President’s Speech on Mental Illness – a Goodwill Priority

June 5, 2013

On Monday, President Barack Obama gave a moving speech about the importance of families and individuals seeking assistance when encountering symptoms of mental illness. Obama said, “Too many Americans who struggle with mental health illnesses are still suffering in silence rather than seeking help.”

And We at Goodwill Agree.

To provide support, Goodwill offers places that help people with mental health struggles. The Clubhouse of Lehigh County and now the new Drop-In Center of Lehigh County, located within the Clubhouse, are facilities that offer support to people coping with mental illness. Both are located in Allentown and serve Lehigh County residents.

These programs provide a safe and friendly environment where people who have experiernced mental health problems can gather and focus on recovery, education and employment. The Drop-In Center is more informal and offers socialization activities, while empowering participants to set goals, improve their life and become leaders. Each facility also works to break down the stigma of mental illness. For more information about the Clubhouse or the Drop-In Center, go here: https://www.yourgoodwill.org/grow/supportive-services

President Discusses Physical Aspects and Stigma of Mental Illness

In his speech, Obama said, “The brain’s a body part too. We just know less about it. There should be no shame in discussing or seeking help for treatable illnesses that affect too many people that we love. We’ve got to get rid of that embarrassment. We’ve got to get rid of that stigma.”

Obama’s continued “We need to see that men and women who would never hesitate to go see a doctor if they had a broken arm or came down with the flu, that they have the same attitude when it comes to their mental health. We see it in veterans who come home from the battlefield with the invisible wounds of war, but who feel that somehow seeking treatment is a sign of weakness, when in fact it is a sign of strength.”

Obama cited a statistic in his speech: This year, one in five people will suffer symptoms due to a mental illness. To see a video of President Obama’s speech, click on this link. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57587333/obama-time-to-bring-mental-illness-out-of-the-shadows/.

Did You Know?

Many famous people have suffered from mental illness over the years, including: President Abraham Lincoln and Prime Minister Winston Churchill; Robert Downey Jr. Robin Williams and Jim Carrey; Vivian Leigh, Patty Duke and Carrie Fisher; Ludwig von Beethoven, Kristen Hersh, and Peter Gabriel; Vincent Van Gogh, J.K. Rowling and Tim Burton; Terry Bradshaw, Daryl Strawberry and Jimmy Piersall; and Kitty Dukakis, Thomas Eagleton and Mary Todd Lincoln, to name a few. All have struggled with mental illness and went on to do great work and live great lives.

Van-Gogh Self-Portrait — When Van Gogh was at Arles being treated for his mental illness, he was often well and in remission from symptoms of his bipolar disorder. While there, he created more than 140 masterpieces in 13 months.

To see videos and read some of the stories of these politicians, actors, composers, musicians, artists, writers, directors, athletes and more, go here: http://www.mentalhealthadvocacyinc.org/role-models.

After Your Yard Sale, Think Goodwill

April 26, 2013

So everything didn’t sell at the yard sale, but you made some money and cleaned out the garage, basement and those over-stuffed closets.

Instead of putting what you didn’t sell at the curb, donate it to Goodwill. The last thing you want to do is re-store boxes of unsold stuff you no longer use and refill the space you just cleared. Declutter. Feel the freedom of letting go of your unneeded stuff. Keep your gently used items out of landfills.

Next time you are out and about, donate them to Goodwill: store locations. Take those bags and boxes of stuff to a Goodwill store near you. Hundreds of donors give to Goodwill each week. You too can feel good knowing your things are going to a good cause.

Your donations help people in your community. Goodwill provides job training and runs programs for people with disabilities. The sale of donated merchandize helps create jobs and teaches new job skills to people who have barriers to employment. Goodwill accepts clothes, toys, glassware, household items, furniture (at most locations) and computers, but NOT TVs. For a list of what not to donate.

To fulfill its mission, Goodwill needs donations like yours. Don’t let your possession end up in a landfill. When you are ready to declutter, go green and donate to Goodwill.

Lookin’ for a Come Up at a Thrift Shop? Shop at Goodwill

March 19, 2013

Topping the Charts, Popping Some Tags with a 20-Dollar Bill

Most of you have probably heard the song “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, which mentions Goodwill. It was shot in part at a Seattle Goodwill Outlet. We think it’s cool that something we have known about for a long time – thrift shopping is fun and saves you cash – is mainstream.

We appreciate Macklemore and Ryan Lewis telling the world that thrifting is cool. Who wants to pay $50 for a T-shirt? Our customers are proud to find low-priced items that suit their style and they show off their new outfits, shoes and purses to their friends on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. They are proud #ThriftShop and #Goodwill enthusiasts. They decorate their home with items found at Goodwill.

Be Proud of Your Thrift Shop Purchase

: Styling like Macklemore outside a Goodwill thrift shop.

If you only have $20 in your pocket, and need an outfit (or two), that $20 goes much further at Goodwill than any other retail store. AND, like Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, you will have fun stuntin’ in them.

Think like Macklemore and go to Goodwill. Fill your closet with come ups for less. Mother’s or grandpa’s clothes could fit your style perfectly. Be it geek chic, retro, or en vogue, going to a thrift shop could make your day.

Thrift Shop — At Goodwill, the hat, the jacket, the shirt, for $20.

Through your generous donations and your purchases, Goodwill funds job training programs and helps people with disabilities or other employment challenges live a full and productive life. Your thrift shop purchases and donations create jobs and opportunities.

Some Donated Books are Sold on Amazon or eBay

March 7, 2013

Goodwill Books — Many popular titles and authors are available at Goodwill stores and online.

A library of books, CDs, DVDs, video games – as well as old school formats like VHS, cassette tapes and LP albums – gets donated to Goodwill each year. Donations go directly into our stores, which have whole sections devoted to media. Goodwill also sells books and media online to reach broader audiences of shoppers.

Goodwill has Books on Amazon and eBay

Goodwill has two e-books stores, one on Amazon.com and another on eBay.com. Shoppers can browse our virtual stores for in-demand titles that have been donated. This enables shoppers to let their fingers do the shopping to see if we have the book, video, game or music they are looking for. Our online eBay store is called goodwillkeybooks. Check to see what titles are available.

The online stores work in a unique way. At several Goodwill Keystone Area store locations, Goodwill employees scan the bar code of donated books and media. A computer program identifies whether demand for the book is high. Some of the books and media are then shipped to Reading where they are priced and then placed on Amazon or eBay. They are catalogued on shelves awaiting purchase.

The Amazon Store is Different than eBay

Most books sell on Amazon for $1, but shipping is extra and certain items are priced higher to start. On eBay, the books are sold at a fixed price and shipping is free. Books that are in higher demand are more likely to be available online, but are found in stores as well. When sold, they are pulled from the shelves and shipped USPS media mail. Still, most of the prices are a 33-50% lower than the retail price for trade paperbacks and hard covers.

Goodwill has a great supply of children’s books. If you’re still into vinyl or cassettes, VHS or CDs, those formats are also available in our retail and sometimes our online stores.

Do You Believe Everything You Read on the Internet?

February 28, 2013

You would know a hoax when you see it right? We’ve all seen the commercial that says “You can’t put anything on the Internet that isn’t true.” Unfortunately, that is not always the case.When you get an email forwarded to multiple people, chances are you are looking at a chain email that contains outdated information or facts that were never true. Snopes2.com is a valuable resource for vetting urban myths, like the one mentioning Goodwill.

You may have seen this hoax email in your inbox or posted on Facebook. It’s titled ‘Think Before You Donate.’ It falsely states that Mark Curran is the owner of Goodwill and earns $2.3 million a year. We want to set the record straight – no one named Mark Curran has ever ‘owned’ or worked for Goodwill. Plus, no one owns Goodwill. Goodwill is a nonprofit company.

Jim Gibbons is the current CEO of Goodwill Industries International and reports to a volunteer Board of Directors. Ron Kratofil is the President & CEO of Goodwill Keystone Area and reports to a volunteer Board of Directors.

Goodwill is well respected for its devotion to its mission and those it serves. Forbes Magazine agrees. In November 2012, Forbes ranked Goodwill in the top 10 in terms of private support, with a 97% fundraising efficiency rating and an 88% charitable commitment, meaning 88 cents of every dollar raised goes toward the nonprofit’s mission.

Goodwill collects and sells donated items in more than 35 stores in 22 counties in central and southeastern Pennsylvania to help people with disabilities and other barriers become more independent and connected to community.

Many of Goodwill’s programs and services focus on job training and supportive services for employment. We believe work has the power to transform lives and build community.

In fact, Goodwill is the only nonprofit company to make Forbes Magazine’s list top 25 list of most inspirational companies.

If you receive this chain email, delete it and gently remind the person to check their facts before they spread urban myths. Just because you read it on the Internet or received it in your in box doesn’t mean it’s true.

Shop Goodwill Offers Online Auctions

February 27, 2013

This East African bottle topper is hand carved out of a rare wood and is about 50 years old. — This East African bottle topper is hand carved out of a rare wood and is 55 years old.

Goodwill stores throughout the 22-county region comprising Goodwill Keystone Area receive all sorts of interesting donations every day. After processing and pricing, donations go directly into stores for sale to customers or to shopgoodwill.com. The profits from these sales are used to help people with disabilities and other challenges to employment through job training and other activities.

More than 80 Goodwills across the nation have online stores that auction merchandise on shopgoodwill.com, including five in Pennsylvania. You can search the site by item, category or seller. Goodwill Keystone Area (GKA) has two online stores. (Click here to view merchandise currently up for auction at the Berwyn and Reading online stores.) Each online store offers brand name clothing, shoes, antiques and collectibles.

To browse merchandise on shopgoodwill.com, you can search specifically for items available online at GKA’s two stores, click the magnifying glass and browse by seller. one your search specifically for items for sale by the Berwyn or Reading online stores.

Proceeds from these online auctions are maximized, adding additional funds to Goodwill’s mission to support persons with disabilities and other barriers to independence in achieving their fullest potential as workers and as members of the broader community.

Spring Training Means Tee-Shirt Weather is Not Far Away

February 20, 2013

As we endure another February chill, let’s think of warmer days when we hear the snap of a ball in a mitt or the crack of a well-hit baseball.

Phillies Shirts — Phillies Fan Club and Shane Victorino shirts and many other team shirts can be found at Goodwill.

Spring is only a month away. Besides birds, a good early sign of spring is pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training camps this week in Florida and Arizona.

This means it’s time to start looking for your favorite team’s attire at Goodwill. Every time I shop at a Goodwill store, I like to browse through the different tee shirt colors looking for my teams and those of my family and friends. They make good “I was thinking of you.” gifts. They can be sleepwear or something to wear to a ball game. What we wear can be the beginning of a conversation with a neighbor while out gardening.

I like how our Goodwill stores are set up – by type of clothes and by color. It makes it easy to search for my favorite team’s colors, and you can’t beat the prices. Often, with my Shop & Save card I get additional discounts on top of the already low cost. Then all I have to do is find the right size.

Good hunting. Find your favorite things at Goodwill.

Stock up on Super Bowl Party Supplies at Goodwill

February 1, 2013

I went looking for a few extra serving bowls for a Super Bowl party I am planning, but was discouraged at the exorbitant prices at some high-end and supposedly bargain-price stores. While I was shopping I suddenly thought ‘Goodwill to the rescue.’

I knew the prices would be more than affordable and that I would be able to find something different. I chose a couple neat serving bowls.

Silver-plated candy dish. — Great pretzel bowl and drink glasses for the Super Bowl.

: Go fancy or plain with extra serving bowls for your party.

I found extra glasses in several Goodwill stores that I could use for drinks so my guests would not misplace their drinks. I also found plenty of decorations in the purple and black shelves of my local Goodwill store – Ravens colors, and scarlet red and orange – San Francisco colors. This added some color to my party platters.

With the money you save on party decorations at Goodwill, buy some shrimp or wings for your guests.

#1 Steelers Fan Ron Kratofil, Goodwill President and CEO Wears…a Romo Jersey?

January 15, 2013

Ron Kratofil, Goodwill Keystone Area’s President and CEO and #1 Pittsburgh Steelers fan, was a really great sport when he entered the Goodwill store meeting this morning donning a Tony Romo Dallas Cowboys jersey! He reluctantly entered.

Not only did he have to show off his jersey to all the store managers, my camera was there AND a local TV station showed up to cover the event. How will he ever live this down?

He was supported by a could of terrible towels wavers, but the reason he had to wear the attire of his least favorite team was due to Goodwill employee voting. To support the employee giving campaign that culminated in December, employees who donated were able to vote – no matter what they gave – for the team jersey they thought Ron should wear all day.

Goodwill Employees Give Back

The campaign took in the highest total in its history, $25,600 for Goodwill’s mission to help people with disabilities and other barriers to employment. As a nonprofit, Goodwill relies on cash donations as well all donations of stuff that it sells in its stores to help fund job training and community skills classes that help people in local communities. Goodwill Keystone Area serves a 22-county area in south central and southeastern PA.

Don’t Sweat it – Inexpensive Workout Clothes at Goodwill

January 11, 2013

Lose 15 in 2013

Let’s face it, most of us feel like we need to lose 15 pounds. Eating better is part of the equation, but exercise is another. To exercise, you need workout gear.

Workout Clothes for Less

Brand name running jackets at Goodwill at 4880 Carlisle Pike in Hampden Township, Cumberland County.

Can you ever have enough workout clothes? We don’t workout in our work clothes. We don’t workout in the clothes we go to the mall in. We workout in what I like to call “grungies.” We sweat in them over and over until they are too grungy to even go to the gym in. Then we buy brand new workout clothes and start all over.

Sweat It Up at Thrift Store Prices at Goodwill

Why pay premium prices for workout clothes at a sports store? Why shell out hard-earned cash at a high-end retail store gear when you’re just going to get them really sweaty? Goodwill always has a huge variety of quality tee-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants and running clothes. Brand names too. I’ve even found the original tags on some of the clothes. They may have been gifted, but never worn.

Enjoy the Fruits of Your Workout

The money you save on workout clothes can be used to buy fruits and veggies! When you get smaller and your clothes get bigger, look on the Goodwill clothes racks for an outfit that is a size smaller. When you decide never to go back to those ‘mom’ jeans, consider donating unneeded clothes to Goodwill!

Things to Do to Beat the Winter Doldrums

Get outside during the winter. Just being outside makes you feel healthier.
No matter the temperature, go for a walk, run or play a sport.
Download a workout app if you own a smartphone and keep track of the calories you burn.
A mile walked at a decent pace takes about 15 minutes and burns off about 100 calories.