Happy Anniversary to the Donate Movement!

Today marks the first anniversary of the Goodwill’s Donate Movement! When you donate to Goodwill, you are not only keeping gently used clothing and household goods out of landfills, but you are supporting vital community programs.

When you donate to Goodwill, you’re making a difference. The revenue we get from our stores and other avenues goes right back into our programs and services. In fact, in GoodwillNyNj’s region of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, 93 cents out of every $1.00 we make goes directly back to our programs and services.

So where does that Goodwill go? Read on and find out…

Your donations support programs like Beacon, giving kids a place to play and families the tools they need to succeed. It funds new centers like Goodwill Works, helping single parents affected by life issues such as divorce, death of a spouse, illness, abandonment, domestic violence, or unemployment reenter the economic mainstream. It gives people like Michelle Barton a place to go to unfurl her potential, earn a living and grow. And that is just the tip of the iceberg.

The Donate Movement helped Goodwill Industries International attract 20 million more donors in 2010 than in 2009, which means we earned more revenue and were able to serve more people. Goodwill Industries International launched the Donate Movement web site, http://donate.goodwill.org, which features the Donation Impact Calculator, allowing you to see how your donations can fund Goodwill’s services. For example, donating just one coat or jacket provides 11 minutes of career counseling to a Goodwill program participant.

Just as you carefully consider to which organizations you will donate your money, you should also consider which organizations should receive your donated goods. When you donate to Goodwill, you can be assured that you are making a positive impact on both people and the planet.

We’d love to know what you’ve donated this past year. Come post a comment below, pipe up on our Programs & Services Facebook page or send us a tweet – and thank you all for an incredible year of donations!