an organization without knowing why, please be conscious of where you are leaving your donations. Some drop boxes sell donations for profit at flea markets, and some thrift stores and other operations solicit donations but give as little as 5% of the revenue to charity.” Taking donations to a Goodwill store directly ensures that all the proceeds support their mission. It might not seem like dropping off a box of old Perry Como records, a bag of Beanie Babies, or a never-used unicycle will make that much of a difference. Miller explains, “This simple business of reselling people’s unwanted items has allowed us to serve more than 15,000 people annually and placed more than 400 in jobs with an economic impact greater than 20 million dollars. We’re amazed at how many people are still unaware of what we do with your donations and how we impact the community. These are not just numbers but proof of our fiscal, economic, and social impact and what it means to have a Goodwill in your community.”
Recently, Goodwill Manasota launched their Impact Initiative, which is an ongoing funding strategy designed to support four areas of focus. The idea is to be prepared to adapt and evolve to address any future needs. Employment Impact
Goodwill Manasota helps provide jobs and job training, thereby creating a more employable community.
Education Impact
Goodwill Manasota provides extensive educational opportunities for people to increase their skills and advance their careers.
Economic Impact
Goodwill Manasota provides an economic impact of more than $20 million dollars in wages to our community.
Environmental Impact
Goodwill Manasota is the pioneer of the reduce-reuse-recycle movement. This past year, they diverted 86% of donated items from the landfill — that’s 34 million pounds!
To help support the Impact Initiative, just follow the advice of supermodel Isabella Rosselini’s fashion model daughter, Elettra Rosselini Wiedemann, who admits, “I have a biannual clean-out of my apartment. I throw out raggedy things and things I never wear, and there’s a Goodwill around the corner for anything worthwhile.” Rummage through your goodies a few times a year and send whatever you don’t need, don’t want, or don’t like, to Goodwill. They’ll find someone who WILL buy it and appreciate it more. Plus you’ll feel a lot better at having done your part to make a difference in your community. An added bonus is that it’s a way to increase tax deductions and make room for holiday gifts at the end of the year. Another thing to note is how Veterans and their families are being helped through Goodwill’s American Veterans and their Families Initiative, which has provided over 500 different services for them. Goodwill recognizes the range of challenges faced by Veterans, their families, and the families of active service people. They also provide comprehensive case management and vocational services that address barriers to employment, disabilities, housing, transportation, mental health issues, education, or training needed to succeed in the workplace, and access to other support services. The ultimate goal is putting these American heroes and their families back to work. Today’s economic climate is a challenge to everyone, especially those who have disabilities, lack of expertise, and other barriers. They need services and training to help them succeed in the workplace. Goodwill Manasota’s commitment to serving these populations is ongoing and deep. Help them make a difference today. For more information about Goodwill Manasota or the Impact Initiative, please visit www.exepriencegoodwill.org scenesarasota.com
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