Category: The Goodwill Blog

Hey guys, its Marisa from New Dress A Day here! The holidays are within arm’s reach and we all know what that means – lots of sugar cookies and sweet treats in the office kitchen, lots of seasonal commercials for Black Friday deals, and lots of holiday parties! My schedule is already booked full, and I haven’t even thought of what to wear! With multiples soirees on the agenda, a mix of plane tickets to purchase and the handful of family gifts to grab, the budget for looking festive is a tight one. By shopping at Goodwill®, not only do I save money, but also at the same time I’m helping to provide job training and job placement opportunities for individuals in my community. I think that’s the holiday spirit that I’m most excited about!

READ MORE from Nab These Three Holiday Looks for Less at Goodwill

As nonprofit organizations like Goodwill continue to meet increased demand for services and labor to raise the necessary funds to meet those needs, Congress should seek to encourage everyone, regardless of income, to give more to charitable organizations. Any caps or limits placed on the charitable deduction will undermine the incentive effect, thus reducing charitable giving and hurting nonprofits. At a time when the nonprofit sector continues to see an increased demand for programs and services while public funds are being reduced, our elected officials should support policies that encourage all Americans to give more to charitable organizations and protect the people we serve.

READ MORE from Urge Congress to Protect Charitable Giving Incentives

Goodwill Industries of Arkansas (Little Rock) is offering Arkansans who qualify the opportunity to enroll in free or low-cost health insurance plans at select area Goodwill retail stores. The collaboration with Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield began on November 11 with Blue Cross and Blue Shield staff visiting 12 Little Rock Goodwill locations on specific days of the week

READ MORE from Little Rock Goodwill Assists Residents with Health Care Enrollment

Moving is always considered one of the most stressful experiences we can have. However, if you are going to be moving soon, I challenge you to think of moving as an opportunity instead-- an opportunity to streamline your life! Packing requires you to physically touch every item you own. As you sort your stuff, you have the opportunity to make a decision about each thing. When else do you get this kind of "day of reckoning" with your stuff? Make it a goal to move into your new place with only the things you use and love and value the most. You will have more storage space available, less stuff to maintain and worry about, and an amazing feeling of freedom!

READ MORE from Get Organized for Your Next Big Move

This week, as Congress prepares for another effort to stabilize the nation’s fiscal outlook, a new report illustrates the impact that recent cuts to discretionary programs – including job training programs operated by Goodwill – has negatively affected people. “Faces of Austerity: How Budget Cuts Have Made Us Sicker, Poorer and Less Secure,” was released by NDD United, an alliance of more than 3,200 national, state, and local organizations – including Goodwill Industries International (GII) – working to prevent more harsh cuts to core government functions.

READ MORE from Goodwill® Featured in Report Outlining Negative Impact of Funding Cuts

Mario from Omaha, NE, asks, "I was just made a manager in my department. While I'm happy to get a promotion, one of the people I oversee is notoriously negative and attacks his coworkers for no reason. How do I manage this situation?"

READ MORE from Build a Stronger Team by Using the Three ‘F’ Words

As an adolescent, Haley struggled to progress along her educational path due to her bipolar disorder, but eventually gained her high school diploma and secured a job. Unable to maintain the position, she began working with the Department of Rehabilitation Services, who connected her with Goodwill. There, as part of the "Let's Go to Work!" program, she built her job readiness skills and was eventually hired in a cashier position. "I know without the help and support of my job coach in Goodwill I would have never been able to move into a competitive job," she says.

READ MORE from My Story: Haley Paone

Of all the Thanksgivings I spent at my late grandmother’s house (18 years worth!), there’s one that really sticks out to me. With fragrant wafts of the feast coming our way from the kitchen, she asked each family member to choose something we were really thankful for and mark it on a "gratitude tree" that she had created on her wall. That was the year I realized that this holiday is about much more than just playing with my cousins, and that I was a very lucky girl.

READ MORE from This Thanksgiving, Create a DIY Gratitude Tree

On October 28, Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids (MI) and Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore launched Every Dress Has a Story!, a fashion-forward dress drive. The two organizations have partnered to collect gently used dresses from the community to assist the Grand Rapids Goodwill in its mission of providing job training and placement services to area residents. While donors can bring a dress to any Grand Rapids area Goodwill store, members of the community can also host donation bins at their places of business or community centers. Bins can be delivered and picked up by the agency’s staff.

READ MORE from Every Dress Has a Story in Local Goodwill®, Girl Scouts Partnership

Some college girlfriends called me a few months back and wanted to arrange a baby shower back in my hometown. I was thrilled and excited at a chance to see everyone and show off the bump, but talk of showers always leads to talk of registries. I have to admit-- the thought of registering made me a little bit queasy. Babies need so much stuff-- but does it all really need to be new? So when I flew back to Missouri last weekend, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But I have to hand it to my friends and family-- they know me better than I ever imagined. I was treated to a brunch with good friends, family, food, generosity, crafts, love and THRIFTY gifts!

READ MORE from Throw an All-Thrifty Baby Shower

Following Election Day, headlines are dominated by outcomes, voter turnout and even thoughts on the next major race.  As important as casting your ballot may be, voting is just one of the many ways we can be engaged in the legislative process. Throughout the year, you can meet with your lawmakers, attend hearings, provide testimony

READ MORE from What Legislative Issues Are Important to You in 2014?

Camila from Paterson, NJ, asks, “I’ve always filed my taxes on time and never had any issues. Now I’m receiving phone calls from the IRS saying I owe them money. This doesn’t make sense – how can I check this out?”

READ MORE from Scam Alert: Protect Your Finances from IRS Telephone Fraud