Category: The Goodwill Blog

For recent college graduates, May can be a time of both excitement and dread. Enthusiasm over building a new career can be tempered by the reality of paying off student loans and handling the never-ending bills. Creating a financial plan can help new graduates manage the stress associated with managing money. Whether you've recently received your diploma or know someone who has, there are many resources available to help individuals start the new chapter of their lives on the right financial foot.

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April 27 is Administrative Professionals Day where offices across the country take a day to recognize the secretaries and assistants who help their organizations run efficiently. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , secretaries and administrative assistants hold about 4.3 million jobs in today’s economy, making administrative professionals the largest segment of the office workforce.

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On April 22, people around the world will celebrate Earth Day by volunteering with organizations and initiatives that help create positive impacts on the earth. At Goodwill®, we encourage you to think beyond this single day of making a difference and try to create a positive environmental impact each and every day.

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Today, Congress passed a final budget deal to fund the government through the remainder of the fiscal year that ends on September 30, 2011. If signed by the president as expected, the final deal includes an across-the-board cut of 0.2 percent. In addition, several funding sources that local Goodwill® agencies care about will be further reduced.

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I have been asked by you to write on thrifting, but as I think about the subject it seems almost too simple. I don't think anyone needs to be inspired to thrift in 2011. Thrifting is, of course, the practical alternative in a downturn economy. It just makes sense to shop at the lowest price point and to re-purpose that which has been used before. And, as much as I could treat the subject from my own personal perspective, I feel the need instead to focus on the issue of donating.

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Saving for a rainy day is conventional wisdom that is too often ignored. In these times of uncertainty, having funds to tide a family over during a period of joblessness is more important than ever. With the right strategies, you can begin to put money aside before the storm clouds start to appear.

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Companies today are thinking more seriously about their impact on the planet, making new environmental commitments that will require new workers. Proctor & Gamble made a commitment to power all of their factories with renewable energy within the next ten years, and Walmart pledged to sell $1 billion of fresh produce sourced from 1,000 small- and medium-sized farmers, just to name a few. As the economy becomes greener, you can position yourself to make your career greener, too.

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April is National Volunteer Month, when we celebrate the work that volunteers do year-round. During National Volunteer Week (April 10-16), organizations across the country will recognize their volunteers for helping them achieve their mission. As Goodwill Industries International's national volunteer specialist, I often hear stories about the dedicated volunteers giving their time at Goodwills in the U.S. and Canada. However, one program has allowed one financial institution's employees to turn their skills into a life changing volunteer opportunity: Good Assets, a financial education program funded by the Charles Schwab Foundation.

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According to professional job hunters, only 10-20 percent of jobs get published on job boards or in classified ads. The remaining 80 percent remain unpublished — making these job opportunities accessible only through networking. People in your network can give you job leads, offer advice about a particular career path, and introduce you to others who can help you in your job search. To help the people we serve achieve their potential and find new jobs and careers, Goodwill® offers “do’s” and “don’ts” of networking to help you make new connections and advance your career.

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Spring is right around the corner. As I come out of my winter hibernation, I find myself experiencing the following symptoms: * The urge to clean my space * The need to clear the clutter * The desire to repurpose the stuff I no longer use Do you experience one or more of these symptoms? Fear not — you, just like me, simply have a case of the spring cleaning bug! Gladly, Goodwill® has two new partners that have joined the Donate Movement to help us declutter our lives and help those in need in our community.

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It’s that time of year again – March is upon us and the IRS April 18 deadline to file your tax return is only five weeks away. It's time to gather up all your documents, complete your paperwork and make the most of your tax refund this year. Goodwill offers some timely tips to make the filing process easier and ensure you get all the money back you deserve this tax season.

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Congress averted a potential March 4 government shutdown by approving a temporary spending measure. This Continuing Resolution will keep federal programs funded through March 18, 2011, and cut current spending by $4 billion. While temporarily averting a shutdown, the threat to job training programs remains at 'Code Red.'

READ MORE from Take Action Today to Thwart Threats to Job Training