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How my donation helps
Why should I donate to Goodwill rather than another organization? Whom does Goodwill help? I've heard that some for-profits companies disguise themselves with nonprofit-sounding names. How can I be sure that I'm donating to a legitimate charity? What exactly are disadvantages and disabilities? Scheduling a pick up Does Goodwill offer a pick up service for donations? If Goodwill doesn’t have a pick-up, then who does? I have a lot of nice furniture. Can’t Goodwill make an exception and pick it up? I am an apartment manager and people left things in their apartment. Can Goodwill pick it up? I’m calling from a church. We had a rummage sale last weekend and have clothes and other items left over. Can Goodwill pick it up? I’m calling from a business. Can I request a pick up? Item-related donation questions Does Goodwill accept hangers? I have a bunch of clothes on hangers. Do I need to take them off before donating to Goodwill? Does Goodwill accept large appliances? Does Goodwill accept mattresses and box springs? I have a couch with a small tear in it. Can Goodwill accept it? A Goodwill donation attendant turned down my couch, but noticed the attendant had accepted another couch in worse condition than the one I wanted to give. Why did the attendant accept that one and not mine? Will Goodwill accept electronics that don't function properly? Do you repair items before resale? Will Goodwill accept my computer? Do you have any suggestions on I can take my computer CPU or monitor? What can Goodwill use? What is Goodwill unable to use? Donation hours My schedule doesn't allow me to donate during operation hours. Can I drop off my donation before or after Goodwill opens or closes? It's during normal operating hours and no one is here. Where are they? When will they be back? Valuing donations for tax purposes Why didn’t the attendant assess a value to my donation? I lost my receipt. Can Goodwill send me another one? I have a tax form that I need Goodwill to sign. Can I bring it by any donation center and have the attendant sign it? Other I saw one of the attendants stealing something from the trailer. What should I do? While I was donating, I saw a rocking chair that would be perfect in my home. How can I find out where I could buy it? Can I get back something I accidentally donated? Answers
Why should I donate to Goodwill rather than another organization?Goodwill puts your donations to work. Over 87 percent of our revenue goes directly into employment and training programs for people with disabilities and others with obstacles to employment. Our stores also provide jobs and work experience for people who use our programs.
When you donate to Goodwill, you're donating to a reputable charity. Some for-profit companies use a charity's name to collect donations in exchange for a flat fee or percentage of the revenue. Often this isn't evident to donors, and the percentage given to the charity may be less than 5 cents for every dollar spent. At Goodwill, we collect our donations and even use the process to give jobs to those in need. Whom does Goodwill help?Goodwill's programs and services are designed to meet the needs of the local community. While some of our programs are specifically developed for individuals with disabilities, the public can take advantage of many of our job support services, including Job Readiness Classes, Training for Retail, Forklift Certification, and Computer Literacy Training.
Goodwill helps people who face various obstacles to employment including a lack of work history, illiteracy, language barriers, criminal background, dependency on public assistance, and corporate downsizing. Does Goodwill offer a pick up service?In order to keep our costs down, we do not pick up donations. However, under certain circumstances, we will pick up items through our Estate Pickup Program. For more information about this service, please contact Goodwill's special projects manager at 615-346-1601.
We have over 60 attended donation centers in convenient locations throughout middle and west Tennessee where our attendants will gladly help you unload your donations. All of our retail stores also accept donated items If Goodwill doesn’t have a pick-up, then who does?The United Way Help Line, a referral service only, may have the number to another agency that does do home pick-ups. The United Way's phone number is 615-269-4357 or you can also dial 2-1-1.
I have a lot of nice furniture. Can’t Goodwill make an exception and pick it up?Unfortunately, Goodwill cannot make an exception for one person. Please visit any of our donation sites to drop it off during Goodwill's operating hours. An attendant will be on duty to help you unload your donation.
I am an apartment manager and people left things in their apartment. Can Goodwill pick it up?I'm calling from a church. We had a rummage sale last weekend and have tons of clothes and other items left. Can Goodwill pick them up?I'm calling from a business. Can I request a pick up?Does Goodwill accept hangers?Hangers are one of the items that Goodwill does not accept, but we will take clothes on hangers. If possible, please remove all hangers from clothing before donating.
I have a bunch of clothes on hangers. Do I need to take them off before I donate to you?We would appreciate your removing them first, since Goodwill does not take hangers as a donation. However, if clothing is donated on hangers, Goodwill's donation attendants will take the donation and remove the hangers. They might just remind you to remove them first before the next time you donate.
Does Goodwill accept large appliances?Goodwill is unable to take large appliances. Our retail stores do not have the resources and/or space to handle them.
Do you accept mattresses and box springs?Goodwill is unable to take mattresses or box springs. State law requires that mattresses be sanitized and wrapped before sold in our stores. We don't have the resources or facilities to prepare them for resale.
I have a couch with a small tear in it. Will Goodwill accept it?All items donated to Goodwill must be in good, resalable condition. If you think that the tear is not noticeable, you may take it to one of our donation centers, but, the attendant is always the final judge on whether or not Goodwill will accept it.
All donations to Goodwill go directly into a retail store and must be in good condition in order for us to sell them. This is how we support our mission. I just went to the donation center and the attendant turned down my couch. I noticed under the trailer a couch in worse condition than the one I wanted to give. Why did they accept that one and not mine?Someone who didn't know our acceptance policy probably left the couch before or after operation hours. Our attendants can only accept furniture in good condition, as the sale of these items goes towards our mission. If we can't sell it in our stores, then that takes money away from our mission.
As a note, we can't accept couches with tears or stains, and the attendant has the final judgment based on our policy for acceptable donations. I have a TV that works most of the time. Will Goodwill accept it?Goodwill doesn't have a repair service and only accepts items that are in working condition. Floor/projection model televisions are accepted only at our retail locations.
I have some items in need of repair. Will Goodwill take them?Goodwill doesn't have the facilities or the funds to do any kind of repair. Items need to be in good working order for the donation attendant to accept them.
Will Goodwill accept my computer?Goodwill does not accept CPU's or monitors as donations. However we will accept computer accessories such as printers, keyboards, software, and any other computer components.
Do you have any suggestions on where I can take my computer CPU or monitor?We usually refer donors to:
Advanced Technologies (Nashville) / 615-259-2171 / Mon-Fri 8-5 / 901 Second Ave. / map it
Tennessee Tech. Center (Murfreesboro) / 615-898-8010 / Mon-Fri 8-5 / 1303 Old Fort Pkwy. / map it
United Way Help Line / 615-269-4357 or 2-1-1
What can Goodwill use?Books, clothing, cooking accessories, furniture (in good condition), tools, house wares, jewelry, linens, pictures, TVs, shoes, musical instruments (excluding pianos), sport equipment, toys, or vehicles. For a complete list, please check out our Donation Guidelines.
What is Goodwill unable to use?Auto parts, mattresses and box springs, building materials (sinks, toilets, etc.), lumber, carpet, paint, hot water heaters, large appliances, computers CPUs/Monitors, swing sets, or Venetian blinds. For a complete list, please check out our Donation Guidelines.
My time does not allow me to donate during the operation hours, can I just drop it off before or after the ADC opens or closes?Goodwill prefers that donations be brought only during operating hours. Donating before or after hours may litter the community and encourages theft. Please refer to our Donation Locations page or contact the Donations Administrative Assistant at (615)742-4151 or 1-800-545-9231 for information on donation sites including operating hours.
Why didn’t the attendant assess a value to my donation?Goodwill is not permitted, by law, to place a value on donations. IRS requires that the donor place a value on his/her donation. This can be written on your copy of the receipt. If you need to determine a value, you may use our suggested value list as a reference, or use the market value for the item. Communication sheets are available at any donation center as well as a suggested value list that you may use.
I am at a donation center during regular donation hours and no one is here. Where are they? When will they be back?"The attendant may be away on a break, but isn't allowed to be away from the trailer more than 30 minutes. There should be a return clock that indicates the time the attendant will be back at the trailer.
I saw one of the attendants stealing something from the trailer.We will need all the information that you have about the incident. Please contact the Director of Donations at 615-742-4151 or 1-800-545-923. You can also leave a detailed message on our Donor Hotline 615-346-1624 or use the Silent Whistle if you'd like to remain anonymous.
I lost my receipt. Can you send me another one?Goodwill is not required to, and does not maintain, copies of receipts. We cannot issue a replacement for a lost receipt. After we capture the demographic information from the receipt, we destroy it.
I have a tax form that I need you to sign. Can I bring it by any donation center and have the attendant sign it?Our attendants are not authorized to sign anything other than the original receipt. Please visit the Suggested Value List/Tax Information page for more information.
I saw a something at a trailer that would be perfect in my home, how can I find out where I could buy it?Due to high volumes of donations, it is next to impossible to tell where an item is going. It could go to any one of our retail stores. Attendants are not authorized to sell an item at the donation trailer. Items may only be purchased through one of our retail stores. If you would like to know where there is a retail store near you, please call 615-742-4151 or 1-800-545-9231 or visit our zip code locator.
I accidentally donated something I shouldn’t have, can I get it back?It depends on the date and time the items were donated. Normally, once an item is donated it is rarely found because of the volume of donations. Trailers are normally processed 1-2 days after they are exchanged and shipped directly out to the stores. If we believe the trailer has not yet been unloaded, then there is a slight chance of recovering the items. We will need your name and phone number, a detailed description of the item, date and time of day it was donated, location it was donated to, and if possible, the trailer number. Please contact the Donations Administrative Assistant with the information at 615-742-4151 or 1-800-545-9231.
I've heard that some for-profits companies are disguising themselves behind nonprofit-sounding names. How can I be sure that I'm donating to a legitimate charity?We recommend you ask a lot of questions.
What exactly are disadvantages and disabilities?A person with a disadvantage is someone who has a disadvantaging condition towards employment, such as prior history of substance abuse or incarceration, being a long-term welfare recipient, possessing little or no marketable job skills, or having poor English or math skills. A disability is either mental or physical as described by the Americans with Disabilities Act and as diagnosed by a qualified physician. Goodwill’s mission is to help these people get a job by offering them a hand up, not a handout.
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