TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — When donated correctly, everyday items become tools for job training, connection, and second chances.
- Acceptable donations help fund Goodwill’s Prosperity Center, providing free access to computers, job searches, and skill-building programs.
- Ninety cents of every retail dollar spent stays local, supporting employment services and workforce training.
- Watch the video below to see how thoughtful giving ensures resources go back into the community.
Goodwill donations fuel job training and employment
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Every bag dropped off at Goodwill tells a story, but not every item can be a part of the mission.
I'm Lyric Sloan in Southwest Tallahassee, showing you how acceptable donations help Goodwill pour right back into the community, supporting job training, employment services, and giving opportunities to people who need a second chance.
For Patrick Ellis, this computer isn't just a screen; it's a lifeline.
"I try to be here at least once a day so I can stay current on my emails," Ellis said.
And when he comes, he stays.
"Oh, a good, two, three hours, if I'm not, you know, doing something more productive, which is rare, " Ellis said.
Twice a day underscores the need.
Goodwill's free prosperity center gives people like Ellis a place to check emails, search for resources, apply for jobs and stay connected in a digital world.
"Our prosperity center is part of our mission. This is why we do what we do. It's so that we can help people that are coming in, that have barriers, come in, get a job, and see someone become successful," Pam Barclay, Capital Circle Goodwill Store Manager," said
And it's all made possible by donations from the community, especially this time of year when closets are cleared and donation bags are filled.
But Goodwill says not everything belongs in those bags.
"We sell everything, but car seats, box springs, mattresses, and stuff that is ripped, torn, or soiled," Barclay said.
Items that can't be sold don't just go to waste; they cost the nonprofit money.
"If it's not sellable, it actually costs us, because we have to dispose of it properly, and it takes time away from, you know, being able to actually put things out into our stores, you know, a lot quicker," Barclay said.
When donations can be sold, the impact reaches far beyond the sales floor.
Goodwill says 90 cents of every dollar earned from retail sales goes directly back into the community, and the average donation, about $50, can provide roughly three hours of workforce training.
"I've taken the fundamentals of the computers, the computer fundamentals course, and it builds you all the way up to being efficient in Windows and all kinds of Office programming," Ellis said.
Skills that open doors and opportunities that begin with thoughtful giving.
"With those donations, if you can just bring them in, you know, those sellable items, that way it is more efficient for us and it's quicker to get back into our prosperity center. And for the clients that really need the educational part of what we actually do," Barclay said.
What you choose to donate can make a real difference.
Goodwill leaders say that when items meet the donation guidelines, the impact stays local, allowing neighbors to build skills and find work.
In Southwest Tallahassee, Lyric Sloan ABC 27.
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