Category: The Goodwill Blog

Goodwill's services for veterans and military families include job training and employment placement services to help them reintegrate into civilian society. But our support doesn't stop there. Many of our 165 Goodwill agencies in the U.S. and Canada provide support services to help these individuals overcome a variety of challenges and circumstances. In Spokane, WA, Goodwill Industries of the Inland Northwest works in conjunction with the Spokane County Veterans Enhanced Treatment Court to run the Spokane Veterans Forum (SVF). The program is the therapeutic side to the court and offers veterans that have become involved with the legal system an alternative to traditional sentencing.

READ MORE from WA Program Helps Vets with Trauma, Combat Histories Overcome Criminal Backgrounds

Latonya Thomas separated from the military at the time the economy was melting down, making it hard to find civilian employment. She had lost many of her assets and felt her life had plateaued when she was referred to Goodwill. She's now exploring new careers and working with staff to meet her educational and career goals and is optimistic about her future.

READ MORE from My Story: Latonya Thomas

I’ve been staring at this Ritz container my entire life. On sick days, my mom would reach into this tin and pull out a sleeve of crackers to keep me and my ginger ale company on the couch while we watched Little House on the Prairie. This year, while doing spring cleaning, she asked me if I wanted the old Ritz tin, and I couldn’t help but say yes. That got me thinking about how useful, versatile and gosh darn cute tins can be. So I set out in search of others (obviously I went to Goodwill first!).

READ MORE from Four Ideas to Give Old Tins a New Life

More Americans are going back to school, and more students than ever are qualifying for Pell Grants, the primary federal grant program that provides funding for low- and moderate-income students. As Goodwill® works to help the people it serves to not only find jobs, but to advance in careers, Pell Grants are becoming increasingly important to our efforts.

READ MORE from Goodwill® Leverages Pell Grants to Help People Advance in Careers

Juanita from Las Cruces, NM, asks, "My brother said I should take ESL classes to help me get a job, but I don’t know. Tell me about the classes. Do they really help?”

READ MORE from Advance Your Career, Education Opportunities with ESL Classes

Six Goodwill® agencies joined an estimated three million Americans to take part in Make a Difference Day this past Saturday. USA Weekend Magazine started Make a Difference Day in 1992 and the observance has grown to be the largest national day of community service, a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors.

READ MORE from Goodwill® Agencies Celebrate “Make a Difference Day”

Six Goodwill® agencies joined an estimated three million Americans to take part in Make a Difference Day this past Saturday. USA Weekend Magazine started Make a Difference Day in 1992 and the observance has grown to be the largest national day of community service, a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors.

READ MORE from Goodwill® Agencies Celebrate "Make a Difference Day"

With Goodwill's support, Sarouet is making progress towards earning her GED diploma. She has received college preparation and job training support, and now feels connected to her life and the direction she's going.

READ MORE from My Story: Sarouet Ouk

The last time I was in Missouri, I had a chance to take a tour behind the scenes at the new St. Louis Goodwill® outlet, probably one of my favorites in the country. The light alone in this place is amazing, unlike a lot of outlets I’ve seen -- or thrift stores in general. The exposed brick and giant windows make it feel like shopping in a gorgeous loft that happens to have the most random things you could ever love.

READ MORE from Adventures in Outlet Shopping: The St. Louis Edition

On October 29, the Supreme Court will hear a case that could dramatically alter the way Goodwill® stores across the United States handle the resale of donated copyrighted materials. The case, Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., is on appeal from the 2nd Circuit Court and will highlight the conflict between the First-Sale Doctrine and U.S. copyright laws as they relate to imported goods.

READ MORE from Supreme Court to Hear Case on Resale of Copyrighted Items

Aaron from Omaha, NE, asks, "I'm currently looking for full-time work. Because of a physical disability, I require some modifications to my workspace. At what point should I bring this up to my employer? I have good qualifications and want to make sure they give me a chance."

READ MORE from Finding a Job with a Disability: Explaining Workplace Accommodation Needs

As a professional organizer, I have come to think of Halloween as the beginning of the “heavy decorating season.” These last three months of the year inspire so many families to haul out the witches’ cauldrons, the cornucopias, and of course, the holiday lights and trees. Then after the season ends, of course, these items need to be stored…somewhere! Be more conscious of creating holiday clutter with these Halloween tips in my video.

READ MORE from Organization Tips for Scaring Away Halloween Clutter