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Tag: Sherwood Park
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Spring Cleaning and Donating to Goodwill
As the winter chill begins to loosen its grip, the arrival of spring brings a sense of renewal and rejuvenation. It’s the perfect time to declutter, organize, and embrace a fresh start. One meaningful way to do this is through spring cleaning, not just for your living space but also for your community.
Your donations to Goodwill aren’t just about clearing out space; they’re about giving people in the community the opportunity to start new lives. Our programs are designed to help individuals build skills, find jobs, and grow their careers.
Your donations to Goodwill mean employment for those with disabilities. Spring Cleaning Tips and Tricks
- The Joy of Decluttering: Spring cleaning isn’t just about getting rid of dust and grime; it’s an opportunity to declutter and create a more organized and harmonious living environment. Begin by assessing each room, sorting through belongings, and deciding what to keep, toss, or donate. Letting go of items that no longer serve a purpose can be liberating and make space for positive energy.
- Take an Inventory: Make a list of what you have in your spring wardrobe, make a list of what you need and donate the items you no longer use and shop at your local Goodwill for your spring fashions.
- Environmental Impact: Choosing to donate rather than discard items has a positive impact on the environment. By extending the life cycle of your belongings through donation, you reduce the overall waste in landfills. In fact, 90% of items donated to Goodwill are re-sold or re-purposed, diverting them from our local landfills. This eco-friendly approach aligns with the spirit of spring, promoting sustainability and responsible living.
- Supporting the Community: When you donate to Goodwill in Alberta, you contribute to a noble cause. Goodwill operates with a mission of providing jobs and job training programs for those with disabilities or barriers. It’s all about finding dignity and joy through meaningful employment. Your unwanted items can become valuable resources for others seeking affordable goods.
- The Goodwill Experience in Alberta: Goodwill Industries of Alberta plays a crucial role in building a stronger community. With over 30 donation centres across the province, Goodwill offers a convenient way for Albertans to contribute to the well-being of their neighbours. From clothing and furniture to electronics and household items, Goodwill accepts a wide range of gently used items.
- How to Donate: Donating to Goodwill in Alberta is a straightforward process. Gather your gently used items, ensuring they are clean and in good condition. Locate the nearest Goodwill donation center or drop-off location in your area. Many sites have designated bins or staff members ready to assist you in unloading your donations.
- Encouraging Others to Join: Spring cleaning and donating to Goodwill in Alberta can be a collective effort. Encourage friends, family, and neighbors to participate in this uplifting activity. Consider organizing a community donation drive to amplify the positive impact on those in need.

Spring Cleaning and Donating to Goodwill 8 Key Donation Facts
- Goodwill received over 850,000 individual donations in 2023, contributing more to our mission services than ever before!
- Goodwill diverted over 19million kg’s from landfills in Alberta in 2023.
- Hundreds of individuals are served by and with our organization each year and it’s all thanks to donated goods.
- According to recent surveys, Goodwill is the preferred place to donate, due to being a Non-Profit organization, with a commitment to Sustainability.
- If you donate an item, we’ll ensure it finds the right home. Goodwill Industries of Alberta has returned war medallions to families and local legions, we’ve returned wedding photos and mementos and we’ve put items on display for the world to see, from Narwhal Tusks (given to the University of Calgary Arctic Museum) to Seal Skin Jackets, now on display in South Edmonton.

Spring Cleaning and Donating to Goodwill 9 Embracing the spirit of spring cleaning by decluttering and donating to Goodwill in Alberta is a win-win situation. Not only do you create a refreshed living space for yourself, but you also contribute to the well-being of others in your community. As the flowers bloom and the days grow longer, let the act of giving back be a cornerstone of your springtime rituals.
There is no better time than now. Donate today.
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Share the GOOD
Let’s start off 2021 by spreading a little Goodwill.
To get things started, local business needs your support more than ever. Starting January 8th, 2021, you can lend your support simply by visiting Goodwill.
Limited Time Offer!
For a limited time (until supplies run out) we are offering a SHARE THE GOOD package just for you! This $10 package contains valuable gift cards to various locally owned restaurants and coffee shops. It is valued at over $40.
This could be the perfect last minute gift for someone OR you could use the gift cards yourself to help stimulate the economy!
Just ask the cashier for more information on purchasing a SHARE THE GOOD package!
THANK YOU!
Our amazing team at Career Connections helped assemble the SHARE THE GOOD packages and provided valuable work experience for persons with disabilities within their Pathway to Employment training through Goodwill.
This team in Grande Prairie, Sherwood Park and Edmonton had a system in place to help create help packages for the United Way and stepped up to use their resources in creating these SHARE THE GOOD packages.
SHARE THE GOOD
This SHARE THE GOOD package contains so many benefits, for so many people as we support, including:
Albertans with disabilities
front line workers
local businessesTruly a SHARE THE GOOD venture!
This project to help stimulate locally owned restaurants and coffee shops is made possible by the wonderful people at JLL Commercial Real Estate, Willy’s Trucking, LiveWell Benefits and JRoss Recruiters.
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UPDATED Store Hours
To help curb the spread of COVID-19 and keeping in mind the health and safety of our employees, volunteers, shoppers, donors and partners, we are reducing the retail hours of operation.
Hours Change
Stores will open at 10am and close at 7pm right across the province effective immediately.
This is an important step to protect those who matter most to us, both mentally and physically. COVID-19 is a real threat to our community and we must do our part to help those most vulnerable.
Thank you so much for helping our organization through this difficult time. Our shoppers, donors and Albertans everywhere continue to make a difference in the lives of so many. Helping those with disabilities find and gain meaningful employment.
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Goodwill proving the power of work

Goodwill career centre participant Joel Slugosk works at a computer under the guidance of employment facilitator Lucy Fiforowich during the career centre’s open house on Friday, Feb. 6. Megan Voss/Sherwood Park News/QMI Agency
Reposted from the Sherwood Park News. Article by Megan Voss,
While the Goodwill thrift centre, donation store and career centre opened up last fall, Goodwill recently held an open house and celebration of what it has accomplished so far.
Dale Monaghan, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Alberta, said there are five people who are a part of the Power of Work program, which is located in the career centre in the middle of the store. Proceeds from Goodwill go directly towards the career centre and the program.
“The Power of Work program is, first of all, it’s internationally recognized because all Goodwills in 17 countries have some sort of Power of Work program, and it’s all about creating employment opportunity for persons of disadvantage… in the case of our Goodwill, our purpose, our mission, is to support Albertans with disabilities to get great jobs,” he said.
“Power of Work, for our Goodwill, is our training and development program and then also, beyond training and development, job search and working with employers in the community to successfully hire a person with disability. It’s about preparation out of the person with disability that’s come to our Power of Work program, it’s about readying yourself for employment, so that means job search, that means rehearsals on interviews, that means focus and development on values (that are) important in the workplace, strategies on how to succeed in the workplace.”
Monaghan added that participants are taught the importance of showing up on time and putting in a full shift, as well as expectations in the workplace and interpersonal skills with other team members.
An open house was held on Friday, Feb. 6 to give businesses the opportunity to visit the career centre and talk to the Power of Work participants.
A unique aspect of the program, Monaghan noted, is its staff’s involvement in job search activity.
“We go out with our Power of Work personnel, and we go out and meet with businesses and explore some options for jobs. Oftentimes for employers with businesses, it’s not clear that there’s necessarily a job available for a person with disability,” he said.
The process is one that Monaghan called “job carving.”
“We’ll go to a business and help the decision-makers there carve a position that is valuable to them, but also is very suitable for a person with disabilities. From that, then we make the connection and an interview happens. We wholeheartedly believe that there has to be a tremendous fit… but the skills, the credential, the personality of the person with disability has to fit with that business, because this is not intended to be a short-term relationship, this is intended to be a mutually beneficial relationship that lasts a longer time. That’s what Power of Work is all about — it’s an incredible bundle of relationship and capacity building, which includes the business. This is not just getting a person with disability a job, this is an entire strategic relationship bundle that includes the employer, which is a partner in this whole power of work strategy.”
While one of the five participants currently has a job within the store, the career councillors at the career centre are continuing to work with the employee to teach greater employment skills, customer service and interpersonal relationships.
The donation centre can also be used as job training for the other four.
“The overall package… has been wonderful,” Monaghan said of the store, which has multiple purposes, including retail, the donation centre and career centre.
“The community has been tremendously welcoming to us.”
He said so far, since the store’s opening in October, there has been a large amount of shopping and donations, and the Robin Hood Association has helped Goodwill with training and advice. Monaghan said he also thanked Strathcona County residents for their support.
“We’re just overwhelmed with the reception and the continued support of residents who shop and donate and ultimately to me, it’s not Goodwill and the Power of Work that is creating all this training and opportunity, it is the resident who shop and donate — they’re our partners,” he said.





