Agency and Mission

What is Goodwill’s mission?
We sell donated goods.  The proceeds from those sales fund employment and training opportunities for people who have disabilities and others who have trouble finding and keeping jobs.

Who does Goodwill help?
Goodwill helps individuals who face various obstacles to employment including a lack of work history, illiteracy, physical, mental and emotional disabilities, language barriers, criminal background, dependency on public assistance, corporate downsizing and other barriers.

How does Goodwill operate?
Revenue generated by the sale of donated goods in our retail stores goes to support the programs and services, almost of those services are free, and are offered through our 16 Career Solutions Centers.

What geographic region is supported by GIMT?
We have 16 Career Solution Centers, 70 donation sites, and 30 retail stores throughout the 46 counties in middle and west Tennessee served by GIMT.

Does Goodwill offer volunteer opportunities?
Because Goodwill’s mission is to provide jobs, volunteer opportunities are limited. We do often have skills-based volunteers who assist with teaching a specific skill such as how to dress for success, budgeting, etc. If you would like to contact us about a skills-based volunteer opportunity, please contact Niketa Hailey-Hill.

How can I schedule a tour to visit your processing facilities or a Career Solutions center?
Goodwill offers tours to those interested in learning how donations are processed, how those donations provide job opportunities for our clients and employees, and to learn more about how the distribution process of our donations. Contact us with any further questions or comments about Goodwill at info@givegw.org or by calling 615-742-4151 or 800-545-9231.

Career Solutions

What is Career Solutions?
Each Career Solutions Center is staffed with career counselors who offer one-on-one sessions to help clients meet their individual career goals and to provide assistance with job searches, resumes, job applications and interviewing skills.  All but the forklift training class and Microsoft Office Suite training are free classes.  In addition, Goodwill also offers various classes and programs, including Life Skills and Good Prospects classes, GED classes, janitorial training and certification, and numerous other career-based programs.   For more information about Career Solutions programs visit our Web site or call 615-741-4151 or 800-545-9231.

Who is eligible to receive free job training and program services?
You can sign up for Goodwill's job training programs if you have legal documents to work, haven't used or abused drugs within the last 30 days, don't have criminal charges pending, don't need assistance performing work activities, and have been released to the community on parole or probation.

What programs and services are offered by Career Solutions for adults?
There are many programs available including job readiness sessions, computer classes, forklift certification, Microsoft Office Suite classes, janitorial services, call center training, security guard training, retail and customer service basics, job placement and counseling and transitional employment services.  More classes are being added throughout the year, so please check our Web site often.

What programs and services are offered by Career Solutions for teens and young adults?
TRAC classes (Training for Retail Associate Certification), summer youth programs, retail and customer service basics, after-school work programs.

How do I contact a Career Solutions counselor for help?
To locate the nearest Career Solutions center, use our locator, call 1-800-545-9231, or e-mail us at info@givegw.org.

Donations

Why should I donate to Goodwill?
Those donations put people to work!  From the point of drop-off at a Donations Express Center, to the sales floor in one of our 30 retail stores, everyone who processes that donation is employed thanks to your generosity.  We use 87 percent of the revenue from the sale of your donations to fund employment and training programs for people with disabilites and other with barriers to employment.  More than 90 percent of Goodwill’s employees are mission-related and former clients who were served by Goodwill’s Career Solutions counselors.

There are many reputable not-for-profit agencies throughout the 46 counties served by Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee.  When you donate your gently-used items to Goodwill, you can be assured you’re donating to a reputable charity as you will read in our statement of accountability. 

Does Goodwill offer pickup service for donations?
Rather than offer an all-encompassing pick up service, Goodwill believes the best and most convenient way to accept most donations is to offer multiple donation sites that are conveniently located in the communities we serve.  We have 70 donation sites located throughout the 46 counties served by Goodwill in middle and west Tennessee.

Under special circumstances, Goodwill will pick up items. If your situation is related to the following criteria, please fill out an estate pick-up form, e-mail, or call our special projects manager at (615) 742-4151.

•    A person transitioning into a retirement facility, nursing home, or assisted living residence.
•    An elderly person moving in with a family member.
•    An elderly person downsizing to a one-story home or condo.
•    The passing of a loved one.
•    The remaining items from an estate sale.
•    A caretaker removing items from his or her home to accommodate a senior moving into the home.

I have large items that I can’t bring to a donation site and don’t fit the requirements for estate pick up.  What other options do you offer?
Goodwill has entered into a partnership with College Hunks Hauling and offers services in Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford and Wilson counties. This priority service is provided by College Hunks Hauling (independent agent), which charges a fee for service. This service includes additional benefits such as the removal of any items from anywhere inside your property to be taken to Goodwill, as well as the removal of items Goodwill cannot accept. Goodwill donors will receive a discount off the regular pricing. Your donation is still tax-deductible when using this new 48-hour priority service and a donation receipt will be provided.  For questions about this priority service or to request a free estimate, please visit collegehunks.com or call 1-800-783-5705.

What does Goodwill accept as a donation?
Please visit our Web site for a list of items that Goodwill accepts.

What does Goodwill not accept?
Please visit our Web site for a list of items that Goodwill is unable to accept.

Does Goodwill accept large household appliances or computers?
Large appliances are only accepted at retail site Donation Express Centers.  Goodwill only accepts laptop computers.

Does Goodwill repair items or wash donated clothing?
Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee does not repair broken items or wash donated clothing.  Please be sure to check all electronics to ensure each item is in good working order.  Goodwill must pay a salvage company to remove all non-working electronic items including televisions, radios, cameras, microwaves and similar products.

Should I remove the hanger from my clothing before donating or does Goodwill want the hangers?
We prefer that clothing is donated without a hanger.

What are the hours for your donation sites?
Donation Express Center hours vary.  Please visit our Donations page for the latest and most up-to-date hours for each donation site.

Our company/organization has furniture to donate.  How do I make arrangements for donating these items?

Goodwill offers pick up service for businesses, organizations, and schools that would like to donate:
•    surplus inventory
•    overstock
•    scratch and dent
•    office furniture
If your company would like to donate any of the above, or any other items that are acceptable donations, please fill out an estate donation form, e-mail, or call our special projects manager at (615) 742-4151.

My neighborhood has plans for a community sale and we’d like to donate all unsold items to Goodwill.  How do I schedule a pickup service?
Goodwill welcomes the opportunity to work with the organizers of your neighborhood donation drive, and our trucks can be found in many neighborhoods throughout the year during yard sales.  Goodwill can provide a temporary donation center with an attendant on duty to manage donations and to issue donation receipts.

Donation drives are an easy opportunity to give back to the community while clearing out the clutter.  To schedule a neighborhood donation drive, please fill out an estate donation form, e-mail, or call our special projects manager at (615) 742-4151.

Why didn’t the donations attendant assess a value to my donations?
Based on IRS regulations, it's up to donors to document and assess the value of all donations to Goodwill.  We have compiled a list of prices that we typically use to sell donations. You may use this as a starting point.

Quick tip:  It's easier to assess the value of your donations as you clear out your clutter and clean your closets.  Each time you donate, use this list and record what you think your donations are worth.  By following this tip you should feel less stress at tax time and have a complete record of what you have donated to Goodwill.

How do I assess a value for each item I donated?
Goodwill has a suggested value list for each item you donate.  Please refer to it when you assign a value to your donations.

I lost my donation receipt.  Will Goodwill send another as a replacement?
Unfortunately, Goodwill does not maintain records of donors and will be unable to replace a lost receipt.  Please save your receipts with all your current year tax records to ensure you will be able to claim your donation as a deduction.

I inadvertently donated an item.  Who do I contact?
If it was donated through a Donations Express Center, you must contact our donations department as soon as you realize the item is missing.  Please call 346-1262 or send an e-mail to our donations department and provide descriptive details of the item, the date of the donation and the donation location.

If an item was mistakenly donated during a special projects event, please call 615-346-1247 or send an e-mail and provide descriptive details of the item, the date of the donation and the donation location.

Contact us with any further questions or comments about donations at info@givegw.org or by calling 615-742-4151 or 800-545-9231.

When I dropped off my donations recently I saw an item that had been donated and asked the attendant if I could purchase the item and he said, ‘no.’   Why can’t I buy the item from the truck?
Donated items that have not yet been processed cannot be sold until they reach our retail stores.  Unfortunately, when items are processed, there’s no way to know in which store they will be sold, which means shop often and enjoy the hunt!

Retail

How do I find a store near me and what are your store hours?
It’s easy to locate all stores managed by Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee when you click on our locator.  You may also call 615-742-4151 or 800-545-9231.

How does Goodwill use the revenue from the sales of goods to promote its mission?
Goodwill operates almost solely on the revenue from the sale of items that have been donated.  We are very appreciative of each and every donation from the generous people who live in the communities served by Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee.  The revenue from our retail sales is used to fund programs and services, almost all of them free, to clients who come to our Career Solutions Centers looking for help finding a job.  We are proud that more than 85 percent of the proceeds from the sale of those donations are used to fund our mission.

Goodwill’s mission statement:  We sell donated goods to provide employment and training opportunities for people who have disabilities and others who have trouble finding and keeping jobs.

Are the people who work in your stores clients/employees?
Everyone who works in our retail stores is either an employee or clients, and most came through our Career Solutions Centers’ training and assessment programs.  Goodwill is proud that 90 percent of our employees are mission-related, which means they have a disability or face a barrier to employment.

Why doesn’t Goodwill give the donations to shoppers since the items were donated?
Goodwill is in business to put people to work and 90 percent of our employees are mission-related, which means they have a disability or face some other barrier to employment.  We would not be able to employ the 1,500 people who work for Goodwill without the generosity of our donors.

As soon as an item is donated to Goodwill, the agency incurs a cost.  From the attendant who accepts the donation, through the processing of that item and the transportation to and from the retail sites, there are real costs associated with each donation.

The proceeds from the sale of donated items are necessary to fund our job training and job placement services through our Career Solutions Centers.  Most of the services offered at our 16 Career Solutions Centers located throughout the 46 counties served by Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee, are free of charge, again, thanks to the generosity of our donors.

How does Goodwill determine prices for its products?
Prices for items sold in our retail stores are based on market value and are competitive with other stores in middle and west Tennessee.  Prices at Goodwill are typically at least 50 percent less than what shoppers would pay in big box retail stores.  Another advantage to shopping at Goodwill is that the State of Tennessee does not charge tax on used clothing.

How can I find out about the sale days at Goodwill and the discounts you offer?

To find out when Goodwill offers discounts and sales, you may pick up a sale sheet at any of our stores or click on our Shop tab.

Contact us with any further questions or comments about Goodwill’s stores at info@givegw.org or call 615-742-4151 or 800-545-9231.

Onlinegoodwill.com

What is onlinegoodwill.com?
Onlinegoodwill.com is the entry page to view all the items offered for auction by Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee through the national shopping site, shopgoodwill.com.  As with all other auction sites on the Internet, onlinegoodwill.com offers thousands of items that are available for bidding, including jewelry, artwork, cars, antiques, and unusual gift items.  All items that are up for auction have been donated to Goodwill.  Most of the auctions begin at $5 per item.

How do you choose the products for onlinegoodwill.com?
Donation attendants and processing staff choose donated items that appear online. Although we have thousands of items on onlinegoodwill.com for bid, those items account for less than two percent of the donations we receive on an annual basis.  The philosophy is that the items we sell on onlinegoodwill.com may bring more income which can be applied to Goodwill’s mission and, by doing so, also honors the donor who generously gave Goodwill an item of value.

What’s the bidding process and how it works?
Much like any online bidding site, onlinegoodwill.com requires that bidders register online (a free process), and then they’re welcome to browse, bid and buy any item available for sale.  The site notifies bidders when they’ve been outbid on an item and if they’ve won or lost the auction.  Please visit onlinegoodwill.com to see all the items available for sale.
Please contact us with any further questions or comments about onlinegoodwill.com at info@onlinegoodwill.com or by calling 800-545-9231.