SARASOTA/BRADENTON, FL – While Goodwill Manasota does extensive study of geography and real estate in the region to plan where its stores and attended donation centers (ADCs) should be located for maximum impact, there are still numerous areas where appropriate facilities aren’t available or the costs are too high. But now, with Goodwill Manasota’s brand new “Giving Mobile,” there is no corner of the community that can’t be reached in order for donations to be conveniently made to the local nonprofit.
For its debut deployment the week of December 10, the Giving Mobile was brought to St. Boniface Church on Siesta Key, where there are no Goodwill stores or ADCs. On its final day on the site, Sunday, December 16, the SunCoast Blood Bank bloodmobile will join the Giving Mobile to help celebrate the “Season of Giving.”
The hours for the dedicated donations vehicle is 9 a.m.-5 p.m. There are totes in the vehicle to accept and sort all sorts of goods, including clothing, shoes, small household items, books and electronics – basically anything that might fit in someone’s trunk – but not large furniture.
Goodwill has previously brought its trucks to locations on an hourly or one-day basis, to collect the results of planned and promoted community donation drives, but the concept for a dedicated vehicle to park somewhere for days, or a week, at a time is a new one. Bob Rosinsky, the president and CEO of Goodwill Manasota, came up with the idea as a way to make donating to the nonprofit even easier.
“The revenue from the sales of donated goods funds job training programs and support services that help people with barriers to employment to achieve and maintain economic independence and a better quality of life,” said Donna Evans, director of donation development for Goodwill Manasota. “With our new Giving Mobile, Goodwill continues to make donating as easy and convenient as possible, while creating new jobs in the community in the process.”
The organization is currently reaching out to other locations, such as shopping centers, country clubs, or any community that could use the mobile Goodwill presence for varying lengths of time.
Goodwill Manasota strives to enhance the dignity and quality of life of individuals and families by helping people reach their full potential. Through the sales of donated goods, the organization provides employment and skills training, career services and job placement as well as other mission services that lead to self-sufficiency. Revenue generated by the sale of donated goods at Goodwill retail stores stays local, positively impacting lives and the economy right here at home.
For more information, or to request the Giving Mobile at your location, call 941-355-2721, ext. 131.
About Goodwill Manasota
Goodwill Manasota is an industry-leading, 501(c)(3), not-for-profit organization that changes lives through the power of work. With the sales of donated goods and philanthropic donations, Goodwill is able to assist people with disabilities and other barriers to employment by providing job skills training and employment opportunities. In 2017, Goodwill Manasota served 11,672 people, placed 555 people in jobs, assisted 360 veterans as they reintegrated back into the civilian workforce, and provided 19,540 hours of on-the-clock training for its employees. Goodwill Manasota’s economic impact back to the community is worth $92.1 million. Goodwill is one of the pioneers of the reduce-reuse-recycle movement and this past year diverted more than 41 million pounds out of the landfill. Goodwill Manasota is accountable to a local Board of Directors. Goodwill Manasota, in essence, belongs to this community and is not owned by any individual or company. For more information, visit www.experiencegoodwill.org.