February and March are two tough months. The cold weather seems endless, the skies are grey, and staying true to those resolutions is less fun than ever. February and March are also the toughest month for our donations – but we can work together to change this. Together we can perk up winter.

Please donate today - you will make a difference!

We’ll be honest: right now we’re in real need of donations (clothes, electronics, household items, etc.). By now, you know that donations are critical to our programs – what you donate fills our stores, and the proceeds from our stores then funds our programs. All of this means job creation, youth services, veterans events, back-to-work programs, and more. But it all starts with your donations.

Please add a donation trip to your schedule this month. You can drop your donations at any of our stores or donation centers during open hours. Your do-good deed will brighten your life, lighten your clutter load, and help change someone else’s bleak and hungry winter. Together we can do a lot of good – you, your donations, us, and those in need. Together we can make this Spring greener than ever. Thank you!

We recently got a chance to show off the Goodwill Processing Center to a few fans. Curious what was on the tour? Think donation, job creation, and hope for that lonely flip flop you’ve been keeping in the back of your closet. You can read all about these and other tour moments in Made-to-Travel‘s wrap-up post at www.made-to-travel.com/2012/02/20/where-the-goodwill-goes-tour.

Made-to-Travel's Jamillah shows off her Goodwill - just click this photo to see her post...

Like Goodwill? Come become a fan of our Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, Inc. Facebook Fan Page and let us know which Goodwill program you value most. Hope to see you there!

We just posted a great album full of our Beacon Valentines over on our Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey Facebook Page. We hope you drop by, become a fan and take a look. Here’s the link to our special Beacon Valentines album, to help keep that Goodwill Love alive: http://on.fb.me/beaconv

Just click this amazing photo and we'll take you to our Facebook album full of adorable Beacon Valentines ready to brighten your day!

If you love human services, Beacon, or just smiling kids, please take a minute to ensure we can keep these programs running by contacting the Department of Youth & Community Development (DYDC) to encourage continued funding and support for Beacon 109 & 141. You can call them at 1.800.246.4646 or 212.227.4005, write them at DYCD Main Office, 156 William Street 6th Floor, New York, NY 10038 or email them through their website here: http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/maildycd.html.

Thank you & we hope to see you on Facebook!!

Do you love Human Services? It’s a hard question to answer if you’re not sure what “Human Services” really means. Our kids at Beacon 109 and 10 have been working on Valentines Day cards for HSC’s Who Cares? I Do. campaign to explain just what loving human services means. Take a look:

The Beacon 109 kids share their love for Human Services, one Valentines at a time...

“Human Services… is broadly defined, uniquely approaching the objective of meeting human needs through an interdisciplinary knowledge base, focusing on prevention as well as remediation of problems, and maintaining a commitment to improving the overall quality of life of service populations.” — National Organization for Human Services

Here’s how the kids at Beacon I.S. 10 describe it:

"I Love Human Services Because: I get to help people by organizing food and clothes drives for the less fortunate with my team."

"I love Human Services Because: It gives me an opportunity to meet new and different people."

"I Love Human Services Because: It gives me a chance to do my homework and receive extra help in my studies."

If you love Human Services, let us know! The best way is to support them in your area – right now, Beacon 109 and 141 could really use your help. You can also show you care by posting on this blog, liking our Facebook Page, following us on Twitter, and keeping in the loop about upcoming HSC Human Services rallies (virtual and in-person) and campaigns. We hope to see more of you – and however you choose to celebrate love, have a fantastic Valentines Day!

With Valentines Day coming up tomorrow, we’re asking you make a special exception to the one-and-only Valentines rule. We’re asking that instead of setting your sights on just one person, you make hundreds of kids feel loved. We’re talking about Beacon, and saving Beacons 109 and 141, and, by saving those Beacon, saving the after-school programs, kid-led recycling programs, dance classes, family-building activities, homework help and safe social lives of countless kids in the New York City area.

These kids need your help. Make Valentines Day count and help us save the programs they love!

To help, please sign and share this petition: http://www.change.org/petitions/mayor-save-goodwill-beacon-program-at-is-141-in-astoria

You can also help by contacting the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYDC) to encourage continued funding and support for Beacon 109 and 141. You can call them at 1.800.246.4646 or 212.227.4005, write them at DYCD Main Office, 156 William Street 6th Floor, New York, NY 10038 or email them through their website here: http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/maildycd.html

Here’s a deeper look at what you’ll be saving if you help us save Beacon 109 and 141:

Goodwill needs your help; our Beacon programs serving youth and families in NYC are in danger. Here’s a simple, one-minute job you can do to make a difference: please sign this petition and forward it to as many people as you can.

http://www.change.org/petitions/mayor-save-goodwill-beacon-program-at-is-141-in-astoria

You can make a difference in these kids' lives. Please sign & spread the petition today!

We’ll post more information about the impact our Beacon programs have on their local communities, but in the meantime, take a look at what the kids have accomplished through Beacons 141 and 109 in just the past year alone:

Beacon 141

• In-Sight Dance Company & Beacon Goodwill: Since October 2010, In-Sight has offered free after-school and weekend dance classes for Goodwill’s Beacon 141 children during the school year… Read more at http://nynjgoodwill.wordpress.com/2012/02/06/in-sight-dance-company-goodwill-beacon-141/

• Ole! Free Latin Dance Classes at Beacon 141: The Latin Dance Class begins tonight at Beacon 141 in Astoria, Queens and will be held on Mondays from 6pm-7pm – a great, free way for parents to join their community in fun… Read more at http://nynjgoodwill.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/ole-free-latin-dance-classes-at-beacon-141/

Beacon 109:

• Beacon’s Finest in the Daily News: This all-girls step team from Intermediate School 109 made it into the Daily News and into the paper’s citywide Youth Step USA Competition… Read more at http://nynjgoodwill.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/beacons-finest-in-the-daily-news/

• The Go Green Recycling Program: Goodwill Beacon 109 participated in the “Lights On After School Alliance Program” this year in support of the importance of after-school programming around the world.  This year the theme was recycling, and so the Beacon kids decided to initiate the “Go Green” Recycling Program. Read more at http://nynjgoodwill.wordpress.com/2011/10/25/goodwill-beacon-109-the-go-green-recycling-program/

Does your Goodwill matter? Just listen to the stories of the people your support is keeping warm this winter:

For the past three years, New York Cares has donated coats to the Back to Work program, allowing us to give our program participants warmth and comfort while they get their lives back on track. This year, the coats were given out to our Back to Work programs in the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn.

Sharmaine Jones, Vice President of Goodwill’s Back to Work program, Bronx site, puts it best: “Stabilizing the lives of program participants is our first priority. Once their basic needs such as housing, food, legal issues, and even professional clothing are met, our staff helps welfare applicants and recipients find employment.”

Gotta dance? Our Beacon 141 kids know the feeling – and thanks to your donations and support, they’re taking lessons and making moves with In-Sight Dance Company.

Goodwill-operated Beacon 141 collaborates with In-Sight Dance Company, a unique program that provides free, intensive, pre-professional ballet training.

Since October 2010, In-Sight has offered free after-school and weekend dance classes for Goodwill’s Beacon 141 children during the school year.

Surprised to see your Goodwill end up here? You shouldn’t be – we are committed to enriching your local community.

In fact, we couldn’t say it better than In-Sight Company dancer Lina Kent: “Because the program is free, we’re offering the students to train at a pre-professional level when they normally wouldn’t have the opportunity. It is important for arts programs to be easily accessible for all children.”

Have you heard about Beacon? They are school-based community centers serving children, youth, and adults. There are currently 80 Beacons located throughout New York City, five of which are operated by the Youth Services Division of Goodwill Industries, including Beacon 10 – and let us tell you, Beacon 10 has been hopping!

Wonder what's cooking at Beacon 10? Read on and find out...

If you’ve ever been to the Special Olympics, you know the experience is worth traveling halfway across the world for – but not everyone can manage a trip to Japan on the fly. If you can’t make it there for the event this year, here’s a far more do-able option: Capitol Hill Day in Washington, D.C.

On Wednesday, February 8th join the Special Olympics’ U.S. Program CEO’s, staff and athletes as they meet with their House and Senate representatives focusing on messages of the impact we have, and the evidence we have to support the benefits of our programming to our populations in the areas of education, health and employment opportunities.

We are proud to work with people who go for the gold every day. If you’re looking for a way to show your support for the champions in your life, head on down to Washington. Hope to see you there, Goodwill fans!