Category: Goodwill Mission

BE PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER

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YOUR GIFT – IN ANY AMOUNT – IS PRICELESS

Wonder what to donate to Goodwill?  When you make a donation to support our cause, you join thousands of generous people who are investing in a better world. The dollars we receive are used exclusively for our programs.

WHAT TO DONATE TO GOODWILL

When deciding what to donate to Goodwill, think about what you would give to a relative, friend or neighbor. More than likely, if it’s something you would give to them, it’s something that we could use.

Below are a few examples:

  • Clothing
  • Cloth Items
  • Shoes
  • Jewelry
  • Dolls
  • Dishes, Pots, Pans and Utensils
  • Antiques and Collectibles
  • Small Working Appliances
  • Chairs
  • Couches
  • Tables
  • Lamps
  • Beds
  • Dressers
  • Desks
This is not an exhaustive list of things to donate to Goodwill. It would be too difficult to list everything we sell in the stores. These items are the items most people are looking for when visiting our stores and tend to sell well. We like donations of all kinds, but there are some things that we can’t sell or costs us money to recycle or dispose of. These items are on our “What NOT to Donate” list. Please check this list before donating to make sure Goodwill can use them to further its mission.

DONATE A VEHICLE

We would LOVE to take your car, boat or RV and put it to great use!  For more information on how to donate your vehicle to Goodwill, please contact by sending an email or calling (574) 472-7319 and selecting option #2.

When you contact us please have the following information available:

  • Vehicle VIN#
  • Make and Model of Vehicle / Boat

COMPUTER RECYCLING

The computer and computer peripheral recycling is a FREE service provided by Goodwill and our recycling partners. At Goodwill, we accept your donation of any brand of used computer equipment – working or not – through the computer recycling program. We also accept just about anything that can be connected to a computer.

Items We Accept:

  • Monitors
  • Computers
  • Printers
  • Scanners
  • Hard Drives
  • Keyboards
  • Mice
  • Speakers
  • Cords & Cables
  • Ink & Toner Cartridges
  • Software

Click HERE for more information. The Dell Reconnect program is designed for home consumers. Goodwill Industries of Michiana, Inc. is a proud participant of the Dell Reconnect program.

Whether you have one computer at home or several, bring them all to a Donation Drive-Thru at your nearest Goodwill Store. It’s FREE and you’ll get a tax receipt. Questions? Call (574) 472-7324 to speak with someone from our Industrial Services department.

HOW DO I START DONATING TO GOODWILL?

It’s easy!  Go through your closets, kitchen, basement, etc. and find some things you’d like to put to good use. Click HERE to read up on some tips we’ve posted on how to declutter your home.  Pack everything up and deliver to either a drive up donation center, or to a donation drop box in your area.

For more information about Goodwill donations, please visit their Donation Page.

The things you donate help further Goodwill’s Mission to strengthen communities by empowering individuals and families through Education, Training and Job Placement.

Goodwill Success Story – Joseph Johnson

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Goodwill Industries of Michiana’s 2nd Chance @ Work Program provides individuals with barriers to employment with an opportunity to re-purpose their lives.

Those involved in the program include ex-offenders.  These individuals need tools to achieve their employment and life goals. The intense classroom and hands-on training have been helpful to the success of our clients.

Recently a client, Joseph Johnson, received job placement in the community at MTI (Manufacturing Technology Incorporated). His goal upon entry to his present job was to apply his knowledge of welding. Since his start date (over 2 months ago) he has quickly risen from a position of general laborer to machine operator.

Thank you MTI and congratulations, Joseph!

If you would like to help those in our community by donating to Goodwill, visit our Donation Page to make your contribution.

Goodwill Success Story – meet Brent Biddle

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Goodwill Industries of Michiana is a place where client successes are celebrated.  It is a place where the notion of turning lemons into lemonade is part of every-day operations. That mantra is exactly what Goodwill client Brent Biddle has done. 
 Brent was unemployed for 4 years after suffering a heart attack. In 2013 he decided it was time to return to work.  Despite significant physical limitations, he was determined to re-enter the work force. He applied to Vocational Rehabilitation and was referred to Goodwill for employment services.
Brent worked closely with the Goodwill staff and his Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor to develop a career goal that met his needs.  He knew he would thrive in a position that allowed him to work with people and accommodate his limitations.  Through career assessment, he determined a position in the customer service field would be perfect for him. 
After meeting weekly with his employment specialist, Brent developed a resume and began his job search.  He applied for a variety of positions in several industries.   During one of his weekly meetings, he learned of a floor supervisor opening at the Goodwill Store in Elkhart. He submitted an application and was interviewed a few days later. 
Brent began working at the Goodwill Store in Elkhart as a floor supervisor.  He has been a valued member of the team at that store for over 6-months. His current career goals include working hard and moving forward within the Goodwill family, perhaps applying for a management position. He is very happy to be working at Goodwill and proud to be a part of the Goodwill mission!