It’s officially fall — a great season to clean out closets and prepare for winter! Donating your gently used goods to Goodwill is easy and makes a positive impact right here in our central and southern Indiana communities. Here are three ways you can directly support local social, economic and environmental sustainability by donating to Goodwill. 

Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana is proud to continue our recognition of National Employ Older Workers Week, a period to acknowledge and increase awareness of the contributions older workers have in our workforce. This commemorative week also highlights the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), a work-based training program for older adults available across the nation.

Tammi Burrus had her high school experience cut short when she became pregnant at the age of 16.

One of the great things about working at Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana is the variety of career opportunities. From retail to education, to health care and support staff – many paths exist for you to build your career at Goodwill. No one knows this better than Anna Scott, Goodwill’s Corporate Payroll Manager. 

When Damiyah Lawrence enrolled at Indianapolis Metropolitan High School during her freshman year, she struggled with a learning disability.

If you’re familiar with Goodwill, you probably recognize us as a place where you can donate your unwanted goods to support employment for people with job barriers and shop for unique treasures at a great price. What you might not know is that we’re more than just a thrift store. With the proceeds generated from your shopping and donations, we empower people to change their lives through the health, education and employment services we provide through our support programs, including:

Goodwill Nurse-Family Partnership® (NFP) is a maternal-child health program that pairs registered nurses with first-time, expectant parents. Through one-on-one visits, NFP Nurses deliver trusted information to families for healthy births and childhoods until the child turns two. Every spring, Goodwill NFP highlights a nurse who has exceeded their expectations with the “Nurse of the Year” accolade.

Thanks to your support, lives are being changed in your community. In addition to significant growth in our Retail, eCommerce and Commercial Services divisions over the past year, we currently employ nearly 5,000 Hoosiers – 61% of whom have barriers to employment, like a disability, criminal history or lack of a high school diploma. 

In 2012, Carlton Foster enrolled at The Excel Center®, Goodwill’s high school for adults, to earn his diploma and expand his career possibilities. He would go on to be the first graduate of The Excel Center’s Anderson, Indiana, location while also earning multiple industry-recognized job certifications.

Lizbeth Cruz Gonzalez, 36, has constantly been striving for the best opportunities in her life, even at a young age. Originally from Mexico, Lizbeth wanted to pursue her education, but it came with challenges.