Does Goodwill actually help the needy/homeless?

[spistols]

I have been a long time supplier of unwanted items to Goodwill. Hence the name,,,Goodwill... I thought I was helping. But as I understand it, the only people I really am helping are the ones (the few) they hire, and the rest is profit. Correct me if I am wrong as there is SO much misinformation online that I do not know what is right or wrong.

I think of this now because I have been prepping food at my Church to serve on Christmas to the needy/homeless. Aside from the multitude of donations given to hand out, I also want to bring my unwanted clothes to leave at the Church for dispersal to the needy. I normally would have given the clothing to Goodwill, but have recently changed my mind.

 

[bre_1983]

Not to speak bad of Goodwill and don't know what happens to the funds once they sale an item. But I know for a fact that if a donated item doesn't sale within 30 days, their policy is to throw it away. My mother-n-law used to live next to a Goodwill, thus how I know. At least at that store.

 

[redfish414]

I could be wrong but I think they are a "for profit" company ...They never claim to help the poor or needy only that "they help create jobs". I shop their all the time . Deals to be had

 

[10thmountain]

I find amazing deals on Sporting equipment. Kid need a soccer ball? Football? I am in for a $1.91

 

[emptyMAGS]

I have been a long time supplier of unwanted items to Goodwill. Hence the name,,,Goodwill... I thought I was helping. But as I understand it, the only people I really am helping are the ones (the few) they hire, and the rest is profit. Correct me if I am wrong as there is SO much misinformation online that I do not know what is right or wrong.

I think of this now because I have been prepping food at my Church to serve on Christmas to the needy/homeless. Aside from the multitude of donations given to hand out, I also want to bring my unwanted clothes to leave at the Church for dispersal to the needy. I normally would have given the clothing to Goodwill, but have recently changed my mind.

This picture has been floating around the internets for years. I don't know how much of it is true, but I do not feel as though my purchases there greatly affects the community I live in. I would much rather donate time and money to something I know will help someone near me, like at a church soup kitchen or family adoption. Otherwise I use goodwill to dump my old (working) stuff and clothes that I don't want to take to a landfill.

Seriously, dump fees are high...

 

[palmettomoon]

Pick a local charity to help. I do drop off things to Salvation Army but rarely Goodwill. Both do provide some job training but also an opportunity for thieves. Anything really nice is rarely put on the sales floor now and if it is, it's bought immediately by staff in the know for pennies for resale later. Around here, the church food drives would make you vomit. Most that queue up are hopping out of $50,000 automobiles with Gucci phone covers on their I6's, hair and nails all "did", looking like a 300lb can of busted biscuits all mad 'cause dey ain't no free hams dis yerr.

 

[Bucket99]

Pick a local charity to help. I do drop off things to Salvation Army but rarely Goodwill. Both do provide some job training but also an opportunity for thieves. Anything really nice is rarely put on the sales floor now and if it is, it's bought immediately by staff in the know for pennies for resale later. Around here, the church food drives would make you vomit. Most that queue up are hopping out of $50,000 automobiles with Gucci phone covers on their I6's, hair and nails all "did", looking like a 300lb can of busted biscuits all mad 'cause dey ain't no free hams dis yerr.

LOL at "300 lb can of busted biscuits"

 

[bre_1983]

View attachment 1005353
This picture has been floating around the internets for years. I don't know how much of it is true, but I do not feel as though my purchases there greatly affects the community I live in. I would much rather donate time and money to something I know will help someone near me, like at a church soup kitchen or family adoption. Otherwise I use goodwill to dump my old (working) stuff and clothes that I don't want to take to a landfill.

Seriously, dump fees are high...

When my mother-n-law lived next to one, we could watch the ritual weekly if you wanted to. Toward the end of the store hours usually on a Saturday Goodwill employees would carry the 30 day old items to the dumpster (usually would not even put them in the dumpster because they knew what was going to happen). Then once the store would close, people would come from everywhere and pick through the items. By the next morning most if not all of the items would be gone. So in a sense, Goodwill is helping the local community???

 

[kimchee45]

I too faced the concern about Goodwill. I read an article a few years ago that showed that goodwill employees and management used up about 85 to 90 % of their income.

The same article compared other charities and only 2 came up to my standards of "Helping the Needy" :
Churches and "The Salvation Army" !

These are the only places I donate anything anymore !

 

[Cadcom]

I have ever seen or heard any statement from Goodwill stating that they exist to help the homeless or downtrodden. I always thought the claim to fame was hiring the handicapped or special needs folks. It saves me from having to pay to haul old furniture and other stuff to the dump.