Apr 20, 2011
This Earth Day, April 22nd, Goodwill of the Finger Lakes urges everyone in the community to go green by donating gently used clothing, housewares, unwanted computer equipment, and books to Goodwill, giving these items a new beginning instead of a landfill ending.
“Earth Day is a great opportunity to remind people how important their donations are everyday of the year,” said Sondra McFarlane, VP of Marketing at Goodwill of the Finger Lakes. “Donations fuel our Goodwill stores, serve our community and divert waste from landfills.”
In the last year alone, Goodwill donors have helped divert more than 6 million pounds of usable goods from local landfills. Revenues from the sale of these goods at the nine area Goodwill retail stores has enabled Goodwill of the Finger Lakes to provide opportunities and unique training that put people to work, including people who are blind or visually impaired, those who lack education or job experience, and others facing challenges to finding employment.
The impact of the donations made to Goodwill can be tracked through the use of the Donation Impact Calculator (patent pending). Anyone can access the Donation Impact Calculator at donate.goodwill.org to see how their gently used clothing and household goods help protect the planet while funding job training programs, employment placement services and other vital programs locally and in the communities Goodwill serves nationwide.
“For more than 17 years, Goodwill of the Finger Lakes has been an environmental pioneer of the reduce, reuse, repurpose practice in Rochester and the surrounding communities,” added McFarlane. “Now, we’re using technology to better illustrate how donors create a healthier planet and promote stronger families.”
For example:
- One computer funds 5.3 hours of career counseling for a person in your community.
- One bike, one coat and one DVD can provide someone with one hour of on-the-job training.
- Six shirts and two pairs of jeans can fund one hour of a job search class for a person in your neighborhood.
And, like donors, shoppers play a key role in the process. When people find bargains in one of the nine local Goodwill stores, they are not only saving money, they are also extending the life of items that would otherwise be discarded.
“By donating to and shopping at Goodwill, you are supporting our commitment to preserving the environment and helping people earn paychecks and support themselves and their families,” said McFarlane.
For more information about where to donate and what Goodwill of the Finger Lakes is able to accept as donations, please visit http://www.goodwillfingerlakes.com/Donate.aspx.