods they are about to donate will really help their recipients, donating money instead will probably be the wiser choice. For even better results, it will be best to donate an amount of money which will not be either too big or too small, as in both those cases, the recipients may get offended.