Goodwill hopes increased holiday spending sparks increased donations end of year
Nationwide, holiday spending has increased 15% over last year, and Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida hopes the increased gift-giving will also lead to increased donations after the holidays.
“Traditionally, the week between Christmas and New Year’s is one of our busiest donation weeks of the season,” explains Goodwill spokesperson Kirsten O’Donnell. “It’s a combination of a couple of factors. People donate to make room for all of their new gifts, and because we’re a nonprofit, they know they can get a tax deduction if they donate before December 31.”
Goodwill provides job training, transportation assistance, housing, education, and more services for people with disabilities and other disadvantages. The agency anticipates assisting as many as 20,000 individuals in 2011. Approximately 85% of the funding for these programs comes from the resale of donated items.
“Donations are the lifeblood of our organization,” explains O’Donnell. “Clothing and housewares make up the vast majority of our donations. But we also accept things you might not expect, like computers and cars.”
Goodwill partners with both Dell and Microsoft to safely accept computer donations. Both partnerships launched in late 2011. Cars, boats, and recreational vehicles are accepted at Goodwill’s vehicle sales and donation center in Fort Myers (3333 Fowler Street).
Because Goodwill is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, donations to Goodwill (both cash and non-cash) qualify for a federal income tax deduction. Taxpayers able to itemize their 2010 taxes are able to claim their donation as a charitable contribution. However, Donations must be made by December 31, 2011 in order to be eligible for a 2011 income tax deduction.
To learn more about Goodwill’s programs and services, call (239) 995-2106, or for a complete list of Goodwill’s Southwest Florida locations and store hours, visit www.goodwillswfl.org.
Source: Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida