The Story Behind The Stores

AaronOur retail stores provide individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities the opportunity to learn specific, job related skills. When you walk into our South Sioux City store you will see our mission in action. Our goal is to prepare participants to eventually integrate into community employment. Participants learn all aspects of the job and what it takes to keep employment whether at Goodwill or in the community.

“Everyone works right alongside each other,” explains Deb Moore, South Sioux City Store Manager. “There is no barrier, or jobs that only some employees can do. We treat everyone the same and train everyone at their own pace.”

Over the years we have had several individuals train within our stores with an end goal of employment and self sufficiency. After successfully completing Goodwill’s habilitation programming, Aaron got the courage he needed to move out on his own and take control of his future. The next stepping stone of moving to competitive employment in the community was Pre-Vocational Training at Goodwill.

“I learned how to work through my anxiety and improve my social skills while on the
clock,” said Aaron. Over the course of 9 years, Aaron has received the training and support needed to become self sufficient. Aaron now lives on his own, is learning all aspects of a retail job and aspires to become a store manager one day. It is through donations and shopping in our retail stores that Goodwill funds the programs that help individuals gain community employment.

Please consider a donation by visiting our website: www.goodwillgreatplains.org.

Goodwill Industries Week – Celebrating Our Communities

Thank you for supporting Goodwill.

Our shoppers, donors, program participants, community partners and employers all help Goodwill fulfill its mission. Because of your contributions, we can continue providing the services that help people learn the skills to earn employment and build brighter futures.

With your support, people are starting or advancing careers in fields such as retail, financial services, information technology and health care.

About Goodwill Industries Week

For more than 60 years, we’ve set aside one week each May to celebrate our communities
and their contributions to our mission. Without them, we could not provide employment, job
training and placement, and other community-based programs for people with disabilities,
those who need education or job experience, and others facing employment challenges.

3 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Environmental Impact

By
 Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Earth Day is next week and now is the perfect opportunity to assess your environmental impact. The great news is that making positive environmental changes can be easy. While swapping your car for a bike or covering your roof with solar panels would be amazing progress, you can still make a huge difference with your smaller day-to-day habits. Just think about the lifecycle of the objects like clothes, decor, and any necessities in your home. If you can limit your product consumption to used items and make sure that you responsibly dispose of them when you’re done, then you’ll dramatically decrease the resources you’re using up and, thus, the impact you’re making on the planet. Here are some fun examples of how people just like you green their homes and attire…

Image via thriftanistainthecity.com

Turn old shirts into cleaning clothsBlogger Troy, a.k.a. Thriftanista in the City, heavily emphasizes styling second-hand clothes in her chic and motivating posts. The 3 Rs in Fashion explores how the reduce, reuse, recycle practices apply to what we wear. She notes that keeping your closet earth-friendly could be as simple as donating clothes you’ll no longer wear to Goodwill to be reused by someone else or thinking of new ways you can re-wear pieces you already have to extend their life in your closet. Click through for more ideas and plenty of thrift shopping inspiration!

Image via craftster.org

Twig VotivesIn the Reuse section of Troy’s blog post, she mentions turning old t-shirts into cleaning cloths. You may be wondering how that works or what it looks like so I found the perfect example shared on Goodwill Industries of Central North Carolina, Inc. (Greensboro)’s Earth Day Every Day pinboard. The crafty maker of these dishcloths turned a few of her t-shirts into jersey yarn then knitted them just as she would with regular yarn. Their texture would be perfect for scrubbing pots and pans or for general cleaning around the house. Don’t want to rip into your own t-shirt stash? Thrift some from Goodwill! Creative reuse of second-hand items is highly encouraged.

Image via fossil.com

When it comes to environmentally-conscious home furnishings, making your own custom decor from found and used items is the perfect way to merge the Earth with the Earth-friendly. These whimsical twig votives would add a lovely rustic mood to a mantel or centerpiece display. Plus, they’re easy as pie! All you need to do is collect some fallen sticks and glue them onto thrifted glassware. Follow Goodwill Industries of New Mexico (Albuquerque)’s DIY with Goodwill Finds pinboard for more easy crafting ideas like this!

At Goodwill, extending the life of used objects to help the environment is one of our missions. And that goes for textiles, glassware, and almost any other used objects you can think of — even technology! Through Goodwill’s Dell Reconnect program, which began in 2004, Goodwill organizations who are partners have collectively diverted more than 427 million pounds of computers and computer equipment from landfills. That’s an incredible feat! And it’s all possible because people like you donate to and shop at our stores. Keep up the good work this Earth Day and every day!

Reduce Waste: Thrift, Re-Use, Recycle

Earth day is this week, but you can celebrate every day! One way you can do your part to reduce waste is by embracing reusable alternatives when you’re eating at a restaurant or anywhere on the go. Here are a few simple items you can thrift at your local Goodwill to help you be prepared!

Reusable Bag:
The perfect way to keep your kit together, great for runs to the store, useful for transporting food – skip the flimsy plastic!

Cloth Napkin:
Pass on the paper and go for a cloth option. Practical, washable, durable – just throw a few in your kit!

Metal Straws:
Make plastic straws a thing of the past by keeping a few of these on hand, plus you’ll never have to contend with the occasional dreaded punctured straw…

Reusable Drinkware/Travel Mug:
Keep your drinks warmer/colder longer and avoid disposable drinkware.

Divided Container:
Great for bringing lunches or taking leftovers home. Skip the Styrofoam and plastic to-go boxes!

 Silverware:
Handy for avoiding disposable plastic alternatives, easy to clean – keep a few sets on hand so you can wash and rotate.

Glass Jar:
A great small container option for snacks or drinks.

Small Containers:
Have a few for dry snacks or smaller to-go items – flexible, convenient, a must in any kit.

Preparing your own zero waste kit is a fun challenge that will help you avoid unnecessary trash and single use items in your daily routine.