How to Donate to Goodwill

Goodwill Industries is an umbrella federation of over 200 autonomous non-profit, community-based member organizations in the United States, Canada and abroad. Its mission focuses on helping people with disabilities, welfare recipients, dislocated workers and others to find good jobs and advance in their careers. Local Goodwill organizations are known for operating community-based thrift stores and processing a wide range of in-kind donations. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Property to donate, from cash to vehicles, clothes or other goods

Connect With the Goodwill Organization in Your Area

1. Learn about Goodwill's mission and history at the Goodwill Industries homepage (see Resources below).
2. Make note of Goodwill drops in your community and recycle there as an alternative to throwing useful goods in the trash.
3. Visit your local Goodwill store or center and ask about its programs and what kinds of donations would be most beneficial to its local efforts. Use the Goodwill locater tool near the top of the Goodwill Industries homepage. Just enter your ZIP code there and you will see a list of stores near you.

Donate, Shop and Follow Up

4. Contribute financially to Goodwill at the local, national or international level by visiting the Donate Online web page (see Resources below).
5. Donate a vehicle to Goodwill by visiting the About Donating Vehicles web page (see Resources below). Estimate the value of your car according to its present market value. At tax time, you will be able to deduct the proceeds Goodwill receives by selling the car from your taxes.
6. Shop at your local Goodwill store to find amazing bargains and rare treasures, or visit the Goodwill Industries Online Store at its website (see Resources below).
7. Keep track of what you donate and what you buy, with records filed so that they will serve you well at tax time.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are vacationing with kids who may spend you into hitchhiking home, take them on an expedition to the local Goodwill store to shop for exotic clothes like cheap jeans, chic but inexpensive earrings and a bit of social education.
• If you are giving a computer or personal property to Goodwill, first wipe out data or labels that are personal or connect back to you.