With a particularly cold and snowy winter nearing an end, millions of Americans are gearing up for the annual de-hibernation ritual known as spring cleaning. This year, Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina is encouraging people to think of the spring cleaning season as both a time to offer a fresh start to bygone belongings, and to help give individuals in need of work get a fresh start, too. By donating clothing and household goods to Goodwill®, consumers can ensure their spring cleaning refuse gets diverted from landfills, and they can also help fund job training and placement programs for individuals in their local communities.
Through its social enterprise model, Goodwill uses the revenue from its retail store sales to fund programs for job seekers, including youth, seniors, veterans and military families, people with disabilities, and others with specialized needs. In 2014, Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina placed 4,224 people in jobs, and provided training, career counseling and other services to more than 32,000 people. With the economy finally showing some signs of life and perhaps heading for an upswing, it is essential that people in our own community who are out of work receive the training they need to succeed in the workplace. That is why Goodwill is asking its friends and neighbors to donate when they finish spring cleaning. Donors will help the environment by giving those items a fresh start and help someone else get a fresh start in the workplace.
“Spring is traditionally the time of year for new beginnings,” said Lorie Marrero, Certified Professional Organizer®, best-selling author The Clutter Diet and contributing editor to Woman’s Day Magazine “When you donate this spring, new beginnings come in threes. You get a fresh start for your de-cluttered house, your donated goods find a new home, and you help give a job seeker a fresh start of their own.”
“We want everyone to know that 90 cents of every dollar spent at our stores goes to support our mission,” said Jaymie Eichorn, Goodwill VP Marketing & Communications. To learn more about how donations to Goodwill help people in the local community and find a donation location, click here.