When you shop or donate at Goodwill stores, you are helping people with all kinds of jobs and job skills.

At Goodwill, the goal is to fund Goodwill programs from every item you donate.

What You Need To Know

  • Goodwill is a not-for-profit organization that creates job opportunities for people with barriers to employment while generating revenue to support its various programs and services

  • It's helpful to have items sorted into categories when you donate

  • Goodwill stores are open for shopping seven days a week

The Goodwill crew looks over every donation before it is priced for sale. They're got quite a system to sort, inspect and price merchandise.

“I am looking for any rips, stains, tears and that kind of thing," Goodwill store manager Kristin Broomfield said. "We just want to make sure that the button works and the zipper works and make sure nobody left anything in the pockets. We check those to make sure it's a good piece.”

Clothing that isn't up to Goodwill's quality standards is recycled or sold to salvage brokers. For savvy shoppers, that means you'll quality used goods for sale mixed in with all kinds of new items. Inventory changes daily.

“We have new goods in our store and these are items that are new and not donated but they still go to funding and supporting the mission of Goodwill," Goodwill marketing manager Sarah Pavia said.

Sale proceeds will be put to work in the community. Goodwill creates job opportunities for people with barriers to employment.

“We have had a great amount of people coming in and visiting our stores," Pavia said. "We have been very blessed. Donations continue to come in but we are always in need so continue to bring those in too. Again all of those items help programs in the community like 2-11 and our crisis intervention hotline.”

Goodwill stores are open for shopping seven days a week. Right now Goodwill is having a winter coat drive. Goodwill is in need of coats of all sizes. Be sure to let the donation door attendant know that you have coats for the coat drive. The tenant will put those coats in a separate area to be processed and given to kids and adults in need.

Some other great items to donate include:

  • New or gently used clothing and shoes
  • New or used books
  • Bedding, other than pillows, mattresses and box springs
  • Computers, flat panel monitors, printers, hard drives, etc.
  • Curtains and draperies
  • Decorations, framed pictures and knickknacks
  • Small electrical home appliances in working order
  • Furniture
  • Games and puzzles
  • Household items
  • Lamps
  • Linens and towels
  • Sportswear and equipment
  • Toys
  • Flat screen TV and flat panel monitors
  • Area rugs/Throw rugs
  • Small and large exercise equipment