LAKE WORTH BEACH, Fla. — That old pair of jeans you’ve been thinking about getting rid of … don’t throw them out.
Donate them.
By doing this, you can help someone in need, and also our planet.
WPTV went inside the Gulfstream Goodwill Industries operations center in Lake Worth Beach for a behind-the-scenes look at what happens when you donate items.
Around 60,000 pounds of items get dropped off every day.
“Always busy here, never a dull moment,” said James Bell, who works at the operations center. “Never a dull moment.”
When the items are dropped off, they are sorted into different categories.
“Tops, bottoms, jackets, accessories, linens, shoes, kids’ clothes …” said David Perez, the manager of the 60,000-square-foot operations center.
From there, the items are sold at the iconic Goodwill stores. There are more than 20 stores in our region.
“We take the money that is generated from those donations and we use that to fund our mission programs and our community,” said Keith Kennedy, president and CEO of Gulfstream Goodwill Industries.
Ninety-one cents from every dollar is put back into their missions like re-entry programs and homeless shelters.
“If you feel like you may not need that tee shirt, someone else may,” said Perez. “It’s better on somebody else’s back than in the trash.”
Just last year, GGI’s efforts kept 15,000,000 pounds worth of items out of landfills. Kennedy says that’s a direct way to fight climate change.
“If you think about things like fast fashion, and apparel and the amount of waste that comes into the products, second-hand use for donated products is becoming more and more important,” he said. “Not only for individuals and their family’s pocketbook, but also to support climate change and be good stewards of our world. It’s a win-win for the environment, it’s a win-win for the community and it’s a win-win for the people that we serve.”
It's a great way to keep the planet green. For Bell, though, it’s home and a way to make ends meet.
“Coming to work, having a good boss, having friends, family, things I can look forward to every day,” he said as he sorted through clothes. “You don’t have that at most jobs, but here it’s different
The organization also donates unsold goods to other regions, like Haiti, to help after natural disasters.
