Goodwill = Your Halloween Headquarters

By Marlene Prowant, Retail District Manager

I‘m really excited about our new selection of Halloween merchandise we recently stocked in all of our retail locations! New this year is 70s-era merchandise. We’ve got everything to transform you back in time … from peace-loving hippies to disco queens.

We also have makeup and face art, hats, wigs, capes, tutus, tiaras, fangs, masks, glasses, colored hair spray,  and more … to help create or complete any costume you desire!

If you need help in selecting your costume, we have staff that can help you create a one-of-a-kind costume or you can select from our new costumes starting at $9.95 or we have a large selection of donated costumes for $3.99 and up. From the scary to the cute, we can help with all of your costume needs.

We also have your decorating needs covered. We have tableware to home décor to prepare for those Halloween parties. Something new this year is window decorating kits from Wow Windows. These easy to install window posters are back-lit using the lighting from your inside lights.  An easy, fun way to transform your home and “wow” your neighbors and trick or treaters.

If you are looking to add creativity to your baking this Halloween season we have Wilton baking supplies and treat bags. While shopping, do not forget about pumpkin carving; we having carving kits starting at $1.95.

Come shop Goodwill Halloween Headquarters this year, we are ready to assist you at all of our 16 locations!  Shop early for the best selections.

Don’t forget to add your costume creation to our Facebook page for your chance to win great prizes! For complete details see our event page.

Let kids define their style (and save $)

This school year, let your kids define their own unique style and use shopping at Goodwill as a teaching moment to guide them toward positive ways to help others, help the environment, and help you save money!

What’s hot this year? The 90s are making a comeback and our stores are chock-full of denim, plaids, and sneakers perfect for any style. Give your kids’ fall wardrobe that extra pop with a new backpack and lunch box in their favorite characters. And don’t forget about décor for their locker, you could score a funky mirror, some magnets, and even some organizers to help keep them on point and on time!

In addition, our online store, Shopgoodwill.com, has many other items your kids may need, like graphing calculators, computers, musical instruments, and much more.

Our vast, budget-friendly selection spans over 16 stores and is refreshed on a daily basis.

When you and your kids shop at or donate to, Goodwill, you help keep items out of landfills, as well as help people find jobs. Goodwill sells donations in its stores to help fund programs that help people build their careers, earn paychecks and care for their families. More than 5,431 people along the lakeshore are working with assistance from Goodwill Industries of West Michigan in 2015 alone.Shop smart, shop Goodwill!

Shop smart, shop Goodwill!

Brass to class

By Rachael Crevier, Internet Marketing and Event Coordinator

I’ll admit it. I’m extremely impatient and it often bites me in the butt. I will explain in a moment.

Sometimes I just get a “feeling” that I have to go Goodwill shopping. If you’re an avid thrift shopper you know what I’m talking about.

That’s how I SCORED this perfect set of lamps for a DIY makeover! I popped into the Roosevelt Park store in Muskegon and lo and behold, I was in the right place at the right time. I found these heavy-duty brass lamps for $6 each! I wasn’t in love with the color, even though brass is trendy again, but I loved the price and the quality.

So I took them home, wiped them down a little bit, removed the price tag and covered the light socket with a plastic bag and masking tape.

I laid out some plastic in the yard and went to town with my Black Satin Rust-Oleum spray paint. The color was great but it wasn’t covering very well as I hope. The rounded section in the middle of the lamp was a little spotty. So I let that layer dry and searched through Pinterest for some clarity. Like I said in the beginning, I’m extremely impatient and I was just so excited I didn’t even think to use a primer first. This is where I went wrong. SO to all you thrift shoppers out there, MAKE SURE YOU USE A PRIMER FIRST. If you want step-by-step instructions and pictures on how to spray paint a brass lamp, check out Jennifer Stagg’s blog withHeart she’s got it all laid out for you! I was too impatient which resulted in me doing multiple coats to achieve the desired look.

Even without using a primer the lamps turned out wonderful! I found two matching shades to complete the look at the Whitehall Goodwill. I can’t even believe how lucky I got, matching lamps and shades!

They really helped tie together all our décor. I love finding high-quality, low prices items for my home. Half the fun is finding the item and the other half is transforming it into something that really complements your style.

Ranked best brand

By Richard Carlson, President and CEO

We are more than a little proud, if not humbled, to learn that Goodwill was ranked the #1 brand for doing the most good for the world. The news debuted in a Fast Company Magazine article a few weeks ago.

Enso, a mission-driven marketing agency, commissioned the 2016 Brand World Value Index Survey to learn how consumers perceive the “world value” of 149 well-known brands.

A company’s shareholder value doesn’t necessarily reflect its value to the wider world, such as how useful its products are, the good it does for people, or how it works to minimize social and environmental harm. Hence, the survey asked people to rank companies for their perceived purpose or the extent to which they stand for something other than making money.

Quadrant Strategies, a research consultancy that works with Fortune 100 and Fortune 50 companies, political leaders around the world and major nonprofits, fielded surveys with various demographic representative samples of the U.S. populations ages 18 and up. It tested brands spanning a mix of industries and company sizes, ranging from start-ups to established companies. The index score for each brand was calculated from the following metrics: awareness of purpose + alignment with purpose + impact on purchase x active support.

In the ranking, Goodwill is followed by Amazon, Google, Kellogg’s, PayPal, Disney, Girl Scouts of America, Kraft, Johnson & Johnson, and Dove.

It is evident that collectively Goodwill has built a brand with a big purpose that resonates across demographic and psychographic lines, and that people recognize and support us as a purpose-driven organization. I thank and congratulate our staff, board of directors, volunteers, and other supporters, for their hard work and dedication to our mission that makes the Goodwill brand what it is.

To view the complete list of companies and organizations featured in the 2016 Brand World Value Index, visit enso.co/worldvalue/

 

A week of celebrating our mission

 

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t Goodwill, we believe work has the power to change lives! Work plays a critical role in the ability of individuals to achieve desirable life outcomes; providing self-esteem, independence, empowerment, and pride.

May 1-7 commemorates Goodwill Industries Week, an annual celebration of our mission of helping people train for, find, and keep good jobs. Observed since 1951, Goodwill Industries Week across the United States and Canada celebrate the power of work through local events and promotions.

Goodwill Industries of West Michigan is celebrating with 50% off sale at all 16 of our store locations with in-store prizes and online Facebook contests all week long. It’s our way of saying “thank you” to our generous shoppers and donors who support our mission with their patronage.

To assist jobseekers in our community, GoodTemps will be hosting a job fair at our Career Center at 271 East Apple Avenue in Muskegon on Thursday, May 5 from 10 a.m. until noon. To qualify for current open positions, please bring two forms of ID and an update résumé.

Thank you for your support. Together we are creating jobs and changing lives in our community!

Make spring cleaning fun (no really!)

 

 

 

 

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ecluttering has never been more en vogue than right now. But Goodwill was way ahead of the trend, having been a part of people’s spring cleaning routines for more than 100 years! We’re thrilled to partner with certified professional organizer Lorie Marrero to offer five expert tips to make this spring your cleanest yet!

1. Have a plan. Don’t let unwanted items clutter your home any longer than necessary. Plan to spring clean and take your donations to Goodwill on the same day.
2. Start with success. Choose the one area of your home that will give you the biggest bang for your buck. Once you succeed there, you’ll be motivated to tackle the next space.
3. Clean slate. Clear each area out as much as possible and start from scratch. By restocking your shelves with items you love, you’ll make your whole house a happy and inspiring place. And donating your unwanted items to Goodwill helps people find jobs and build their careers.
4. Make it fun! Shake up your spring cleaning routine with a peppy playlist and fun contests. Challenge everyone in your family to find 10 items to donate to Goodwill. This can become a race, with the prize of a traveling trophy. Or a hot fudge sundae, if you don’t want any more clutter!
5. Be brave. Inherited items may come with guilt and obligation attached. Instead of keeping the items, take an artistic photograph of them and frame it in your home. Then donate the items to Goodwill. Wouldn’t you rather the items do good by helping people build their employment skills than take up space in your home?

Last year, Goodwill Industries of West Michigan helped 5,431 people find jobs through your donations. We hope tips like these will make spring cleaning more fun for families and more fruitful for organizations like us that provide services throughout our community.

Three great reasons to donate during the Younkers Goodwill Sale

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articipating in the Younkers Goodwill Sale has never been so rewarding!

Here’s how the sale works:
Bring your gently used apparel, shoes, handbags, etc. to Younkers
Earn a 25% off Younkers coupon for each item donated. It’s that easy!

Here are three great reasons to donate items and shop now through March 26.

You directly impact your community by donating to Goodwill.
Funds generated by the sale of your donated items supports our job training and employment support services that help people right here in West Michigan. Goodwill offers and broad range of programs for people with disabilities and other disadvantages, and Goodwill Career Centers in both Muskegon and Holland are open to anyone needing help finding a job.

It’s easy to donate and save on spring fashions, beauty, and home.
Donors receive 25% off Younkers coupons for every item donated. Coupons are valid on nearly everything in the store (and online) including items that rarely go on sale.

It’s a great time to shop at Goodwill also … all those fresh donations are directly distributed to our Goodwill stores.

Enter to win a $100 daily prize and a $15,000 spring wardrobe makeover!
Visit the Million Acts of Goodwill website to enter for your chance to win a $15,000 spring style and wardrobe makeover. The winner will receive a consultation with a celebrity stylist, a closet review, and a shopping spree with the stylist at their local Younkers department store.

You can also visit the site daily for your chance to instantly win a $100 gift card!

What are you waiting for? Start your spring cleaning early and head over to Younkers for great savings!