The do's and don'ts of Goodwill donations

TAMPA, Fla. - Goodwill Suncoast donation centers are some of the busiest drive-thrus in town. Last year, the organization received over a million donations. 

"Donations are the life blood of Goodwill," said Chris Ward, director of marketing and public relations. "People donate things, we sell them and that funds our services to help people get jobs."

But Goodwill says there's a definite distinction between donation treasures and trash. 

"Ask yourself, ‘Would I maybe buy this item, or would I consider giving it to someone else? Is it good enough?' If not, maybe it should go in the trash can instead of going to Goodwill," explained Ward.

Last year Goodwill Suncoast disposed of more than seven million pounds of junk at a hefty cost to the organization. 

"Everything that we have to dispose of, we pay to make sure it’s properly disposed of so it’s not impacting the planet," added donations development manager Jabbar Graham. 

He says household cleaners, heavily worn items, and broken electronics cannot be salvaged.

"These are items that we have to pay to dispose of properly. Things like these take away from the programs we have internally," shared Graham. 

Clothing, shoes and linens are always welcome. Mattresses, televisions with no stands, and heavily worn or broken furniture are not.

And if you're wondering why some people donate trash over treasure, mental health counselor Dr. Stephanie Sarkis has an answer. 

"Some of us have these things that we've been taught about not wasting things and what that turns into is the guilt you feel when you throw something out," she explained. 

Dr. Sarkis says, when you donate something, it makes you feel less guilty, but it also makes the donation someone else’s problem.

Goodwill Suncoast says quality items can have a massive impact on their community assistance programs.

They say a little careful consideration at home can maximize the benefit throughout Tampa Bay. And if you aren't sure about an item you are thinking about donating, Goodwill says to just ask. Their donation employees are well-trained on what they can and can't use.