How You Can Donate, Shop, and Support Vital Job Training All at Goodwill

Goodwill has so much more than meets the eye — and now is a great time to discover just how much it has to offer.

In the post-holiday haze, people are cleaning out their closets and cabinets and donating those snug pants, unused dishes and kitchen appliances, and rounding up the toys their kids no longer play with. They're donating them to Goodwill, which isn't just a thrift store — it's also a nonprofit that sells these gently used items to fund job training programs and career services for individuals with disabilities and disadvantages. So you're supporting a good cause while taking advantage of these great shopping opportunities:

• The Thrill of the Hunt: The merchandise is constantly changing at Goodwill as new donations are put out on the floor. You truly never know what you're going to find.
• Deals, Deals and More Deals. Thrifting prices themselves are good deads, but Goodwill has a Colors of the Week Sale where items tagged with the colors of the week can be purchased for 50 percent off. Then on Dollar Day Sunday, these colors can be purchased for $1. Think how far just $10 could go!
• Go Green. Thrift shopping is good for the environment and the easiest way to reduce your carbon footprint. And you can take thrifting with Goodwill full circle: When you're done with an item you bought at Goodwill, you can donate it right back to Goodwill.

Speaking of donating to Goodwill, all donations are tax-deductible and receipts are always offered, so there's no time like the present to gather your gently used clothing, accessories, toys, books, housewares, and furniture. Just drop them off at your nearest Goodwill and see what treasures you can find inside for yourself and your family. The thrift store proceeds fund Goodwill's educational and career programs.

You can do all this knowing your choices are making an impact, creating jobs, and helping area residents build their own careers. For example, within Goodwill’s Hamilton Store & Donation Center there is a Career Opportunity Center. There, participants can take advantage of FRE English as a Second Language (ESL) services and an adult education program that helps individuals earn their high school diploma plus college credits.

What are you waiting for? Explore Goodwill online at goodwillnj.org and find the locations nearest you at goodwillnj.org/store-locator. You also can connect with them on social media and learn about their latest deals at facebook.com/GoodwillNJ, twitter.com/GoodwillNJ, and instagram.com/goodwillnj. As they say right on their website, "doing good is as easy is packing up a box."