MIDDLE, TN — As Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee prepares for a year-end surge in donations of clothing and other home goods, the local nonprofit has some advice for area residents: Donate now and avoid the rush.
From Dec. 26-31, the number of donations at Goodwill Donation Express Centers across middle and west Tennessee rises by up to 40 percent compared to other days of the year. The annual surge is prompted by people cleaning out their closets, attics and garages to make room for holiday gifts.
To accommodate the rush, Goodwill shifts staff to its busiest locations, but donors may still encounter lines at peak hours.
“It’s a great idea to organize your closets and storage areas now and donate before the holidays for the sake of convenience,” said Goodwill’s Vice President of Donated Goods Leisa Wamsley. “Of course, we welcome donations at any time of year. We are so thankful for the many generous donors who support our mission of changing lives through education, training and employment.”
Wamsley added that Goodwill relies on the holiday increase in donations to keep its stores and Outlets well-stocked with quality merchandise for shoppers throughout the year.
HOW TO DONATE
Goodwill offers a contact-free donation process. Donors arriving at Goodwill’s Donation Express Centers are asked to place bags and boxes of donations into waiting rolling bins. Attendants are on hand to assist with furniture or other heavy or bulky items.
Tips for donating include:
When decluttering your home, consider the One-Year Rule: If you haven’t worn it, used it or played it in one year, it is probably time to donate it.
Please remove hangers from clothing. Goodwill is not able to accept hangers as donations.
Goodwill cannot accept some items, such as household chemicals and older, tube-style televisions. A list of some other items that can and cannot be accepted are on Goodwill’s website.
Donation attendants can provide a receipt for taxes or other purposes.
There are more than 45 Donation Express Centers located throughout middle and west Tennessee, and most are open seven days a week. Hours vary by location. Please only leave donations when an attendant is on duty. Locations, hours and much more information can be found online at www.giveit2goodwill.org.
WHY DONATE
Each year, thousands of people in communities across Middle and West Tennessee benefit from Goodwill’s free nonprofit mission services, ranging from job fairs at Career Solutions Centers to training in IT, construction, call center and forklift operation.
Donating to Goodwill also helps the environment. In 2021, Goodwill diverted more than 25 million pounds of useful materials from landfills through its recycling efforts.
For more than 60 years, Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee has provided job training and job placement free of charge to people with disabilities or other barriers to employment through the sale of donated items. Goodwill’s vision is that all people will have the opportunity to reach their fullest potential through the power of work.
More information about Goodwill’s Career Solutions, retail stores and donation centers can be found online at www.giveit2goodwill.org or by calling 1-800-545-9231.
