For spring cleaning, give someone in our community a fresh start

Goodwill launches spring cleaning campaign to give

job seekers new beginnings.

With a particularly cold and snowy winter nearing an end, millions of Americans are gearing up for the annual de-hibernation ritual known as spring cleaning. Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina is encouraging people to think of the spring cleaning season as a time for fresh starts. By donating used clothing and household goods to Goodwill, donors will be providing a fresh start to old belongings by diverting them from landfills, and providing a fresh start to people in need of work.

Through its social enterprise model, Goodwill uses the revenue from its retail store sales to fund programs for job seekers, including youth, seniors, veterans and military families, people with disabilities, and others with specialized needs. With the economy finally showing some signs of life and perhaps heading for an upswing, it is essential that people in our own community who are out of work receive the training they need to succeed in the workplace. That is why Goodwill is asking its friends and neighbors to start spring cleaning and donate to Goodwill.

“Spring is traditionally the time of year for new beginnings,” said Goodwill® spokesperson Lorie Marrero, Certified Professional Organizer®, best-selling author of The Clutter Diet and contributing editor to Woman’s Day Magazine. “When you donate this spring, new beginnings come in threes. You get a fresh start for your de-cluttered house, your donated goods find a new home, and you help give a job seeker a fresh start of their own.”

In 2014, Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina helped 32,872 people plan for new careers, improve their employability, obtain marketable job skills, and earn nationally-recognized, industry-specific credentials. In western North Carolina alone, Goodwill’s programs trained more than 6,000 people for careers in diverse sectors such as hospitality, office technology and healthcare and provided support services that helped nearly 1,200 people land jobs.

There are more than 100 Goodwill donation centers and drop off locations in northwest North Carolina, and 27 in Buncombe County alone; most are open 7 days a week. To locate a drop-off site or retail store, visit goodwillnwnc.org.