Goodwill® Encourages the Community to Help Give Job Seekers a Fresh Start in the New Year

Goodwill^® Encourages the Community to Help Give Job Seekers a Fresh Start in the New Year

Deadline Approaching to Donate for 2017 Tax Deductions

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (December 21, 2017) – With just a few days remaining until the new year, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont reminds the community that donated goods and financial contributions made by the end of this month are eligible for a 2017 tax deduction.

Goodwill accepts donations of clothing, accessories, household items, books, toys, electronics, furniture, sports equipment, small appliances and more. As donors hurry to meet the deadline for 2017 tax deductions, Goodwill predicts a significant increase in donor visits during the week leading up to the new year. Last year, a record breaking 36,564 donors donated to the organization in the last five days of the year, surpassing totals over the past six years. Donating is easy and convenient with 24 retail stores and more than 30 donation drop-off sites in the region. Goodwill is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and meets all 20 standards for charity accountability.

“Proceeds from the sale of donations in Goodwill retail stores fund job training and employment services free of charge for job seekers in the community,” said Chris Jackson, President & CEO of Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont. “There are 127,889 – or roughly 1 in 8 – Mecklenburg County residents currently living in poverty according to 2016 Census data. These services are critical for individuals facing obstacles to employment – such as lack of skills, experience, education and those with criminal backgrounds – to achieve family sustaining employment.”

For more than 50 years, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont has helped people build careers in a variety of business sectors including customer service, administrative and business services, construction, and occupations requiring computer skills. Goodwill also offers basic computer training courses, résumé building, mock interview workshops and other vocational services. Last year, Goodwill opened the new Goodwill Opportunity Campus in west Charlotte, featuring the 160,000-square-foot Leon Levine Opportunity Center housing Goodwill’s resources, as well as on-site nonprofit community partners including Charlotte Metro Credit Union, Charlotte Community Health Clinic – West, Common Wealth Charlotte and The Center for Community Transitions to provide wraparound services for clients under one roof.

Donors interested in claiming tax deductions should keep itemized lists of their donations. The Internal Revenue Service allows a deduction for each item, but the donor must determine each item’s value. Generally, an item’s value should be based on fair market value – what the item would sell for in a Goodwill retail store. To assist donors in calculating the value of popular items, below is a general guide for the value of items sold in Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont’s retail stores.

Men’s suits: $9.99	Women’s handbags: $4.99
Coats: $7.99	Dishes and cups: $0.49 and up
Adult shoes: $4.99	Paperback books: $0.99

Goodwill’s donation attendants will gladly provide all donors with a receipt for their tax records. If donors are unsure whether a particular item qualifies for a tax deduction, they should consider whether they would give it to a relative or friend. If the answer is yes, then the item is most likely in good condition and is appropriate to donate. For general guidelines, visit goodwillsp.org/shop/price-list/.

Donors may drop off items at any of Goodwill’s more than 30 convenient retail stores or donation centers in North and South Carolina. To make a material donation, use the online locator at goodwillsp.org/shop/goodwill-locations/ to find a donation site near you.

Goodwill’s retail store holiday hours are as follows:

Christmas Eve – Sunday, December 24: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (*Close early at 5 p.m.)
Christmas Day – Monday, December 25: CLOSED
New Year’s Eve – Sunday, December 31: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. (*Extended 2 hours)
New Year’s Day – Monday, January 1: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. (*Normal hours)

Goodwill Guidelines for Donations:

Do wash or dry-clean clothing.
Do test electrical equipment and battery-operated items.
Do include all pieces and parts to children’s games and toys.
Visit www.goodwillsp.org to determine standards for donating computers and vehicles.

Please Avoid the Following:

Don’t leave items unattended outside a donation center.
Don’t donate broken or soiled items.
Don’t donate non-working, boxy or non-flat panel TVs.
Don’t give items that have been recalled, banned, or do not meet current safety standards. For more information, visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission at www.cpsc.gov.

To make a financial contribution, please mail a check to Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, Attn: Development Office, P.O. Box 668768, Charlotte, N.C. 28266 or donate online at goodwillsp.org/donate/donate-money.

Making an Informed Choice

You can make sure your donations are benefiting the people who need them most by considering:

Will your donation be used to support a cause you believe in?
What impact is the organization making in the lives of individuals who live in our community?
Does the charity actually operate the thrift store in which your donation will be sold? Or is the store run by a for-profit operation?
If the store is run by a for-profit, how will your donation help people in need?
Give to charities you know and trust. Note that fraudulent charities often modify the names of established groups, so be sure to read carefully the name of the charity before giving.
Familiarize yourself with the organization soliciting your support. Avoid giving to organizations that send unsolicited e-mails or to solicitors who ask for your credit card number over the telephone or request payment in cash.
Avoid donating to organizations that can’t immediately provide you with information about their mission, history and the causes they are asking you to support.

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About Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont

Goodwill has been serving individuals and families in the Southern Piedmont region of North and South Carolina for more than 50 years. Goodwill operates 24 retail stores and has more than 30 donation sites in the region. Proceeds from the sale of donated goods fund job training and employment services for individuals facing barriers to employment such as lack of skills, experience or education and those with criminal backgrounds. In 2016, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont provided employment services to 10,500 individuals and placed more than 1,800 job seekers in local jobs throughout the region thanks to donations and purchases from the community. For more information, visit www.goodwillsp.org

Media Contacts

Melinda Wilshire | Director, Marketing & Communications | Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont | Phone: (704) 916-1616 | Email: melinda.wilshire@goodwillsp.org

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