Goodwill gearing up for hoped-for donation rush as year-end approaches
The last two weeks of the year are typically busier for Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida as many local donors take advantage of federal income tax deductions.
Items that are donated to Goodwill can be itemized as charitable contributions on 2009 tax returns.
“We usually see a year-end donation rush,” said Kirsten O’Donnell, spokesperson for Goodwill. “It is more for the tax breaks.”
Gently used items or cash donations need to be received by Dec. 31 to be eligible for the filing with 2009 returns.
The local organization accepts new and gently used clothes, as well as household items, furniture and even cars. For small items the donors are responsible for maintaining an itemized list of donated goods and for bigger donations, such as cars, O’Donnell said people can deduct the amount it is sold for by Goodwill.
Receipts are given for any donations and that is how people keep track of how much they donated. For discount clothing people should itemize the price a shirt or pair of pants would sell at a Goodwill store rather than the amount they originally purchased the garment for.
“It is your responsibility to assign value to these donations,” she said.
Financial contributions to Goodwill can also be made online at www.goodwillswfl.com using Pay Pal. These funds go to benefit many of its local programs such as the L.I.F.E. Academy, Wheels for Work and 12 apartment complexes for people with disabilities and low-income seniors.