The holiday season is the perfect time to donate gently-used clothes and household items to a good cause. But before depositing those shoes and sauce pans into donation bins you see around town, Discover Goodwill encourages donors to consider the following:

1. Can you easily identify the proprietor? Is there prominent branding and contact information for researching and follow-up (e.g., organization’s name, website, contact number)?
2. Is the organization reputable? Online charity watchdog agencies like GuideStar and the Better Business Bureau allow donors to quickly research organizations to ensure they are financially and programmatically accountable. One key accountability measure is the percentage of the organization’s donations that is applied to programs and mission.
3. Does the organization have a local presence? Some donation bins collect donated goods for programs and operations outside our region or even outside our state.
4. Is the organization for-profit or non-profit? For-profit organizations may reference a benefitting charity but give them only a small percentage of the donation proceeds.

Following is a checklist to assist material donors in preparing their donations before visiting an attended donation center:

DONATION DOs

• Separate clothing from household items using boxes or bags.
• Wash or dry clean clothing. Keep shoes paired using a tie or rubber band.
• Wrap breakables in newspaper and place in boxes.
• Test electrical equipment (wrap cords around items) and battery-operated items.
• Include all pieces and parts to children’s games and toys.
• Provide a clear title and keys when donating a vehicle.
• Clear computer hard drives of personal and business information.

 DONATION DON’Ts

• Do not leave items unattended outside a donation center.
• Do not donate broken or soiled items.
• Do not donate items that have been recalled, banned or don’t meet current safety standards.
  (For more information, visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website: www.cpsc.gov)

Donors can visit Goodwill’s web site at DiscoverMyGoodwill.org to help estimate the value of their goods.  For items worth more than $500, a qualified appraisal must accompany the claim.  Donors can also learn how their donations translate into job training for thousands in our community by entering their donations into Goodwill’s Donation Impact Calculator at donate.goodwill.org.

For those wanting their financial donation recorded for 2012 taxes, please keep the following in mind:

• Cash gifts must be received by 3:00 p.m. on December 30, 2012.
• All mailed checks must be postmarked no later than December 31, 2012.

Discover Goodwill accepts clothing, household items, toys, computers/computer accessories, books, financial gifts and vehicles. Donated items are sold in Goodwill’s nine retails centers throughout southern and western Colorado and nearly 90 cents of all sale proceeds are dedicated to changing lives. For over 50 years, Goodwill’s mission has focused on breaking the physical, intellectual, financial and social barriers that keep many individuals from leading independent and purpose-filled lives. Goodwill accomplishes this mission through strategic and innovative employment and life skills training programs that foster confidence and opportunity for those we serve.

Discover Goodwill’s newest attended donation center
located at 6530 S. Academy Blvd.