We Believe In the Power of Work

Your sponsorship will help Goodwill Industries- Big Bend, Inc. to provide job training, education and employment to people with disabilities and other barriers to employment, helping them to reach their fullest potential in supporting themselves and their families. Goodwill also provides barrier-free apartment complexes in which people with disabilities can live independently and operates the Dick Howser Center for Childhood Services which provides quality child care and on site therapy for children with disabilities.

LEVELS OF PARTICIPATION

Corporate Sponsor
There are multiple opportunities. Please contact Brooke Lochore at 850-694-0943.

Business Sponsor $2,500

• Team of four
• Signage on course
• Banner with logo at event

Team Sponsor $650

• Team of four

Hole Sponsor $300

• One player
• Hole sign naming sponsor

Individual golfer $200

• One player

Mulligan $10 each

• Maximum of 3 per golfer

Games within games $20

Friends of Goodwill- I am unable to attend but with to donate to Goodwill

Please make checks payable to Goodwill.
Mail to: Goodwill
Attn: Brooke Lochore
300 Mabry St.
Tallahassee, FL 32304

Click for full tournament details

“School social workers have come to rely on this resource as the most convenient and immediate way to provide clothing assistance to families in need,” said Mara Shows, Leon County Schools Social Worker. “We [Leon County Schools] truly appreciate this special partnership with Goodwill and their generosity on behalf of our students!”

The partnership between Leon County Schools and Goodwill began in 2006 after several years of numerous individual schools contacting Goodwill asking for assistance to provide clothing, shoes and other items for students at their schools. It became apparent that this was a district wide need so Goodwill and Leon County Schools created a win, win partnership.

“The clothing vouchers give these students the dignity to shop for themselves for what they need and like versus having clothes given to them,” said Shows.

Over the course of the next four weeks, every Leon County School student will be given a Goodwill bag to fill up with donations and bring it back to their school.   The donation pick-ups will be each Friday starting January 20^th and run through February 10^th.  The theme of this year’s donation drive is, “You can make a difference.”

“One goal of this donation drive is for the students to learn they can make a difference by the power of donating,” said Brooke Lochore, Vice President of Public Relations- Goodwill Industries- Big Bend, Inc. “Every student, from a kindergartener to a senior in high school, has something they no longer can wear, use or want.  By donating to Goodwill the students are not only helping others in their community they are making a difference to our environment.”

To find out how your donations impact our community visit www.donate.goodwill.org. To learn more about local Goodwill services visit www.goodwillbigbend.com.

The bookstore has over 30,000 categorized and alphabetized books

On December 30th Goodwill Industries – Big Bend, Inc opened a  new Donation Center and Bookstore at 3111 Mahan Drive in Tallahassee in Lafayette Place where Blockbuster used to be. Half of the unit will be used to accept donations and the other half will be a bookstore. Goodwill opened this donation center and bookstore with the hopes that it will provide the residents of Tallahassee another convenient way to make a difference in the community and the environment. The bookstore will have over 30,000 categorized and alphabetized books. Along with CDs, DVDs and VHS tapes, stationary, jewelry, home accessories and more.

“By donating to Goodwill you not only keep items out of the landfill, you are creating jobs,” said Brooke Lochore, VP of Public Relations Goodwill Industries- Big Bend, Inc.

The donation center will be open 7 days a week from 8 am – 6 pm.  The bookstore will be open Monday- Saturday 10am-7pm and Sunday 12pm-5pm.  The sales from the donations received will further Goodwill’s Mission Services.

Read more about the bookstore at http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011112300328

GIBB Perry Village is Goodwill Industries- Big Bend, Inc.'s 11th apartment complex in the Big Bend

The GIBB Perry Village offers six, two bedroom units and nine, one bedroom units.  All of the apartments are accessible for people who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids.  Some of the amenities include lowered cabinets, countertops and sinks, roll-in showers and widened doorways.  There is a live-in manager who will be available for assistance at any time.

“Our Goodwill apartments provide tenants the opportunity to live independent, in a safe and affordable home.” says President and CEO Fred Shelfer.  “Thank you to all our donors and shoppers for supporting Goodwill; together we are increasing the quality of life through the power of work and independent living.”

All of the apartments include controls for lights, thermostats, and door handles built at a height for people who use wheelchairs. The countertops, stove and sinks are built at a lower level so each resident can cook for themselves and do their own dishes. The bathrooms are fully accessible.

Tenants have the opportunity to live independently, in safe, affordable homes. To be eligible, applicants must have a disability, and a very low income. Rent will be subsidized and all tenants receive help with utility payments. Three families moved in last week and two more are planning to move in before the Thanksgiving holiday.

Goodwill Industries Big Bend already provides homes for over 400 people in the Big Bend area.  There are six apartment complexes in North Florida and four apartment complexes in South Georgia.

To be eligible, applicants must have a disability, and a very low income.  Rent will be subsidized and all tenants receive help with utility payments.  For more information or for an application visit http://www.goodwillbigbend.com/residential/applications-and-tenant-selection-plan/ or call (850) 942-4777.  For all Relay Services, including language translation, dial 711.  Gibb Perry Village is an Equal Housing Opportunity.

To donate your car call contact John Shoemaker at 850-656-8000

Location: 2800 W. Tennessee Street in Tallahassee, FL.

We accept donated cars throughout the 22 counties in the Big Bend that we serve. At this time, we only sells cars in Tallahassee. Vehicles donated outside of Tallahassee are brought back to Tallahassee to check, clean, and sell.

Companies such as Boeing and St. Joe Paper have donated, as well as individuals. Donations have included vans, RVs, Mustangs, Toyota’s and more.

In Panama City, vehicles may be taken to the Goodwill facility at 3207 E. Fourth Street Panama City, FL.

A vehicle does not have to be running to donate it. Goodwill provides free towing, usually the same day. The donor does not have to be present when the car is picked up, but the title is required at the time of the donation.

Once Goodwill has possession of the vehicle and its title, the donor receives a receipt which explains how the IRS handles car donations. Basically, you get to deduct a minimum of $500 or a maximum of whatever the car sells for. If Goodwill sells the car for more than $500, you will get a follow up letter and the IRS form.

Goodwill sells most cars from the Tallahassee car lot within one to two weeks. The cars are priced well below dealer prices, many between $1,000 and $2,000. They also have handyman specials and cars that mechanics buy for parts.

Goodwill does not finance vehicles. All are cash sales.

Like donated items sold in their stores, Goodwill does not give cars away. Low prices make them more affordable and income from their sale helps fund wages and expenses for jobs and job training for people with disabilities and other barriers.

For information on donating a car to Goodwill visit http://goodwillcarsales.com/page/cardonations or call John Shoemaker at 850-656-8000 or toll free at 866-656-6944.

Half of the students will work at the Goodwill Electronics store located at 2800 Tennessee St. learning computer repair and refurbishing; while the other half work at the Goodwill Career Training Center at 300 Mabry St. learning Microsoft Word applications. After 3 weeks of training the students will switch locations.

“Goodwill is very excited for these students to have this opportunity to spend part of their summer learning valuable computer skills,” said Brooke Lochore, VP Public Relations Goodwill. “These are skills that will help their education now and provide valuable job skills for their future.”

50 LARGE is an effort to prevent gang involvement by redirecting energies of young men within the targeted population. They work with young men ages 11-19 who are permanent residents of Leon County.

The mission of 50 LARGE is: Changing lives by inspiring hope, molding character, teaching responsibility, and providing opportunity. For more information about 50 LARGE call 850-487-7173 or email Larry Thompson at thompsonl3@leonschools.net

As you can imagine, this contract puts Goodwill Services directly in the public eye. Thousands of people pass through the airport every week, the local media is there on a regular basis, and there are strict security precautions in place. Kasey and his crew have risen to the challenge; the airport is sparkling clean and looks great! Kudos to all involved in this new venture.

Everyone at The Dick Howser Center is very excited to be a part of the Goodwill family.  For those of you who are not familiar with The Dick Howser Center, our services include early childhood education, exceptional infant & childcare, early intervention and therapies, as well as before and after-school care, summer programs, and school readiness programs, VPK!!!

We create an inclusive, nurturing environment focusing on the “whole child” by helping them grow and learn effectively through developmental play. We can help ensure the children at our center use their natural curiosity to learn, grow, and develop in the best learning environment.

Other reasons to choose The Dick Howser Center:

• Degreed & CDA certified teachers
• First Aid and CPR certified teachers
• High Reach, Creative and Kindness Curriculums
• Hot meals and nutritious snack
• Clean and spacious classrooms
• Multi-children discount
• Accept ELC funding

We are currently enrolling students 6 weeks through 6 years. Our operating hours are from Monday – Friday 7am-6pm.  For more information please call 850-574-3906 or stop by for a tour at 240 Mabry St. Tallahassee, FL 32304.

Check out what a few of our parents have to say about us:

“My son has been at  Dick Howser for three years and is about to start in the VPK program, they are doing a great job getting him ready for school”

 “My daughter loves her teachers. She is happy to come to Dick Howser every day.”

 “My child had some minor speech delays and while at Dick Howser was able to receive therapy and is now a very successful kindergartner on track with his peers.”

Right now we are waiving the registration fee for all Goodwill employees enrolling children by September 30, 2010, that is a savings of up to $100.

Goodwill now has similar “villages” in Tallahassee (2), Marianna, and Panama City (2), Florida, as well as Bainbridge and Thomasville (2), Georgia.  Each of these complexes is barrier-free allowing residents in wheelchairs and with other disabilities to live independently.

In 1997, we acquired Oakridge Townhouses in Tallahassee.  These Townhouses provide 60 two bedroom apartments for people age 62 and above.

In 2009 we opened 15 apartments in Cairo, Georgia.  Our application to build 15 apartments in Perry, (Taylor County) Florida was approved.  Occupancy is targeted for 2010.

All of Goodwill’s apartments are rented to people with low or very low incomes.  The Village rents are subsidized by the U. S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, and the Townhouses rents are subsidized by the U. S. Department of Agriculture –

Rural Development.