From the Derry News (Derry, NH)
For the third year in a row, Goodwill Industries of Northern New England and Family Circle magazine are teaming up for a Back-to-School Clothing Drive at stores and donation centers across the community and the country.
The drive, which runs through Aug. 23, aims to encourage families to donate their gently used clothing to fund support services that help them become financially stable and support themselves and their families.
In conjunction with the Clothing Drive, Goodwill and Family Circle are also hosting a co-branded Facebook photo contest. They are inviting donors to snap and share a creative picture of their family donating to Goodwill.
Donors can drop off their clothing items at any one of Goodwill’s 25 donation centers in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
In addition, families can plan their own donation drive at schools, businesses, or anywhere friends and neighbors gather.
The contest runs until Aug. 23 and the grand prize winner will receive a $5,000 back-to-school shopping spree to send their kids back to school in style.
To enter, contestants can visit the Family Circle or Goodwill Facebook page. More information can also be found at http://donate.goodwill.org/familycircle.
“Goodwill and Family Circle’s Back-to-School drive supports Goodwill’s Donate Movement, a public awareness initiative that educates consumers about how donated goods have the power to make a difference in people’s lives, strengthen communities and create a healthier environment,” said Michelle Smith, communications manager for Goodwill Industries of Northern New England. “Parents can use the clothing drive as a means to teach children that donating positively impacts both people and the planet.”
The drive is an essential part of the Back-to-School signature promotion, which teaches kids to give back. Goodwill and Family Circle have partnered for back-to-school donation drives since 2009.
In its first year alone, the partnership exceeded its 5 million pound goal, giving 11 million pounds of clothing a second life and contributing to the environment by diverting those items from landfills.
In total, Family Circle readers contributed to an increase in donations at local Goodwills of approximately 20 million pounds over the past two years.
“At Family Circle, we encourage our readers and their families to give back,” said Lee Slattery, publisher of Family Circle. “We are thrilled to join forces with Goodwill and reinforce to children and their families that the act of a donation has a tremendous impact on someone’s life.”
Calculate the impact of a donation
After donating items they no longer need, consumers can calculate the impact of their donation through the patent-pending Donation Impact Calculator at donate.goodwill.org. The calculator demonstrates how donated goods become jobs.
For example:
One working computer donated to Goodwill provides eight hours of on-the-job training.
Two suits, one dress and one jacket donated to Goodwill provides one hour of resume preparation.
Five sweaters, one lamp and two bikes provide two hours of career counseling.
Visit locator.goodwill.org to find a Goodwill store or donation center.
