Ihave three sets of clothes in my closet: normal, fat and skinny. But not everyone is a hoarder. Optimistic people give away their larger clothes when they no longer fit. Pessimists do the same with clothing too small. That's good for Goodwill Industries of Fort Worth Inc.
Goodwill Industries provides education, training and career services for people with disabilities. Much of the organization's funding comes from donations of goods people no longer want or need, and many of those are recycled through the agency's 20 retail outlets. The shops are favorites of all walks of life - poor and homeless, college students and more well-to-do people looking for bargains.
On April 30, the agency hosted Project Goodwill, a fundraiser based on the popular Lifetime network television show
Project Runway. Fashion design students and others interested in design competed, based on a $100 budget to be spent at any Goodwill store. Professionals from all aspects of the fashion industry judged their final designs.
"For many years, people have come into Goodwill not only for good bargains on name brands and designer clothing, but in order to find something unique," said David Cox, president and CEO. Vintage clothing is a hot item now, and people can assemble unique outfits from Goodwill items, he says.
Project Runway is now in its 13th season. This was the first season for Project Goodwill, although there was an earlier and smaller but similar event. And there have been fashion shows featuring donated clothing over the years. When my wife, Harriet, was director of training for the City of Fort Worth and also a board member for Goodwill - she later was president of the board - she regularly staged Goodwill fashion shows for some of the lower-paid city workers.
Goodwill began in 1902 when Edgar J. Helms, a Methodist minister in Boston, began creating jobs by collecting unwanted household goods, then employing people to repair and resell them. Goodwill Industries of Fort Worth Inc., founded in 1949, provides employment to those who might not be otherwise able to find jobs. But it also runs training programs for people seeking to increase their marketable job skills.
In 2014, Goodwill Industries of Fort Worth served more than 40,000 people. It puts 92 percent of the money it earns through the stores and contracts with local companies into programs and service. About 60 percent of Goodwill Fort Worth's $24 million in revenues comes from the sale of donated goods. The organization operates 21 stores.
Nothing is wasted. Fabric items not worthy of resale are bundled and sold. Goodwill also operates Computer Works, which refurbishes donated computers and sells them and their component parts. That's also the solution to how to dispose of computers you no longer want. You may also take your computers there for repair.
"I honestly feel I have the best job in the world," Cox said. "I'm challenged on the business side every day. Every day brings something new. But I go home knowing that Goodwill has made a difference in somebody's life."
