Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I donate my no longer needed items? Please visit our Where to Donate page to find a location nearest you.
Does Goodwill offer a pick-up service for donations? In order to keep our costs down, we are unable to make house calls to pick up donations, however we offer two area donation centers. All of our retail stores also accept donated items. Our associates will gladly assist you in offloading donations from your vehicle.
Why should I donate to Goodwill rather than another organization? Goodwill puts your donations to work! More than 85 percent of Goodwill Industries' revenue goes directly into employment and training programs for people with disabilities and others with obstacles to employment. Goodwill stores also provide jobs and work experience for individuals in Goodwill's education and training programs. Some for-profit companies arrange to use a charity's name to collect donations in exchange for a flat fee or percentage of the revenue. Often this is not evident to those donating, and the percentage that is given to the charity may be less than 5 cents for every dollar spent. Wouldn't you prefer to donate to an organization like Goodwill, where more of your donation goes to charitable activities, where more people can get the help they need?
What happens to donated items that aren't sold in Goodwill stores? Our goal is to try and generate revenue to fund Goodwill programs for every item that is donated. We recycle many items that are not salable, by reselling them to industrial buyers.
If I shop at a Goodwill store, will I be depriving disadvantaged people of items they need? No. Goodwill serves disadvantaged individuals through education, training and job placement programs, as well as support services.
Who does Goodwill help? Goodwill's programs and services are designed to meet the training and placement needs of the local community. Some individuals that use Goodwill's services face a number of obstacles to employment, including a lack of work experience or history, illiteracy, language barriers, or a dependency on public assistance.
