TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle --these are the three words typically used to list ways of keeping excess waste out of the landfill. Goodwill Industries Big Bend, Inc hopes to add another word to that list --Donate.
The Donate Movement is a public awareness campaign to emphasize the impact that donating clothing and other household goods can have on communities and the planet. Along with the launch of this campaign, Goodwill is introducing a new "D" donation icon, which represents responsible donating. The hope is that the symbol will become universally known for donating, the same way three arrows forming a triangle represent recycling.
Goodwill estimates that the campaign could remove millions of pounds of clothing and textiles a year from the local landfill alone, while putting local residents to work and supporting Goodwill's core mission of job training and affordable housing for people with disabilities.
Just as the recycling movement has produced environmental benefits by changing human behavior, Goodwill CEO Fred Shelfer predicts that the Donation campaign has the potential to have a huge, positive impact on the community.
"When you donate the items you no longer need to Goodwill, you are helping someone find a job, strengthening your community and preserving the planet," said Shelfer. "Your donations also help the environment by allowing other people to repurpose the items so they can be diverted from landfills."
Even if donations seem unusable, Goodwill will find a place for them. Stained shirts can be turned into bulk textiles and sold, and broken computers can either be repaired, sold, or recycled through Goodwill's Dell Reconnect Program.
"Nationally, seven out of 10 consumers admit that, sometimes, they choose to discard their items rather than donate them. That's why we need to education our community about the power their donation have," Shelfer said. "By donating a computer, you can give a person 5.3 hours of career counseling. Or, one bike, one coat, and one DVD provide an hour of on-the-job training for a person."
Donations can be made at any of Goodwill's 39 locations or unattended donation bins. Visitors to donate.goodwill.org can find out the impact of their donation by using Goodwill's Donation Impact Calculator.
To find out more information about the national Donate Movement and how donations can make an impact, visit: www.donate.goodwill.org.
