The cold weather and snowfall has had a negative impact on donations to Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania stores. As a result, the organization is making an urgent appeal to the public to make a special effort right now to donate gently used clothing, shoes and housewares to the nearest Goodwill store.
In addition to the winter weather, Goodwill is in greater need of donations at this time because of the increased numbers of shoppers who have been visiting Goodwill stores in recent months. Without increased public donations of items, shelves will start to become empty, and the organization is committed to providing a wide selection of quality items for local people who shop at Goodwill thrift stores.
“Material donations are the lifeblood of Goodwill stores and the success of our stores is largely driven by the donations we receive,” said Michael J. Smith, President/CEO of Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania. “We are truly grateful and humbled by everyone’s generosity. However, donations remain important now more than ever due to the ongoing high demand from the community who count on our stores to have the goods they need.”
Goodwill is asking the public to take a look inside closets, attics, basements and garages and make an extra effort to donate at this time of year. The organization encourages the public to declutter houses and give a second life to items that are longer needed. In addition to clothing and housewares, Goodwill accepts donations of books, jewelry, computers, and electronic equipment.
Donations to Goodwill help the community in several ways. First, many Goodwill shoppers are on tight budgets and gently used donations allow Goodwill stores to offer low prices for family needs that are especially high right now due to the economic downturns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, revenue from Goodwill stores helps to sustain Goodwill programs for people with employment barriers. Donations help fund job training and education programs for thousands of people in our local communities while Goodwill stores serve as a training ground for hundreds of people annually
Donating to Goodwill is also good for the environment. Last year, Goodwill was able to keep nearly 16 million pounds of material out of local landfills. Furthermore, donating to Goodwill combats climate change by giving items a second life and encouraging secondhand shopping. The average American has over 100 pieces of clothing in their closet, representing half a swimming pool worth of water which is used to produce these items. This is enough drinking water to serve 500 people for an entire year.
Find the nearest Goodwill SWPA no-contact donation location by visiting www.goodwillswpa.org/donate-goods