Author: yourg724

It is the day that you’ve been dreaming of since you were a little girl, your wedding day. As we are in the midst of wedding season, brides everywhere have their checklists of important things they need to plan and book. But top of mind for every bride is the dress. For any bride on a budget, this is the one item that can completely break the bank. For all those budget conscious brides I have one word- Goodwill. Find a great dress for a wonderful price and spend the left-over money on the honeymoon!

Are you still looking for clothing for summer but don’t want to spend a ton of money? Remember to check out your local Goodwill Store and Donation Center for those awesome summer deals. While the department stores are clearing out their summer merchandise for fall, Goodwill is still thinking summer.

Can’t find anything to wear for your night out on the town? Have you gone through every outfit in your closet and vetoed everything? You don’t have to spend a ton of money to find a cute outfit for whatever the weekend might bring. Simply head to your local Goodwill Store and Donation Center. It is a great place to find a cute outfit on a budget.

Having a “staycation” this summer and need to spice up your deck, patio or porch? Check out your local Goodwill Store and Donation Center for some cool outdoor items. Create a wonderful relaxing area without breaking the bank! Find other uses for items. For example, a vase could become an outdoor planter, or a cart could be used to store potting materials or used to hold outside snacks and drinks. Have fun shopping!

Click here for a store near you!

Yard Sale fever is here. With the warm weather brings yard sales. If you are planning on having a yard sale this summer, what will you do with the things that don’t sell? Instead of dragging in the merchandise that doesn’t sell, consider donating to your local Goodwill Store and Donation Center. Your donations help fund job training services in your area.

Thinking about planting a garden this year, but don’t have the time to maintain it? Check out Goodwill at Homefields Farm – it’s a farm that grows fruits and vegetables without chemicals in the heart of Millersville, PA. Goodwill at Homefields Farm is a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program that gorws more than 300 varieties of 45 different fruits and vegetables each season. The farm even has a pick-your-own field for strawberries and blueberries and grows herbs and flowers for the picking. According to Scott, who has been managing this farm for seven years, “Families can pick strawberries and blueberries and show their children or grandchildren how food grows.” They can stroll through the fields and peek in the green house. It’s a great time for families and neighbors.”

Scott also noted, “You can’t beat the freshness of the fruits and vegetables.” There’s no arguing that, but what you can’t beat is the mission- give people with disabilities an opportunity to work. Homefields, an all-volunteer, non-profit organization, is dedicated to creating new life options for people with disabilities. In 2000, Goodwill (the same non-profit organization that oversees thrift stores) joined with Homefields to provide horticultural job opportunities for people with disabilities. Goodwill at Homefields Farm links the trainee farmer to the real-world business. Trainees learn how to organically grow fruits and vegetables. They also learn how to harvest and sell crops.

Anyone in the community can support this program by purchasing a share. Each week, from June to November, shareholders can come to the farm and select from a tempting array of vegetables and fruits. You can purchase a half share, typically for a family of two, or a full share, typically for a family of four. Half share price is $17 per week ($425 a season), and full share price is $28 per week ($675 a season). At Goodwill at Homefields Farm you are not just picking up your produce, you are helping people with disabilities live full, productive lives. To learn more about the farm, click here.

For some, love is in the air, birds are chirping, and people are gazing lovingly at each other during Valentine’s Day. But what if you do not have someone to gaze at? Or what if you just broke up with someone and all this Valentine’s talk is making your stomach turn. If you fall into that category, there is something that you can do to move on and feel good. Instead of tossing his or her things into a garbage can, or having a burn party why not participate in the Dump your X’s Stuff Drive. On February 14, donate any items from past relationships to Goodwill. Dump it and move on. That sweatshirt that smells like him or those CD’s she gave you while you were still together. Instead of throwing them out, why not donate it? Turn your ill-will into Goodwill. You don’t need a date, reservations, or to dress up for this event. Gather the jewelry, picture frames, or clothing and take it to any Goodwill Store and Donation Center. Please keep it legal and keep it clean! Also, please make sure the person has been dumped before donating the items. Once donated, these items go into any of our 34 stores in 22 counties and cannot be located.

Did you know that one working computer can provide someone with 8.1 hours of on the job training? Want to help? Goodwill has partnered with the Dell Reconnect Program. Through this program you can donate your old computer, printer, keyboard, monitor, software, ink or toner cartridges, and some gaming systems to your local Goodwill Store and Donation Center. It is a great way to recycle. Through the Dell Reconnect program millions of pounds of electronics are now being kept out of the landfills. So take the time and recycle your electronics rather than throwing them out!

Visit dellreconnect.com and yourgoodwill.org/shop/stores.php to find out more about what electronics the program will accept and a Goodwill Store near you.

The New Year brings a new slate. Everyone is thinking about the shape their bodies are in and how to lose those extra pounds. What about the shape of your house? For me the New Year is an excuse to clean out my basement, closets and get things organized! I’ve been filling up bag after bag of clothes, shoes, books, etc. I even found things that I didn’t know that I had (hello new favorite pair of shoes). I feel the stress melting off of me and I love that Goodwill will take all my bags of clothing, shoes, and books off my shoulders. My house is getting into shape in 2011 thanks to Goodwill.

Start setting up your “Donation Station” in your house! Thanks to clutterdiet.com, that is what I will be doing this holiday season. All you have to do is simply set aside a corner, room or portion of your basement and place bags of clothing, toys and anything else that you don’t use and want to donate. When the corner is filled take the donations to Goodwill. It’s a great way to organize my life to see what is going out and what I can buy in the post holiday sales to fill the new void in my closet!