Parents, it’s that time again…back to school! While the excitement for another school year is building, the thought of back to school shopping can be overwhelming. Not only is the supply list enormous, but kids these days are picky about their wardrobe. Let’s be honest, demanding clothing expectations can break the bank. But, if you know where to shop you can save a lot of money! Goodwill Industries of Central Florida is encouraging local parents to send their kids back to school in style – and help their community at the same time!
Before attempting shopping, my family did some purging! We went though closets, drawers, book shelves and cabinets for items to donate. While dropping those items off at Winter Park Goodwill Boutique, we decided to do some shopping!
Why donate and shop at Goodwill?
Donating items not only keeps your closets and drawers from overflowing, but actually creates jobs which changes lives! Here are a few important facts:
- Donating and shopping at Goodwill funds job training and placement programs that help Central Floridians with barriers to employment. This includes people who have disabilities, those with limited work history, military veterans transitioning to civilian jobs and others.
- In 2015, Goodwill served about 42,000 people in its Job Connection Centers across Central Florida!
- With convenient drop-off sites and dozens of stores in neighborhoods near you, it’s easy to make a donation … and to make a lasting impact in your community.
Donating and shopping at Goodwill teaches children important life lessons. Supporting Goodwill is a great example for raising socially and environmentally conscious young adults who are eager to serve in their communities. Below are a few tidbits Goodwill of Central Florida would like you to know.
- When you shop at or donate to Goodwill, you help keep items out of landfills and help people find jobs. Goodwill sells donations in its stores to help fund programs that help people build their careers, earn paychecks and care for their families.
- Let your kids define their unique style and use shopping at Goodwill as a teaching moment to guide them toward positive ways to help others, while managing a tight family budget.
Now, let’s get back to the part about shopping…if you like to bargain hunt, then look for the “color of the week” tags. Basically, any items with that specific color tag is 50% off. I was lucky enough to find two items with a yellow tag!
My little bookworm found a stack of reading material. He also grabbed a brand new pair of New Balance running shoes for $4.99! I literally just purchased brand name athletic shoes for $50+ last week! Should have visited Goodwill first, what a bargain!
As you can see from my photos, we had a very successful shopping experience. My grand total was around $30 and keep in mind all clothing and shoes were brand new with tags! My family will continue supporting Goodwill Industries of Central Florida.
To find a Goodwill location near you, please visit www.goodwillcfl.org.
Disclosure: Goodwill Industries of Central Florida provided me with a gift certificate in exchange for a product review. However, all the opinions expressed here are my own.