How to Donate to Goodwill Charity

Goodwill (Goodwill Industries International) is a charitable organization that provides employment, training, and career services to people with disadvantages. The majority of their funding for these services comes from retail sales of donated goods, including household items and automobiles. They also accept financial donations. The following steps provide tips on donating to Goodwill.

Instructions

1. Find a Goodwill donation center: Goodwill operates over 2200 retail stores in the United States and Canada. Hours of operation will vary from store to store, but most locations are open seven days a week, typically from about 9 AM to 8 PM (some with shorter hours on Sundays). To find a Goodwill location, check the Goodwill Locator at http://locator.goodwill.org.

2. Donate household goods. Goodwill retail stores raise money by selling gently used (or new) household goods. Clothing, books, toys, dishware and cookware, knickknacks, small electrics, and furniture are all accepted for donation. All items should be in good working condition, clean, and free of stains, tears, cracks, etc.

3. Donate computers. Most Goodwill locations will accept donations of computer-related items, but since this policy can vary by location, it's best to call first. Before you drop off it off, make sure that all stored data is completely erased. Goodwill's web site includes links for free downloads for some popular disk cleaning freeware. See http://www.goodwill.org/page/guest/about/howweoperate/donations/tipsfordonatingacomputer

4. 

   Deliver your donations: Most Goodwill retail stores have a drive-up entrance (usually in the rear of the store) where goods can be dropped off. Pull up to the drop off point, stop your vehicle, and a Goodwill employee will unload your items. You'll be given a receipt with a brief description of the donation, the date, and the address of the Goodwill store. Most stores will also provide you with a brochure that lists suggested values of various donated goods for tax purposes.

5. 

   Donate a car. Many Goodwill locations will accept vehicle donations. Some of the donated vehicles are used for training and transportation, while others are sold for fund-raising. To donate your car, you simply sign over the title to Goodwill. Within 30 days, you'll receive in writing a statement from Goodwill stating how the donated vehicle is being used (this is important for tax purposes). If you are considering donating your car, call a Goodwill retail store to learn about the tax implications and to set up a pick up date and time. (Most Goodwill locations will send someone to pick up the donated car).

6. 

   Donate money. Goodwill also accepts monetary donations. They accept most major credit cards. The best way to donate is through their website, https://eservices.goodwill.org/donate/. You'll be able to choose whether you want to donate to a specific Goodwill location or to contribute on a national/international level.

7. Donate your time: Purchasing items from Goodwill also supports the Goodwill mission. Many Goodwill retail stores carry new items that purchase from major retailers, such as Target, Wal-Mart, and Big Lots. Goodwill also operates an online auction site (shopgoodwill.com) which offers antiques and collectibles, art, books, records, as well as many of the types of items that are sold in retail stores. Donated cars and other vehicles are typically sold through auctions. To find a Goodwill Auto Auction near you, call a retail store. They will be able to direct you to the auction website.

Tips & Warnings

• Although itemizing your donations can be time-consuming, if you're planning to claim the tax deduction, it can be well worth your time.

• The Goodwill valuation guide is also available online (see Resources). This will help you to value your donations for tax purposes. It will also give you a good idea of the types of items that Goodwill accepts.

• If you are considering donating a car, carefully review the tax information provided on Goodwill's website.

Resources

• Goodwill's Website - Very comprehensive
• Goodwill Online Auction
• Goodwill Valuation Guide
• Locate a Goodwill