Next up: time to clean out the closet!

By Valerie Clark
Public Relations Specialist, Goodwill Duluth
vclark@goodwillduluth.org

Have you ever heard the saying that if you haven’t used an item in a year or more, it’s time to get rid of it?

It’s easier said than done, I know. I’m just a couple of magazine stacks and a shoe-filled fish tank away from being cast on an episode of “Hoarders.” But if you can get into the tough mindset of answering “NO” to that question of “Do I REALLY need this,” you’ll find yourself making great progress toward seeing your closet floor for the first time since the Nixon administration.

For example, I took advantage of the long Presidents’ Day weekend to start purging and packing because I’m buying a house (moving, AGAIN!). It is hard for a softhearted packrat such as myself to part with past artifacts of my life, even silly things like an 8-year-old checkbook register that chronicles the purchase of my wedding dress. I often wonder, what’s an acceptable and mentally healthy amount of nostalgia to attach to such an inanimate object, even if it reminds you of something special? There is no easy, black-and-white answer, but I think it depends on the degree to which your “stuff” is getting in the way of your life.

So, when going through shoeboxes full of old bills and unneeded papers this past weekend, I had an idea to start a scrapbook of all those little things that are actually worth saving, like concert ticket stubs and receipts from exciting travels. This way, I’ll have an organized way to keep those little reminders that make me smile without having them take over my life in the form of clutter.

But that doesn’t mean that I should keep everything. I still have to get tough on myself with any unnecessary item that could be seen as having sentimental value. Do I REALLY need my old tennis skirt from high school, or is it more important to have that much more space in my dresser drawer and keep the memories of the inaugural team’s fun-but-losing 4-8 season? I’ll take the space, thanks very much, without looking back.

Aside from making room, the other advantage to purging is that I’ll be able to make a donation to Goodwill. We turn gently used goods into jobs for people in the Northland with disabilities or others with barriers to employment. I already have a pile started for Goodwill, and today I hope it will grow even bigger after I tackle my closet!

You can donate your gently used clothing, furniture and household goods to any Goodwill store during regular store hours. All donations are tax-deductible, and receipts are available upon request.

Good luck with your purge!

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Willie Stevens

Willie Stevens has faced down some demons in his day, battling depression, alcoholism, and physical problems. But with help from Goodwill, his church community, and his own positive attitude and faith, Willie provides inspiration to all who meet him.

Willie, 47, was born and raised in Duluth. He was born with poor eyesight, and degenerative disc disease eventually led to difficulties with his legs that made it necessary for him to use a wheelchair.

“I’ve had problems since I was a kid,” Willie says. “My legs started going bad as I got older.”

He dealt with various health problems and faced depression through the years, and on top of everything else, had a hard time finding work. But at the age of 32, he found a light at the end of the tunnel.

“In 1996, Goodwill came into the picture,” Willie said. “I was without a job after dealing with some illness.”

After an evaluation, Willie started working with Goodwill’s match repackaging program.  Through finally finding meaningful employment, Willie felt himself turning a corner.

“It was an important time in my life,” he said. “After six or eight years of not working…there was a big gap there.”

When the partnership with the match manufacturer ended, Willie got a job through Goodwill at St. Louis County Social Services, where he does office work and “all the little things” that the busy staffers don’t always have time for.

“Whatever they ask me, I’ll do it,” says Willie, who will have worked for SLCSS for 10 years as of June 2012. “Goodwill having me here is a real blessing. I’m glad that they keep me here.”

In addition to working about 25 hours a week at St. Louis County, Willie keeps busy by volunteering with his church, Hermantown Community Church, and the Lincoln Park VCAP (Volunteers Caring and Patrolling).

“I do a lot of volunteering,” he said. His strong personal faith and church community have played major roles in his life.

He also loves arts and crafts, and enjoys making keychains and jewelry in his free time. And instead of taking lunch breaks at work, he likes going to the YMCA to squeeze in a quick workout.

“I love the YMCA,” he said. “I’m very grateful now that they’ve remodeled. I do like to exercise every day.”

He appreciates the impact that Goodwill has had on his life.

“They’re a great outfit,” he says. “They help people with different things. They got me off of a stretch of unemployment. I’m a lot better off working than not. I can’t just sit and do nothing.”

Having a purpose in his life, Willie says, helps him to stay positive.

“Working helps with the symptoms of mental health problems,” he says. “It makes a big difference.”

Goodwill's Ely store

Do you enjoy:

• FREE cookies and popcorn
• FREE coffee
• A chance to win a FREE 32” Magnavox HDTV
• Entering to win a FREE $20 Goodwill gift certificate
• Great values on clothes and more
• Festivals
• ArtWalks
• Ely
• Snow sculptures
• Puppies
• All of the above?

If so, you’ll want to clear your calendar for this Saturday, Feb. 11 for the Grand Opening of our Ely Goodwill store! It will take place during the Ely Winter Festival and ArtWalk. Our store, located at 40 N. 2^nd Ave. E. in downtown Ely, will be right in the heart of all the action. We’re participating in ArtWalk, showcasing the photography and fine art of Kahsha Hyde, Eric Sherman and Steve Voiles.

Sound great? You betcha!

And no, the grand opening really has nothing to do with puppies. I only wrote that to get your attention. Just watch this.

College is back in session for the spring semester, and here in the Twin Ports we are lucky to have such a large population of students at our many local schools. Welcome back!

Bear with me for a moment in considering the plight of the stereotypical college student: Away from home for perhaps the first time, she has found it difficult to manage her own finances and often turns to that steadfast dinner staple of Ramen noodles for sustenance. (Actually I still enjoy them to this day, but I suspect they have the nutritional value of cardboard soaked in brine.)

Maybe he’s underestimated the cost of those overpriced textbooks, which he will sell at a 500% loss at the end of the semester, and is left with no funds for liquid libations. (Priorities!)

Maybe she’s found a part-time job waiting tables, but even on her busiest night she doesn’t earn quite enough to cover her rent at a house she’s sharing with approximately 19 other people. (Who is that sleeping next to the hot water heater?)

How is a college student supposed to pay for basic necessities? Goodwill is here to help! Whether you need new (or at least “new to you”) clothes or a desk for your apartment, you’ll be sure to find it in one of our area stores. Click here for a complete list: http://www.goodwillduluth.org/shop-locations.htm

If it’s been awhile since you’ve shopped at Goodwill, stop by and be amazed at what you find! Store inventories change daily, so there are always new treasures to be discovered. Impress your hipster friends with your eco-friendly, thrifty trendiness.  And know that what you spend here goes to a good cause of employment for people with disabilities!

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Boots: $3.99; Dress: $4.99; Sweater, $4.29. Total: $13.27

This started with just one coupon.

by Valerie Clark
Public Relations Specialist, Goodwill Duluth
vclark@goodwillduluth.org

The Piles were starting to take over my house, leaning and swaying ominously with each new piece of mail. No one can quite remember how they got started, but like a Gremlin that you’re never supposed to get wet, they’ve somehow multiplied and now threaten to take over the entire house. They’ve even infiltrated the kitchen table, covering every surface with unpaid bills (whoops!), expired Arby’s coupons (d’oh!) and unread magazines and catalogs that “I might look at someday.”

This past weekend it was time to conquer the teetering Piles once and for all (at least until 3 months from now when they inevitably re-form again, of course). Thanks to my husband’s ruthless sorting and purging, which is the necessary antidote to my sentimental junk mail hoarding tendencies, we could see the surfaces of our kitchen table and end tables within 20 minutes.

Afterwards, I sat down to pay bills, balance the checkbook and label billing dates on my new 2012 calendar. It was an exciting weekend at the Clark house to be sure! Actually, it really did feel good to get organized and start a clean slate for a new week, new month and new year.

Did you know that January is Get Organized Month? It’s a great reason to start going through your own piles and de-cluttering your house. Here are three quick tips that could make a big difference!

• Take 10 minutes a day to de-clutter. Work into your daily schedule a time period each day when you can give the house a quick clean-up and throw away any clutter before it gets the chance to accumulate. Make it a time that you’ll be able to stick to as part of your routine, whether it’s right when you get home from work or just before you leave the house in the morning.
• Take the time to put things away, and train your kids to do the same. Laying your coat on the back of a chair or leaving dirty socks on the bedroom floor might not seem like a big deal, but if you do it every day you’ll have a very messy house by the end of the week. Take those few extra seconds to put things in their rightful place. Clean as you go!
• Anytime you buy something new, look at it as an opportunity to evaluate your existing belongings. For instance, if you buy a new DVD, is it time to get rid of one of the older movies that you don’t watch anymore?

All your hard work can have a beneficial byproduct as well. Once you’re done sorting, you can bring your gently used purge-ables down to Goodwill. Your donations will help us provide work for someone in your community with a disability or another barrier to employment!

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By Lauren O’Brien
Director of Planning and Program Development at Seattle Goodwill Industries

Question

“I’m employed but my job doesn’t pay enough to keep up with my household expenses. How do I find out about training opportunities that can help me get into a job that pays higher wages?” – Jeannie from Charleston, WV

Answer

You’re right that more education means more money. By getting more training, you are investing in yourself. Community colleges are a great place to train for a new career or get the skills you need to move up in your current field. They are less expensive than four-year universities and they focus on the skills that matter to employers.

1. Your first step should be to figure out what kind of job you want to train for. Look for a job that:

• Is a good fit for YOU – Try these tools to match your interests or skills to jobs.
• Has openings – Check out which jobs the government expects to have the most openings and to grow quickly. Talk to your local OneStop to get more information on your specific area of interest.
• Will pay enough to cover your expenses – How much do you need to earn each month? Make a budget and compare your needs to typical wages for different jobs in your area.
• Has a career ladder with growth opportunities – Check out these example career pathways.

2. Next, you will need to figure out what training you will need to get the type of job you want. Do you just need a skill or two, or a whole new degree or professional license? If you are unsure, ask someone who has the kind of job you want to get into and look at the requirements in job ads. Online job databases and your local OneStop can also help you figure this out.

3. Then, you’ll need to decide which training program to enroll in. You can search for both short-term certificate and longer-term degree programs near you on the Career OneStop website. Consider your work schedule and what options are available for the type of training you’re interested in – evening, weekend, online, full-time or part-time – as well as the length of the training.

4. Of course, you will need to figure out how you’re going to pay for training. Cost is one of the scariest parts of going back to school, but there are far more resources available than most people know about, especially for job training programs at community colleges:

• Fill out your FAFSA application for federal financial aid.
• Ask the workforce training office at your college about funding programs such as Worker Retraining (for laid off), WorkFirst (TANF), SNAPET (for those on food stamps) and the Workforce Investment Act (for low-income workers).
• Search for scholarships online.
• Ask the college about payment plans or take fewer classes each term to reduce costs.

5. And finally, you will enroll in the training program you’ve selected:

• Fill out the college application and take a placement test
• Meet with an Advisor and register for classes
• Get your books and supplies and connect with on-campus resources (tutoring, disability services, computer lab, etc.)

Going back to school as an adult can be scary, but it can also be tremendously rewarding. The College for Adults website has lots of helpful tips.  Some community organizations, including many Goodwill agencies, help support adults seeking job training – assistance can range from guidance, to money for tuition and books, to specially reserved seats in classes.

You will succeed in getting on a new career path if you go to class, do your best, ask questions whenever you’re unsure or struggling and keep your goal in mind. Good luck!

Excitement awaits.

By Valerie Clark
Public Relations Specialist, Goodwill Duluth
vclark@goodwillduluth.org

Happy Boxing Day! Finally, now that Christmas is over, we get to experience that magical time of year when, um…the day of the…the much anticipated…OK, I have no idea what Boxing Day is. In the interest of public education, here are a few theories:

• It’s the traditional day-after-Christmas event where Uncle Biff and Uncle Bill come to blows over their annual argument over who crashed Grandpa’s truck into the ice hut that time back in ’76.

• It celebrates the many exciting and glamorous uses of the box, which include storage. And packing! And…storage.  Also, fort building.

• It’s a day to spread awareness about possible uses of the deconstructed box. Laid out flat, boxes make legendary breakdancing platforms. Or…single-use, slow-moving makeshift sleds. Use your imagination, kids!

OK, maybe I should find a more reputable source for information on this mystery-shrouded holiday. According to Wikipedia, which is never wrong, it’s unclear how Boxing Day, celebrated in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the U.K., got its start. One of the prevailing theories is that it got its name from the tradition of collecting for the less fortunate by using metal boxes placed outside churches.

On that note, I propose we adopt a new tradition for Boxing Day that’s better than fist fighting or breakdancing combined (though possibly not dance fighting). Take the now-empty boxes used for this year’s Christmas presents and fill them with gently used items from around your house that you haven’t seen since last December. A good de-cluttering rule of thumb to remember: If you haven’t seen it or used it in a year or more, give it away.

So keep that in mind, de-clutter your house, and give to Goodwill! Your donations help to create jobs and support our mission of employment and training for people in our community with disabilities. And by the way, that box you used to bring in your donations? We’ll recycle it for you. You’re welcome, Earth!

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By Lorie Marrero
CPO®, Creator of the Clutter Diet®, Spokesperson for Goodwill Industries International

Most of us hope that our children understand the joy of giving, but with Santa and wish lists and presents, it’s challenging to shift kids away from the focus on receiving. Here are a few of my favorite ways to teach children about giving, and they might even learn some important organizing lessons along the way!

Involve your children in the gift-giving process. Show them how to make a gift list for their family, friends and teachers. Children love to spend time with you, so find a craft or kitchen project that will allow you to make these gifts together. There are many easy ideas here for gifts that kids can make.

They will learn the pride of creating something with their own hands to give and the delight of seeing the recipients’ faces light up. Participating in this giving also teaches them planning skills, showing them the momentum that lists create and the joy you feel when crossing things off!

Out with the old, in with the new. Because they’re going to get lots of new toys, explain to them that we have to make room for them by clearing out the old toys we no longer enjoy. We have a chance to teach kids in a way they completely understand that storage is a finite thing, that there is a concept of “enough,” and that clearing out is a natural part of life, just like the seasons in nature.

Our A-B-C-D prioritization tool is easy for kids to understand, and helps with organizing skills as well as deciding what to give away.  Here’s what to teach them, in words they understand:

• You can explain that an “A” toy is a favorite one that you love and play with all the time, as often as we eat or brush our teeth.
• A “B” toy is one you play with a lot, as often as we go to the supermarket.
• A “C” toy is one you don’t play with very much, as often as we have a birthday or holiday.
• A “D” toy is one you really are not playing with at all. And D stands for DONATE to Goodwill!
• We want to store our A and B toys where we can reach them and put them away easily, and our C toys up higher in a box or on a shelf.

We want to explain to kids that donating our “D” toys (and possibly some “C” toys too) helps others and also helps the planet. Did you know that each year Goodwill diverts 2 billion pounds of household goods and clothing from landfills?

Take your child with you to your nearest donation center, and explain to them that their donations help people in the Northland to get jobs and services they need. (Don’t forget that you can get a tax receipt, too!)

When you get home, your kids can play this fun matching game to learn which items to donate and which to recycle!

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Carl enjoys his work at the Zen House, one of Goodwill's community partners.

By Valerie Clark
Public Relations Specialist, Goodwill Duluth
vclark@goodwillduluth.org

To quote Inigo Montoya of “The Princess Bride,” one of the all-time greatest movies in the history of film, “Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.” To sum up Goodwill’s mission, we’re all about putting people to work, no small feat in this stalled economy.

Specifically, our goal is to help find jobs and provide training to those members of the community who might have the hardest time of all in the search for employment. They’re people who have disabilities and others who face challenges such as a lack of work history and education, a criminal record, or other circumstances that might make it difficult to find employment.

Luckily, Goodwill Duluth has found many local employers who don’t hesitate to give work opportunities to the people who need them the most. Unemployment rates are consistently much higher among the population of people with disabilities, and Goodwill Duluth is trying to change that in the Northland.

We bring people in for evaluation and training and put them to work in jobs that best fit their abilities and personalities. Though we have more than 140 people working in our Garfield Avenue facility, the ultimate goal is to get them into the community at one of our local jobsites.

That’s where our wonderful community partners come in.

There are more than 30 local businesses around the Twin Ports who work with Goodwill by hiring our job clients, and Goodwill is so grateful for their dedication to the community. Yasuko Holt with Zen House Japanese restaurant is just one of our community employment partners. She has been working with Goodwill for five years and currently employs three clients, Mike, Carl and Cole, who do food prep and dishwashing.

“They are doing great,” Holt said. “I like to give more disadvantaged people more of a chance.”

Holt says she has found greater loyalty among Goodwill workers than employees from the general population.

“They’re more dedicated to work than people who are not disabled,” she said.

Aftenro Home has been partnering with Goodwill for more than five years. Food Services Director Shirley Carroll says it feels good to work at a place that provides such an opportunity.

“Everybody deserves a chance, if they can do the job,” she said. Aftenro’s current Goodwill client, Shelly, serves meals to the residents.

“She liked it so much that she volunteered and came in on her own time,” Carroll said. “To me, that’s dedication. She is so thankful and grateful for having a job and me giving her a chance, she thanks me every day.”

Now it’s our turn to say “thanks” to the Zen House, Aftenro Home and all of our other community employment sites. We couldn’t succeed in our mission without your help!

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