7 Joyful Reasons to Donate to Goodwill this New Year
Soon, shopping will begin to wind down and everyone will begin shifting their attention towards Christmas morning. We’ll all anxiously await the excitement of unwrapping new gifts under the tree as we’re surrounded by friends and family. However, we often forget or choose to ignore what happens to all the wrapping paper and old goods that we discard after opening our shiny new presents. As we mentioned in a previous blog, Americans throw away 25% more trash during the Christmas season, or about 25 million tons of garbage. That’s 25 million extra tons of waste added to our local landfills. Often, much of what we throw away is still in perfect working condition. Rather than throwing away these goods, we encourage you to bring them to your local Goodwill. In fact, here’s a list of reasons why you should consider donating to Goodwill this holiday season.
- We’re good for the environment.
In 2018, Palmetto Goodwill diverted over 16 million pounds of waste and e-waste from local landfills in lower South Carolina. Yes, 16 million pounds! Collectively, in 2018 independent Goodwill’s across the country recovered the value in more than 4 billion pounds of people’s used goods. That’s nearly equal to the weight of 9,000 Statues of Liberty! Perhaps you’ve made a New Year’s resolution to live more sustainably. If so, donating unused goods to Goodwill is a great place to start.
- Donations help fund job training in our community.
Over 90 cents of every dollar generated by Palmetto Goodwill goes towards local job training and employment programs in South Carolina. In fact, we were able to provide over 41,000 services to 15,398 unique individuals in 2018. Additionally, we helped to place 3,094 people into new jobs and trained over 4,100 individuals in our training and career credentialing programs. Some of our training programs include HVAC, CDL, manufacturing, welding, hospitality and culinary certifications.
- We actively support local veterans.
In addition to the numbers above, we served 960 veterans in 2018. Many veterans were even enrolled into our training programs and received certifications to further their careers. Through our veteran services arm, Palmetto Warrior Connection, we aim to assist local veterans with transitioning back into the workforce, housing, education and building strong community connections.
- Chances are, there’s a Goodwill close to you.
With 31 locations throughout lower South Carolina, chances are there’s a Goodwill donation center near your home.
- We’ll accept a large variety of goods.
We gladly accept donations of all kinds including but not limited to clothing, electronics, technology, household items, sporting equipment and toys. Depending on the size of your items, you may even be able to schedule a pickup!
- Donations to Goodwill are tax-deductible.
As you drive up to one of our donation centers one of our representative’s will be glad to greet you and unload the donated goods. Afterwards, you may receive a receipt that may be used to receive a tax deduction when you file your taxes.
- We have a proven track record of providing employment opportunities to those with disabilities.
Currently, Palmetto Goodwill employs more than 465 people with disabilities, making us one of the largest employers of people with disabilities in South Carolina. As of December 2019, we operate 15 AbilityOne contracts with all four branches of the military. Our employees perform high-volume food service, secure mail room operations, grounds maintenance and janitorial cleaning.
For more information on how donating to Goodwill can positively impact our community please follow us on social media!
