Archive for June, 2009

Goodwill Industries keeping up with the technology curve

Saturday, June 20th, 2009

Who said that charities couldn’t use technology just the same as any other business? You don’t have to tell Goodwill Industries how to go about keeping up with the times, because they are certainly willing to do that on their own. You might know everything there is to know about vehicle donation, but do you know that Goodwill Industries is about so much more than that? It is true, and their fundraising initiatives are even heading to the internet now.

Goodwill Industries has to get really creative when doing their fundraising activities, because that is basically their entire operation. After all, it can get a little bit old telling people about the vehicle donation program over and over. Though that program could certainly be described as the bread and butter for Goodwill Industries, they are branching out a little bit more with each year that passes.

Now, they are doing all sorts of auctions, where people can get active and participate. This is a new thing in fundraising, and Goodwill has gotten their piece of the pie. There is a twist, though, as Goodwill Industries has taken it to the next level. They are now holding online auctions for all sorts of great items, which is helping them bring in more charitable donors from the internet ready generation.

Young people want to get involved in the charity effort, and it is much easier for them to do when it is convenient on the internet. That is what Goodwill Industries figured out a few years ago, and since then they have seen something of a change in methodology.

The online auction movement is allowing Goodwill Industries to hold more auctions for better items, too. This will only make their community programs better, with more money coming in to supplement what the vehicle donation program makes. After all, vehicle donation might be the bread and butter, but it can’t logically pay for all of the bills. With Goodwill being more active in the employment help effort for people across the country, even more funding is needed to keep the efforts going.

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Getting to the heart of the matter: Vehicle Donation

Saturday, June 20th, 2009

So you are thinking about helping out the folks at Goodwill Industries, but you have some questions. One of your biggest and most important questions is probably something along the lines of, “What motivation do I have to donate my car to charity?” Asking that doesn’t make you selfish, and it doesn’t make you a bad person. It’s just reality. If you are going to donate something as large as a vehicle to Goodwill Industries, then you need to understand the basics of the matter.

Getting to the heart of why I should donate my car to charity was something that I had to do. It really comes down to getting out and seeing the people that your donation helps. Some people think that when they put their car out there for donation, they are just going to pay for administrative costs and that no one actually benefits from their donation. This is absolutely not true.

In reality, when I donate my car to charity, I am making a direct impact on the community. In Washington, D.C., Goodwill Industries is a very real part of the community operations. They make things better, and it’s easy to see that if you get out and actually look for some of the signs of success.

When you see the faces of the people who are being helped by the job programs or some of the other community enhancements, you immediately understand that a vehicle donation is more than just some tax write-off. In fact, when I donated my car to charity, I was able to help lots of people with their employment search in a completely quantifiable way. The money from my vehicle donation made someone’s life better, and that’s important.

Things are getting very personal with Goodwill of Washington, especially in these trying times. The goal has always been to help the people of the Washington community, but never has this been more important or dire as it is now. When I donate my car to charity, I can play not just a role in this, but a major role.

If you want to see where your donation might be going, then take a step out into the community. It isn’t hard to see that what you’re doing is an actual step in the right direction in terms of improving a ton of things in the greater Washington area.

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Goodwill Industries reaches out to schools in fundraising effort

Thursday, June 18th, 2009

It is a well known fact that one of the great things about fundraising is that it can usually be incorporated into some sort of team effort. Goodwill Industries is not the only charity out there that is looking to raise funds for something, and likewise they are not the only group that is reaching out to the community for help in that effort. For that reason, Goodwill has done much to cooperate and partner with many different businesses in the effort to raise money for all sorts of different functions.

These days, one of the primary things that Goodwill Industries is doing is reaching out to schools, who similarly need the fundraising programs for their own use. Goodwill manages a number of charity fundraising programs that allow school children and teachers to sell certain items in hopes of raising money. The hope, at least for Goodwill, is that this effort can help produce enough revenue for the school to use, as well as for Goodwill to use.

Getting people to come out and help the charity effort can often be difficult, especially when people are not necessarily used to doing that sort of thing. That is why this sort of cooperation is necessary. You might have heard people talk about when they were asked to donate used cars to Goodwill, but that’s not all the charity is about. Though it helps when people donate used cars, Goodwill always tries to come up with new and creative ways to help the community with their fundraising efforts.

Because schools are so important to the life blood the community, this has become a great way to branch out and not just depend upon people to donate used cars. In fact, this is something that helps Goodwill Industries maintain its day to day operations. When people donate used cars and contribute to other fundraisers, they are giving valuable charity dollars that can be applied to a host of important programs.

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D.C. Goodwill thrift stores becoming more popular

Wednesday, June 17th, 2009

If you have ever heard from the people working at Goodwill Industries, you know how important it is to donate a car to their charity effort. Who would have guessed that Goodwill Industries in Washington does so much more than just solicit used cars, though? In reality, a lot of what they do is out in the open and it doesn’t have anything to do with asking you to donate a car. Their stores can be seen all over the country, and all over the D.C. area.

The Washington chapter of Goodwill Industries currently has one of the most popular thrift store networks in the entire country. There has been quite an effort to make these places more popular, as they are a steady source of revenue, but few places have seen the takeoff that D.C. has experienced. When people purchase stuff from a Goodwill Industries thrift store, the money is being used to augment the money collected when you donate a car. These are smaller donations, though, but they add up over time.

The interesting thing about these thrift stores is that they seem to be encouraging young people to get into the act a little bit more. You might not be surprised to hear that older individuals are more likely to donate a car to charity, so it figures that something else might bring more young folks into the mix. That is exactly what is happening all over the Metro area and the surrounding Washington thrift stores.

The stuff being purchased at Goodwill Industries’ thrift stores can vary wildly in both style and price. Some people go there to shop for vintage t-shirts. Some people go there to find things for themed parties. Others go to find old furniture that they can turn into something great and usable. Whatever the case, this is what helps Goodwill Industries the most, along with the times when someone donates a car to charity. It might be a slightly different demographic doing the donating at these spots, but since it all goes into the same community pot to help with Goodwill programs, it’s all encouraged by the folks in charge.

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Who qualifies for the Goodwill Industries programs?

Tuesday, June 16th, 2009

When Goodwill Industries of Washington, D.C. sets out its mission statement and outlines its goal each and every year, there are a few items on the docket that are emphasized a little bit more than others. In the past couple of years, Goodwill has been doing a lot more with its different programs around the area, trying its hardest to help as many people as possible. But who are these people? And what are they like?

Washington is an incredibly diverse and transient location, and as such, it has lots of needs for community improvement. There are old folks, young folks, and working professionals. There are people in need of healthcare and people in need of some type of employment. Above all, it is a community where there is a great need for involvement.

This is why you might have seen someone out there trying to get you to donate used car parts or even an entire vehicle. The programs don’t run themselves, and they require a great deal of funding in order to meet their goals. When people choose to donate used car items, they are helping all sorts of people in the Washington community.

Right now, the picture of who these people are is a very diverse one. Some of them are older individuals who find themselves out of work for the first time in a long time. For these people, the programs not only provide something to do, but also a little bit of re-training on interviewing skills and resume design. Those kind people who donate used car items can see the immediate impact that their donation is having on this segment of the greater Washington population.

In addition to that, there are the people who might need to learn English as a second language who are also helped when folks donate used car items. These people have a real interest in becoming more involved in the local community and immersing themselves in American culture, so Goodwill Industries is providing them with that opportunity. It wouldn’t happen without the help of people who donate used cars, though.

Washington needs more and more people who want to not only help themselves, but help out others. Who are the people who qualify for these programs? They come from all over, and they look just like you and me. In this economic time, they are mostly folks who have run out of luck, and need an opportunity to jump start their lives once again.

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Goodwill Industries getting physical

Monday, June 15th, 2009

When Goodwill Industries starts putting together its annual list of fundraising events, one of the things that it tries to do is to provide something of value for the community at large. In Washington, one of the primary efforts right now is to get people out into the active world. Good health is a primary concern for both children and aging Americans, so Goodwill wanted to do something to push that agenda even more.

So what has Goodwill done to make the Washington area a little bit healthier and more active? For one, they have done more than just their vehicle donation program to raise money. That is still important to the overall working budget of Goodwill, but it is the other fundraisers that are adding something to the community.

This year, Goodwill Industries across the country will host charity events that involve running and biking. Among them will be a 5K race that promotes people getting into shape and also brings more money to the Goodwill coffers. This money will be added to what is raised with the vehicle donation program, so that Goodwill can go out into the community and do whatever needs to be done. With all of the jobless people in Washington today, that task is becoming even more significant.

Goodwill Industries has realized that just having a vehicle donation program is no way to go about raising money. They also have to have events that bring people in the community together for the betterment of everyone involved. From the charity auctions to the luncheons to things like active 5K races, Goodwill seems to be doing this. That effort, coupled with the already successful vehicle donation program, has provided people with more ways to make their voice heard and put their charitable dollars to work.

Goodwill encourages people to get involved in the community, not just with their money through the vehicle donation program, but also with their time and effort. Help is needed in many areas, and the sense of fulfillment that goes along with participating in one of these events is something that everyone can appreciate and gain from.

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Goodwill Industries fundraisers going environmental

Sunday, June 14th, 2009

With each passing year, the people in charge of leading Goodwill Industries in Washington decides to do something new for fundraising. Sure, the car donation programs remain the same and are still the primary focus for the organization, but they try to mix it up a little bit with the smaller fundraisers. This year, they have been doing more for the environment, and it’s just another way that Goodwill is helping out the Washington, D.C. community.

So what are these fundraisers and what have they been trying to accomplish? Individuals have been rewarded for recycling and other eco-friendly efforts over the course of the year. Money donated to Goodwill Industries for this effort has gone to supplement the car donation program, and it’s been yet another way to give back to the community.

The key idea behind these new fundraisers is to let people know that they are appreciated. Though sometimes the car donation program can seem like an unsolicited attempt to bring in more money, it’s really all done for the good of the Metro community at large. These programs give something back to the donors directly, though, by offering them a chance to win gift cards and other items of value.

Not only has this helped to increase the programs themselves, but it has done a lot to boost the car donation program, which is still in dire need of more charity. For people who want to know more about the car donation program at Goodwill Industries, it’s a very simple idea. You get a tax break by donating your old car, while Goodwill takes the proceeds from its sale and helps stimulate the community in lots of different ways.

There are some very big and real problems in Washington right now, and the car donation program can only go so far. That is why new and improved fundraisers have been a focus. With Goodwill being able to help the environment some in the process, everyone wins. This was the hope of the leadership group when the fundraising efforts began, and it’s what has carried them through some tough and tedious times. Being able to get out in the community and actually bring about some positive changes is what drives the car donation program, and it drives everything else that Goodwill Industries does, as well.

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Goodwill Industries Helping Youth Summer Employment

Saturday, June 13th, 2009

One of the primary focuses for Goodwill Industries during this tough economic time is helping people find jobs and helping people with the skills that they need in order to keep jobs. Though much of the effort has included helping adults who are out of work, that’s not all that Goodwill is looking to do. In fact, their youth employment effort is as strong now as ever.

When you think about Goodwill Industries, your first though is probably of the time you were asked to donate a car or perhaps when you made the choice to donate your car to charity. Goodwill Industries uses those donations to fund their programs, and for the most part the programs do a lot of good in helping the community achieve more. This is especially true in Washington, D.C., where the job market is especially barren.

During the summer, the charity is jumping on the opportunity to help young people get jobs and learn about the working world. How is Goodwill doing this? They are working hand and hand with job placement groups, and well as individual businesses in order to promote job growth.

The jobs are all different, and they are designed to suit the individual skill sets of the young people who are looking. This is a very important part of the job process, as young adults are learning what they like to do and what their skill set happens to be.

These programs only work when you and others take the time to donate a car or make another donation to Goodwill. Expensive programs don’t pay for themselves, and though it might seem like a huge commitment to donate a car, it actually does more good for the community than you could ever imagine. In Washington, it is incredibly necessary right now, with things looking a little more bleak each and every day.

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Auctions becoming the order of the day for Goodwill Fundraising

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009

It comes as no surprise to many that the folks running Goodwill Industries of Washington are having to get really creative with their fundraising in this day and age. Simply going out and asking for donations might have worked in the past, but it isn’t exactly a compelling way to pull in the charity dollars with a down economy. You might still want to donate car parts or donate your vehicle to the organization, but there aren’t so many like you out there. So what is Goodwill Industries doing to make giving easier for the people of Washington?

They are trying to offer something of value to people in the fundraising effort. That, and Goodwill is looking to make the events a little bit more fun than they might have been. This is why auctions are the new craze in fundraising.

Auctions make for nice events to attend, no matter what is being sold off. Typically, things like tickets, memorabilia, and anything of great intrinsic value will be sold at these events. When local businesses come in and help out with donations, that makes the Goodwill Industries job even easier. For now, this is being used to augment the effort when most people aren’t willing to come out and donate car parts or donate their vehicle.

Whether it is a silent auction or a live auction, the fun is really what draws people in. Especially in Washington, these Goodwill charity auctions are being billed as not only an opportunity to help out a good cause, but also come in and have a great time. You don’t get the great time when you donate car parts directly, so this is something new and different for people who might have an interest.

If your interest is to donate car pieces, then that’s still a very real part of the effort for Goodwill. They do want to emphasize that there are plenty of other ways to help that can be a little more interactive, though. That shouldn’t get lost in the message coming from the D.C. chapter, which has always had a heavy emphasis on the vehicle donation program.

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Summer brings new events for Goodwill Industries

Friday, June 5th, 2009

When the weather warms up, Goodwill Industries does even more to help the Washington, D.C. community. Summer might be deadly hot in the metro area, but that doesn’t mean that those in charge get to stop and head to the pool. In fact, Goodwill does many of its biggest and best events in June, July, and August.

The theme this summer, according to those in charge, is to get people out and helping any way possible. Sure, they might ask you to donate a car or something of the like, but really it is about making the most of your resources.

Goodwill is going to be hosting more and more donation drops this summer, where you can go drop off anything that is valuable that you don’t need anymore. These things, like clothes, electronics, and furniture, will be sold in the Goodwill thrift stores and also given to community members to help out in times of need. Though most people can’t donate a car and they can’t help out with huge amounts of money, any little thing will help.

This summer will also bring about a more dedicated effort in the vehicle donation program. For those people who might be looking to donate a car, the advertisements will be running on how to make that happen, and it is important that you take the chance to make a donation if you are able. Money and resources are needed in order to earn resources for the many new programs that are going to be coming out in the new year, in addition to the things that are already taking place.

Goodwill Industries knows all about the challenges that it is facing, as well as some of the limitations that go along with living in this day and age. Still, they are going to be going forward with all of the community efforts that have been helping D.C. in the last couple of years, especially the unemployment services.

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