Ever wonder what happens to your stuff once it’s donated?
At Goodwill of Central Iowa, we strive to maximize the impact each and every donation has on our mission. Through reselling, recycling, and salvaging, we are supporting programs that make purposeful employment possible for all members of our community. See how it works!
Step 1: Donations Are Accepted and Sorted
The donation lifecycle at Goodwill of Central Iowa begins with the generous donations of people like you dropping off items at one of our convenient locations. There, they are sorted and categorized according to their condition, quality, and suitability for resale. Donations unsuitable for resale are separated into categories, including recycling, waste, or salvage.
Step 2: Items Sold In Stores
Once sorted, items are sent to the store floor for sale or transported to Goodwill’s headquarters for further evaluation. For example, electronics are assessed to ensure that they are in working condition. During this process, items unsuitable for resale are sent to our recycling process, where they are broken down into their raw materials and sold to salvage. Higher-quality items like luxury or designer brands are sent to ShopGoodwill, an online auction site where people nationwide can thrift from the comfort of their home all while supporting Goodwill’s mission to connect people with employment.
Step 3: Stuff Goes To Outlet
Each item has a shelf time of around four weeks. If that item does not sell within four weeks, it will get sent to our Outlet location, where items are bought by the pound. On average, 62,000 pounds of items are sold through our Outlet store in one week.
Step 4: Recycling and Salvage Efforts
Any item that doesn’t get sold at our Outlet location comes back to our processing center to be appropriately disposed of and recycled, including clothing, electronics, and other materials. Many of these materials are sold to salvage companies to be recycled and repurposed. Across all our stores, we divert an average of 18+ million pounds yearly from local landfills! That equates to a whole year’s worth of trash from the town of Pella. Unfortunately, textiles are one of the fastest-growing categories in the waste stream. It takes an average of 200 years for textiles to decompose in a landfill, so learning how you can recycle clothing is essential to an eco-friendly future.
Did you know that electronic waste from computers, cell phones, and tablets contributes to nearly 70% of all toxic waste? Learn more about our E-Waste recycling program here.
Step 5: Supporting Our Mission
In turn, proceeds from our stores and salvage process help fund our mission of making purposeful employment possible for all in central Iowa. The donation lifecycle at Goodwill of Central Iowa is a well-defined and intricate process that ensures every item donated is put to the best possible use. From sorting and evaluating to retail sales and recycling efforts, Goodwill of Central Iowa is committed to providing affordable products to our customers.
By being responsible stewards of each donation, we are extending the product lifecycle and reducing our communities’ impact on local landfills while helping others in Central Iowa overcome barriers to employment.
Don’t Dispose, Donate — Fast Facts
- The average American throws away approximately 81.5 pounds of clothing annually.
- It takes 2,700 liters of water to make one cotton shirt.
- Textiles can take more than 200 years to decompose in landfills.
- Textiles are one of the fastest-growing categories in the waste stream.
Practice responsible consumerism and don’t dispose, donate!
