Press Release: Donate Movement Expands Goodwill’s Ability to Provide Services, Repurpose Used Goods

June 28, 2011 – ROCKVILLE, MD – Last June, Goodwill Industries International launched the Donate Movement to raise awareness about the importance of donating gently used items and the positive impact those items can have on both people and the planet. In just one year, the global initiative has increased donations to Goodwill. and traffic to the Donate Movement microsite, http://donate.goodwill.org, and spurred numerous partnerships with leading corporate brands.

The Donate Movement encourages consumers to make careful choices about the gently used items they no longer need, said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. Every item donated to Goodwill equals money spent on job skills training, education and other vital services offered to our communities. And every donation means that fewer items will end up in landfills.

The Donate Movement has been integral in expanding Goodwills reach. In 2010, Goodwill Industries. diverted more than 2 billion pounds of used goods from landfills, raising $2.7 billion to fund valuable job training and community-based services for people who face challenges to finding employment. In turn, Goodwill was able to serve 2.4 million people, a 26 percent increase over 2009. The number of people donating to Goodwill also increased, from 56 million in 2009 to 74 million in 2010, and Goodwill agencies added more than 6,000 jobs last year, further fueling their local economies.

To spread the word about the Donate Movement, Goodwill leveraged its online presence and unveiled a new icon comparable to the recycling symbol. In addition, the agency launched its Donation Impact Calculator (patent pending), which allows donors to see exactly how their donations equate to Goodwill job training programs and employment placement services for people in their communities. In the first quarter of 2011, traffic to the Donate Movement web site increased 30 percent, and usage of the Donation Impact Calculator increased 25 percent.

As the Donate Movement gained momentum, major corporations and a Certified Professional Organizer. and best-selling author joined forces with Goodwill to encourage donations. Lorie Marrero, author of The Clutter Diet, signed on as the spokesperson and ambassador for the Donate Movement.

Additionally, the following organizations have partnered with Goodwill:

• Levi Strauss & Co.: As the movements first partner, the clothing manufacturer launched A Care Tag for Our Planet and began including messaging on product care tags, encouraging people to donate to Goodwill to increase the lifecycle of clothing and textiles.
• Family Circle: Goodwill teamed up with the national magazine to encourage readers to organize Back to School donation drives, resulting in approximately 20 million pounds of clothing being diverted from landfills.
• Hanes.: The clothing manufacturer partnered with Goodwill, deeming March national Clean out Your Drawers Month. Celebrities Bethenny Frankel and Michael Moloney provided tips on how to de-clutter and organize for spring. The campaign encouraged people to donate the items they no longer use to Goodwill.
• Planet Green: The television network devoted to conscious living  leveraged its multi-media platform  to spread the message about the positive impact donations have on communities and the environment.

http://www.goodwill.org/press-releases/donate-movement-expands-goodwills-ability-to-provide-services-repurpose-used-goods/