clothing donations

When Joan and John Vatterott retired to Naples, Fla., nearly 10 years ago, they volunteered with the Guadalupe Center, a nonprofit that supports 1,100 children in the nearby town of Immokalee, a low-income community with one of the largest populations of crop pickers in the country.

For my book The Cheapskate Next Door, I surveyed hundreds of proud "cheapskates" about - among other things - the oldest piece of clothing they own and at least occasionally still wear.  The answer, on average, was one or more apparel items dating back roughly to the time when Jimmy Carter was…