Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley
You're probably familiar with local Goodwill stores and have likely made donations and shopped in the stores. My recent conversation and tour with Kim Bramlage, Marketing & Communication Specialist for Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley, taught me that they help many more people than I could have even imagined.
Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley
You're probably familiar with local Goodwill stores and have likely made donations and shopped in the stores. Personally, I just love a good bargain and make frequent stops at Goodwill stores in search of new treasures. I am equally thrilled to make tax deductible donations with the knowledge that the proceeds will benefit people in need.
Goodwill's TV & radio commercials let us know that by making donations and purchases we provide support that allows the organization to help people with disabilities. My recent conversation and tour with Kim Bramlage, Marketing & Communication Specialist for Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley, taught me that they help many more people than I could have even imagined.
Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley, the area's largest private, not-for-profit provider of rehabilitation and workforce development services for people with disabilities and other needs, employs over a thousand people of which about 50% have a disability. They also make use of over 800 volunteers to reach a community of 23 counties including territory from Lima to Middletown.
Goodwill and Easter Seals merged in 1999, allowing them to provide programs and services more efficiently while broadening their scope of support to include children and seniors. Today, 86 cents from every dollar earned goes right back into programs the agency provides to people in need.
Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley's mission is to empower people with disabilities and other needs to achieve independence and enhance their lives on a daily basis. Check out the success stories that demonstrate how Goodwill achieves their mission. They served over thirteen thousand people last year in four service categories:
Goodwill operates a building services company that cleans more than 2 million square feet in more than 60 facilities each day with staff in which 80% have a disability. In keeping with their desire to minimize impact to the environment and employ more people, they even launder cloths and mops in-house.
Goodwill offers other services and opportunities you may not be aware of. The agency offers a radio reading program for the visually impaired. Radios are available at no charge to the visually impaired. Volunteers read major periodicals and news including obituaries so that those who are unable to see the information can still receive it.
Goodwill is green! I was pleasantly surprised to hear that our Goodwill recycled 2.5 million pounds of computers and accessories last year. When they receive donations of computers or accessories that can't be sold in the stores, they don't end up in landfills! What about the items that don't sell in the stores? They make their way to the outlet store on Woodman Drive. If they don't sell there, they get bailed, recycled and reused.
Looking for high end, designer duds and goods? Bid on art, antiques, jewelry, bags, shoes, and more at shopgoodwill.com. Students and book enthusiasts, the PlentyBookz4U store offers thousands of used books. The Goodwill Auto Auction accepts cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, RVs, fleet vehicles, industrial trucks and farm equipment—working or not—and offers them for sale at bi-weekly auctions. As always, all the proceeds help support Goodwill's mission.
You can also keep up on events and special offers through Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley Facebook page. They can also be found on Twitter at: @gesmv.
Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley appreciates our support and asks that we continue to make donations and purchases in their stores and online. If you have spare time on your hands, they also welcome volunteers!
