You may have noticed last week, that we started up the "Featured Organization Friday" again, in an effort to share more about the ways you can become involved with local nonprofits and organizations and make a positive impact on the community. So when Goodwill reached out to PWC Moms to paticipate in their #Blog4Good campaign this week, I said yes! May 5th through May 11th marks Goodwill Industries Week, an annual celebration of Goodwill’s mission to provide free job training and employment services to people with disabilities and disadvantages.
You know Goodwill. They’re the folks you donate all your old stuff to. Bargain shoppers & budget fashionistas know their retail stores as a great place to go thrift shopping. But, do you know why goodwill accepts your donations? Do you know where the proceeds from those retail sales go? Simply put – they help people find jobs here in our community. Goodwill of Greater Washington’s primary mission is to provide job training and employment services to people with disadvantages and disabilities. They help real people get real jobs; fostering positive, contributing members to our community. All made possible by donations from people like you and me.

In 2012, Goodwill directly affected the lives of more than 3,200 people in our community. These are people who have re-found the dignity that comes with being a contributing member of our society.  Goodwill also diverted over 20 millions of trash from local landfills through their donation program. In addition to training people for jobs, placing them into jobs, providing consumers with access to quality, low cost goods, and acting as one our region’s largest recyclers, Goodwill is also a job developer. With each new store and donation center that Goodwill opens, 25-30 new jobs are created. Goodwill of Greater Washington’s mission is summed up by its tagline - “Transforming lives and communities”.

If you’d like to learn more about Goodwill of Greater Washington, find their nearest store or donation center, or get involved, visit dcgoodwill.org or download their free mobile app. Here in Prince William County there is a Goodwill Donation & Retail Center in Manassas, plus a Prince William County Landfill Attended Donation Center. There are also Goodwill locations nearby in Alexandria, Annandale, Arlington, Fairfax, Falls Church, Herndon, Stafford, plus an Outlet Store in Fredericksburg.

Disclosure: This blog post is a part of the #Blog4Good campaign to help spread the word about Goodwill of Greater Washington.