Looking for a way to beat the recession, have fun and do some good all at the same time? Try hosting a swapping party to trade items you no longer need or use for some new-to-you finds from your friends’ or family’s closets. Then, drop off any remaining treasures to a Goodwill Donation Center near you. We call it a Good for Everyone Swap-n-Drop.

It’s good for you and your guests because a swap is budget friendly and motivates everyone to clear out their clutter, it’s good for the environment because gently used items won’t end up in landfills, it’s a good way to entertain with a purpose, and it’s good for the individuals with disabilities or vocational challenges who benefit from your donations and Goodwill services.

You can host a party in your own home, or make it a block party in your neighborhood. It’s also great for church groups, schools, sports clubs and community organizations.

Hosting a swap is simple:

Pre-swap

• Establish some rules, for example, everyone must bring at least 5 items and can leave with the same number of items. Items should be clean and in good condition. No one can begin swapping until everyone has arrived. If more than one guest wants the same item, flip a coin or pull a name from a hat.
• Consider asking guests for a small monetary donation for your charity of choice. (We hope you pick Goodwill of course!)
• Send out invitations via email or regular post. (Download Customizable Invitations)
• Send out reminders.
• Plan for refreshments or ask guests to bring an appetizer, dessert or beverage.

Day of Swap

• Gather boxes, hangers, tables, clothing racks if you have them, markers and stickers to help sort items on the day of your party.
• Post signs throughout the swapping area to direct guests to different swapping categories such as shoes, accessories, skirts, dresses, shirts, pants, housewares, books, toys, sports equipment, children’s clothing, etc. (Download Signs)
• Separate items into categories as guests arrive and hand out a tip sheet to guide them through the process. (Download Tip Sheet)
• Use a bathroom or an extra bedroom for guests to try-on clothing.
• Have fun and let the swapping begin!

Post-swap

• Gather all remaining items and drop-off at a Goodwill Donation Center near you.

Thank you for your support!

Jacqueline Kennedy said, “There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.” The love of reading can be instilled from a very early age by exposing children to a wide variety of interesting and engaging reading materials. Encouraging children to read or reading to them everyday can literally change the course of their lives. Reading boosts self worth, improves communication skills, and prepares children for future independence and socio-economic success. According to the National Adult Literacy Survey, children who have not developed some basic literacy skills by the time they enter school are 3 – 4 times more likely to drop out in later years. 

It is estimated that over one million high school drop outs each year cost the nation over $240 billion in lost earnings, forgone tax revenues, and expenditures for social services. The ability to read and write is one of the most important skills anyone can attain in order to “achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider society,” according to UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). Unfortunately, more than 20 percent of adults read at or below a fifth-grade level – far below the level needed to earn a living wage.

 It’s clear that literacy affects everyone in our society.

When you donate a book to Goodwill, you offer someone the chance to expand their mind and their world. You also do right by the planet, diverting used books from landfills in addition to saving the paper, ink and production waste used in the printing of new books. When you buy a book from Goodwill, you are supporting our mission to find employment for disabled and vocationally challenged individuals. What amazing powers a simple book has when put in the right hands, or, any hands for that matter!

Together, we can help change the literacy statistics. Thanks to generous donations, Goodwill offers exceptional values on a large selection of gently used books in all genres. We urge you to open a book, donate a book, read to a child or give a book as a gift. Abraham Lincoln said, “The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who’ll get me a book I ain’t read.”

Check out our Amazon GSC Online Bookstore or, shop at a GSC Bookstore location near you.

Congratulations and many thanks to our phenomenal team and valued partner, the City of Palmdale, for successfully opening the new South Valley WorkSource Center at 38150 Sierra Highway. Goodwill and the City of Palmdale are transforming lives by helping thousands in the community prepare for and find jobs. City representatives, Goodwill staff, and community members celebrated the opening of the new center on April 13, 2011. The new center features 10,000 square feet of space, 30 Career Resource Center PC’s, 10 Computer Lab PC’s, and ample space for one-on-one consultations, partner meetings and presentations.

WorkSource Centers bring job seekers and employers together in one place. Employers are offered assistance finding candidates and screening prospective employees, and  job seekers receive assistance preparing resumes, securing interviews and participate in training and classes that advance skills. Now that’s Good For Everyone!

Need assistance with job training, finding a new job or business recruitment needs, please call 661-265-7421or to find a center near you, please click here. We’re here to help!

Planet Green™ and Goodwill^® are working together to help raise awareness about the power of donations for your community and the environment. Planet Green — the television network devoted to conscious living – is a proud partner of the Donate Movement powered by Goodwill. As our partner, Planet Green is leveraging its multi-media platform to spread the message about the positive impact donations have for our communities and the environment.

When you shop Goodwill or donate items, you support job training, career programs and family services for people in your community. You also keep items out of landfills which preserves our planet.

Planet Green and Treehugger.com are the leading media outlets driving sustainability mainstream.  Goodwill has been a pioneer in the “reduce, reuse, repurpose” practice for nearly 110 years. Together, we’re calling everyone to donate consciously and responsibly to reputable organizations that can turn donations into something more.

Our work together inspires conscious living by focusing on the small ways people can help their community and the environment.

Donate today and join the movement!

Thanks to our terrific retail team and the community of Chino Hills for their warm welcome.