Fresno State students kicked off the campus Donate Movement initiative for the weeklong Goodwill Industries® clothing drive with a rally Monday, Oct. 24, in the Free Speech Area that featured students and members of the Break the Barriers group
The drive is a service learning class project for students of the Craig School of Business who are teaming up with Fresno State’s University Student Union and Break the Barriers community organization in support of Goodwill’s new public-awareness movement. The goal is to emphasize the positive impact that donating clothing and other household goods can have on communities and the planet.
In addition to the Free Speech Area, donations can be dropped off through Friday, Oct. 28, in Parking Lot V (Shaw and Woodrow avenues).
Containers display the “Donate” icon that Goodwill unveiled earlier in 2011 as a universal symbol for donatable goods in the style of the recycling symbol. One major partner, clothing manufacturer Levi Strauss & Co. is promoting the “Donate” icon in its own merchandise.
Donations help the environment by allowing other people to repurpose items headed for landfills, said Shawna Blair, USU Productions coordinator.
“When you donate to Goodwill items you no longer need, you are helping someone find a job, strengthening your community and preserving the planet,” said Derek Lee, a marketing student in the Craig School.
Goodwill Industries International is a network of 165 community-based agencies in the United States and Canada with 14 affiliates in 13 other countries. In 2010, 2.4 million people in the U.S. and Canada benefited from Goodwill’s career services. Goodwill channels 84 percent of its revenues directly into its programs and services.
Last year in the San Joaquin Valley, Goodwill received 429,000 donations of clothing, electronics and household items, which helped provide critical job services to more than 5,000 people.
Goodwill offers job training and placement programs to people with disabilities, those who lack education or job experience and others facing challenges to finding employment. Goodwill’s mission is fulfilled through the collection and sale of donated goods, which fund its community services.
Goodwill hopes its Donate Movement will encourage people to reduce, reuse and repurpose items they no longer need.
For more information, contact Shawna Blair at 559.278.2741.
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