The Goodwill Hard Working Mom Makeover

We had an idea.  At Goodwill we all know what treasures our stores hold.  We know that you can look great without spending a fortune.  In fact we have blogged previously about the Goodwill 10-Piece Wardrobe, which shows how to create an entire wardrobe for less than $36.00.  We wanted a way to bring this to life, do something special for a local mom at Mother’s Day, and educate people on the Goodwill Mission.  Today’s Good News?  Last week we revealed the makeover of Goodwill’s first Hard Working Mom.  It was a journey that surprised us all.

During the month of April Goodwill accepted entries for the Goodwill Hard Working Mom Makeover Contest.  We were looking for a mom that through adversity, continues to work hard and is an inspiration to others.  Being the first time we had done a contest like this, we really didn’t know what to expect.

The first step was to enlist the help of local businesses that would make our idea come to life. Enter our makeover team from  Carrington’s Salon, Pure Spa, Highway2Style, William Mahone Photography, and media sponsors WSLS’s Daytime Blue Ridge, and Bella Magazine.

The selection committee from left to right: William Mahone (William Mahone Photography), Dakota Carrington (Carrington’s Salon), Leighann Olund and Christin Burdette (Pure Spa), Kathy Lamanca (Highway2Style), Lucie Touchton and not pictured Kelly Coleman (Goodwill).

We received over 30 entries for the contest, and we honestly had no idea how emotional, or what a difficult decision it would be.  Just look at the makeover team meeting to choose the makeover recipient (notice the box of tissues in the middle of the table!).  But by the end of the meeting a mom had been selected, and what none of us realized was the amazing experience we were about to embark on.

Submitted by a co-worker this is the letter that we read that morning in a local coffee shop:

“I am nominating Jessica Kyle as a deserving and hardworking mom. Jessica is a co-worker of mine, and although I’ve only known her for 6 months, I absolutely adore and love her. Jessica is mother to three children: Madison, Logan and Landon.
A short while ago her husband was in a traumatic 4 wheeling accident, that should have killed him, however, through the miracle of science and medicine he is alive today. While he has recovered physically from the accident, he suffered massive brain injuries and is not the same person he was when they married almost 20 years ago. While in recovery from the accident they discovered a lump on his arm, and he has just been diagnosed with Cancer. He is undergoing chemotherapy and radiation and is in a great deal of pain and distress.

Jessica has had to step up to the plate as both father and mother to their children, she takes on more responsibility than should be allowed for one person. On top of mothering, she is taxi driver to her children and grocery shopper, and a phenomenal employee. Her job would put a normal person in the loony-bin, yet Jessica takes everything with a smile and would give you the shirt off of her back, even though she is struggling on the inside. She has a wonderful sense of humor and never falters throughout her day, if you did not know what was going on at home you would NEVER suspect that such tragedy and upset was in her life.  She listens to me with a friendly and caring ear when I have problems, which are so pale in comparison to hers, but she would never point that out. If there’s one thing she needs more than anything, it’s a day of pampering.”

Jessica received the following services:

Carrington’s Salon:  Color, cut, and keratin treatment
Pure Spa:  Two professional makeup sessions, buff and bronze, waxing, faux lash application, manicure and pedicure, and oxygen facial
Highway2Style:  Image consultation, personal shopping, color matching
William Mahone Photography:  Photo documentation of entire makeover journey
Goodwill:  A 10-Piece Wardrobe, plus several extra pieces
Lassley’s Custom Jewelry:  Handmade necklace and earrings

Jessica’s makeover, services, and products received valued over $1,700!
View some of the photos in the slide show below.

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William Mahone Photography documented the entire makeover process. 
Click here to view the photos.

The reveal took place on WSLS’s Daytime Blue Ridge on Tuesday, May 8th. 
Click here to watch.

A special thank you to Jessica Kyle, our Goodwill Hard Working Mom, who allowed us to share her story and inspired us all along the way!

The Goodwill 10-Piece Wardrobe

How many of you resolved to lose weight in 2012?  There are some of us here at Goodwill on that same journey.  So it got us to thinking, because we know money is tight for everyone, that we should find a way to create a wardrobe using just a few items.  That way we can look and feel great throughout our weight loss journey!  The Good News?  We believe we were very successful!

Introducing the Goodwill 10-Piece Wardrobe

So we reached out to our friend and image consultant, Kathy Lamanca, with Highway2Style.  Kathy helped us formulate our plan and off shopping we went.

The idea behind the Goodwill 10-Piece Wardrobe is mixing and matching.  All of your items match your other items.  Your Goodwill shopping list is:

• 4 Bottoms:  We suggest you start by shopping for your pants/skirts.  For our wardrobe we selected one pair of dress pants, a pair of jeans, and two skirts.  The trick is the colors of all should be complementary.  Meaning you can wear the same items with black and gray so this is the color palette we chose.  We could have also done navy and gray, or brown and tan.

• 5 Tops:  Keep in mind with your tops you want every top to look great with each bottom that you have chosen.  Also remember variety; both in color and pattern.  We also made sure that one top could be used alone and also as a layering piece, so we chose a cardigan sweater.

• The final item you need is a great jacket.  Again make sure that your jacket coordinates with all pants and all tops.  We chose a classic black blazer

Now the fun really begins.  You can start mixing and matching!  Look at just some of the outfits we created. . .

Believe it or not, from these 10 tops and bottoms we are able to create 56 different outfits!  Now for the REALLY GOOD NEWS!!!!

The Math:

In our Goodwill stores in the Shenandoah, Roanoke, and New River Valleys of Virginia the cost are:

Pants/Skirts:  $3.50
Jeans:  $4
Shirts/Ladies Blazers:  $3.50

Total Wardrobe Cost:  $35.50.

That means our average cost per outfit (remember we created 56 different outfits) is only $0.63!

View all of the different outfit combinations by clicking on the Goodwill 10-Piece Wardrobe graphic below.

We were also featured on WSLS Channel 10′s Daytime Blue Ridge.  Click here to view our segment.

We hope we have inspired you to stick to your weight loss journey and to look great throughout the process.  Remember too, that as you lose weight you can donate those items you no longer need back to Goodwill.  It is a great way to get a tax deduction and help people in our communities get back to work.

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Were you able to take the time this Holiday season to watch a Charlie Brown Christmas?  It is one of those Holiday specials that never seems to get old.  Year after year many watch as if it is the first time they have ever seen the special.

You are probably thinking we are now going to talk about the phrase “On Earth, peace, Goodwill toward Men.”  Well the Good News? We’re not!  Instead think about the tree Charlie Brown picked out.

Charlie Brown and Linus choose a tree.

Everyone made fun of the tree that Charlie Brown chose.  Why?  It was different.  It didn’t fit the “mold” of the traditional tree.  But in the end, with a little love and care, the tree was as good or better than many of the others they could have chosen.  It always had the potential, it just needed a little help to become great.

After everyone works together to decorate the tree it looks great.

Charlie Brown’s tree is not so different from those that we serve at Goodwill.  They too have potential.  They may have barriers, including disabilities, disadvantages, or many have lost their job due to company closing or layoff, but they have the ability to work, earn a paycheck, and contribute to their community.  Goodwill simply provides the training and employment assistance they need to get back to work.  Just like the tree, it is simply a hand up, not a hand out that helps our participants live up to their true potential.

So this holiday season, and in the year to come, remember to look beyond the surface.  Look for the potential that is within each of us.  Help someone achieve their goals and live life to the fullest.  Goodwill looks forward to assisting more people in 2012 with employment barriers and we thank you for your support of our mission each and every day.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and “On Earth, peace, Goodwill toward men.”

How to Create a Holiday Wreath with Items Found at Goodwill

Are you looking for a great new wreath to deck your halls this holiday season? This beautiful wreath couldn’t be easier and you can make it at home with the family this weekend.

Watch us make this wreath in this instructional video or follow the step-by-step instructions below.

Set-by-step instructions

All you need is:

• a wreath form made out of straw or Styrofoam
• fabric (reuse a shirt, dress, or even a $1 t-shirt from Goodwill!)
• scissors
• something to insert the fabric into the wreath, like a screwdriver or a paper clip

Start out by cutting the fabric to 3″ squares. We decided that our Christmas wreath will be predominantly red and we will intermix a green and a white & black fabric to add more color.

This is what makes this craft so great: Just by chosing different colors and patterns, you can make a wreath for every season!

After you have cut your fabric to squares, you can start inserting the squares into the wreath. Make sure that the right side of the fabic is facing up when you insert it and the wrong side is facing down. Then take your paper clip/screwdriver, wrap the fabric around it, and insert it into the wreath. You might have to press hard to make it stick. Don’t worry if it’s not laying right, because you will place more and more squares around the wreath, which will cause it to bunch up together.

The key to this is to make sure that you insert the fabric squares very closely together to create a bunching effect.

Choose a pattern you like by alternating squares with different colors. You will see that once you have inserted the squares all around the wreath form, it all comes together and creates a beautiful pattern.

And here is our finished wreath:

You can use it to decorate your door, put it up somewhere in your house, or do what we did and use it as a candle holder!

We hope you had as much fun creating this wreath as we had! From all of us at Goodwill we wish you and your family Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

80 Years and Going Strong

Yesterday we at Goodwill Industries of the Valleys took time to celebrate our organization’s 80th Anniversary.  We remembered the past and talked about good and bad times.  But the Good News?  It looks like the good days will remain for our Goodwill as we continue to serve individuals in the Roanoke, Shenandoah, and New River Valleys of Virginia.

The 80th Anniversary Open House began at 11am with guided tours of the Goodwill facility.  Everyone came back together at Noon for a brief program.

Goodwill Industries of the Valleys and Goodwill Industries International Board Member Jeffrey Van Doren serves as Master of Ceremonies

After opening comments from Jeffrey Van Doren, Roger Matthews, former CEO, was introduced to reflect on the history of the organization.

Roger Matthew addresses the crowd.

Following Roger’s remarks about the history of Goodwill Industries of the Valleys…the good times and the times of struggle…everyone enjoyed a video made up of both historical and present day photos from both Goodwill Industries International and Goodwill Industries of the Valleys.

President and CEO Bruce Phipps then addressed the crowd and talked about the future, including the opportunities to serve more diverse populations throughout the 31 county service area in Virginia.

Bruce Phipps, President and CEO

The event ended with the unveiling of a pictorial collage that will hang in the main hallway of the Goodwill’s corporate offices on Melrose Avenue in Roanoke.

A special thank you to everyone that was able to attend the Open House.  And to all of those that have supported Goodwill Industries of the Valleys over the past 80 years, “Thanks for Giving” and we look forward to another 80 years of service to our communities.

Goodwill, Your Affordable Halloween Headquarters!

Are you still looking for that perfect Halloween costume? Well, we have Good News for you. Goodwill is your affordable Halloween Headquarters and we make sure that you will find a great costume for yourself and your children! Shop for gently used, ready to wear costumes, or use your imagination to make your own unique costume from things you find in our stores. Our vast inventory includes anything you can imagine, from clothing in every color to apparel from different decades and accessories to transform an ordinary look into a fantastic costume.

Even better news is that by getting your Halloween costume at Goodwill, you are not only purchasing high-quality, affordable items, but you are also diverting them from landfills and protect the environment. Last year, our retail and salvage operations helped protect the environment by keeping over 13.5 million pounds of materials out of area landfills. That’s why shopping at Goodwill is not only good for your budget, it’s also good for the environment. And after Halloween, stay green by donating your costume right back to Goodwill.

Click on the picture to download our costume idea book.

To help you get started on creating your very own and unique Halloween Costume, we have put together a Costume Idea Book. It includes easy and affordable costume ideas for everyone, costumes for wheelchair users, couple & group costumes, and Halloween safety tips. You can find it in any of our stores or download it here.

The old lady and the nerd are two examples of classic costumes that you can easily put together using clothes from our stores.

Old Lady: Dress in something old looking. Get gray hairspray or a wig, an old hat, and wire framed glasses. For an old lady, add hair rollers and carry a bulky black purse. For an old man, get a cane and carry a newspaper under your arm.

Nerd: Buy a set of clothes a size too small, collar shirt buttoned up, pants pulled up high, white socks, and Grandpa shoes. Add dark framed glasses with tape around the nose piece to make it look extra geeky.

Watch our fun commercials for more great costume ideas!

 

GoodGuides Presents “Resurrected Pieces”

Today’s youth live in a world full of difficult decisions and temptations.  Many struggle to stay in school and often find it hard to live the life that they envision for themselves.  Goodwill’ s  GoodGuides Youth Mentoring program is dedicated to helping youth build career plans, skills, and prepare for school completion, post-secondary training, and productive work. The program provides structured and supportive relationships with trusted adult mentors. GoodGuides serves youth ages 12-17 who are at risk of delinquency or who have already had contact with the juvenile justice system. By becoming part of the social network of adults and community members who care about the youth, the mentor can help youth develop and reach positive academic, career, and personal goals.

Today’s GoodNews results from a wonderful play that was presented by some of the GoodGuides program participants on Friday, August 9th at the Goodwill Jobs Campus on Melrose Avenue in Roanoke, VA.

A crowd of approximately 40 parents, mentors, Goodwill employees, and the community were in the audience for the performance of “Resurrected Pieces”.   The script was born out of the real life experiences of the playwright, as well as through the stories of the youth she has worked with.  A discovery of the positive influence that adults can have, if they take the time, from the time a child is born. “Resurrected Pieces” gives us a glimpse into the lives of today’s youth.  As these children grow, they prosper and also plant the positive seeds in the lives of their friends.

The performance brought forth cheers from the audience at times, and at other times tears.  In the final scene, featured in the video below, the cast performs “I Smile” by Kirk Franklin.

Nicole Page, GoodGuides Mentor Coordinator (pictured below standing on first row, far left) worked with the youth to produce the play.  Kia Taylor, Medicaid Services Case Aid (pictured below kneeling, center) was the playwright and director.

GoodGuides participants make up the cast of "Resurrected Pieces". Pictured center is playwright Kia Taylor, a Goodwill Medicaid Services Case Aid.

The cast having a little fun!

For more information on Goodwill’s GoodGuides program visit http://www.goodwillvalleys.com/youth_goodguides.html or call (540) 581.0620 option 6.

New Donation Boxes Make Donating Convenient 24/7!

In today’s busy world, there never seems to be enough time to get everything done.  How many times have you packed up a bag to take to Goodwill and then a week later found it in your trunk when you have a grocery cart full of groceries to take home?  Well today’s Good News?  It is now even easier than ever to donate to Goodwill!

Popping up throughout our communities you will find EDGAR making his debut on new donation boxes.  Similar to recycling boxes being used by other organizations and local governments in our area, these new boxes mean donating to Goodwill is now more convenient and secure, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

New EDGAR Donation Bin

Goodwill’s traditional Attended Donation Centers and Stores will still be available for those wishing to donate and receive a receipt during normal business hours.  The new boxes simply provide another option to donate after hours, or when you do not need to obtain a receipt.

EDGAR’s presence on the new donation boxes is designed to assist in “Educating that Donations to Goodwill Are Recyclable.”  With over 13.5 million pounds of material kept out of area landfills in 2010 due to Goodwill’s recycling and salvage efforts, donating not only helps put people to work, but also helps the environment. 

To find a donation center in your area please visit www.goodwillvalleys.com and click on Donation Locations.

Also be on the look out for EDGAR on the road as he also is now part of our tractor-trailer design!

Where will you find EDGAR next?!?

Calling all Brides

Last Sunday, January 16th, Goodwill participated in our first ever Bridal Show.  The 5th Annual Greater Virginia Bridal Show Roanoke was the first of three shows that we will be visiting this January, and it proved to be a great day for brides and Goodwill alike!

When future brides approached our booth, they didn’t quite know what to make of us.  “So are you florist, photographers, or caterers?” many asked.  Our answer… “No, we are Goodwill.”  We would then go on to explain that Goodwill is a great place to shop to find many of the items needed for brides to be.  Whether looking for a wedding dress, tux, bridesmaids outfit, or decor Goodwill can be a high quality, low-cost shopping alternative for your wedding.

Goodwill's Booth at the Greater Virginia Bridal Show in Roanoke

Some brides were more skeptical than others as to what they might find at Goodwill.  But all it took was one look at the dresses that were featured in Goodwill’s SECOND RUNWAY in August and they were hooked.  Brand new wedding gowns, modeled in the show were featured in beautiful gold frames in the booth.  WDBJ7 was even intrigued and featured Goodwill on its evening newscast (click here for link to story).  

Erin Hildreth models a brand new wedding gown with pink accents during SECOND RUNWAY

Mallory Nielsen looks amazing in a light pink wedding gown from Goodwill.

 

Pure elegance defines Tiffany Woods in this gorgeous gown from Goodwill.

Goodwill will also be at the Charlottesville Wedding Classic at Boar’s Head Inn on Sunday, January 23rd, and at the Inn at VA Tech on Sunday, January 30th for the Greater Virginia Bridal Show Blacksburg.  At each show brides will receive invitations to Goodwill Bridal Sales in February. 

So the Good News today?  You don’t have to spend a mint to have the wedding of your dreams.  Shop Goodwill and you may just find all you need to make your special day perfect.  Don’t forget, you can also donate your wedding dress, suits, formals, and more everyday to Goodwill and get a receipt to use for tax purposes.

New Goodwill Store in West Salem Now Open!

The newest Goodwill store opened in West Salem on January 6, 2011.  The 32nd store for Goodwill Industries of the Valleys, it is located at 1830 West Main Street, Salem, VA. 

So the Good News on this blog seems obvious, right?  The community now has a brand new Goodwill store where they can shop for high quality, low cost clothing, household items, furniture, books, electronics, and more.  And Salem also benefits from a new convenient donation location.  But this is only the tip of the iceberg…

Grand Opening of Newest Goodwill Store in Salem.

So what’s the Really Good News?

Goodwill stores are the engine that drives the organization’s ability to assist those in need of job training and employment assistance. The gently used items that are donated fuel the engine, providing the inventory that customers enjoy shopping daily. Store revenues fund programs that train individuals to be productive, dependable, employees with the necessary skills to be work ready.

Local dignitaries and Goodwill officials cut the ties to officially open the new store.

Goodwill Donated Goods Operations are also benefiting the community and the environment. With retail sales totaling over $25 million in 2010, Goodwill will return $1.25 million to the Commonwealth of Virginia in sales tax revenue. Additionally through recycling and salvage operations, over 11 million pounds of material will be kept out of area landfills. This includes the extensive recycling of computers and related hardware of any brand or condition through the Goodwill/ Dell RECONNECT^TM partnership.

A happy customer.

 

A new truck to play with.

The new store on West Main Street in Salem also employs 17 individuals, including supervisory positions. Throughout Goodwill’s service area over 650 people are employed in the Donated Goods Operations, which include retail stores, donation centers, warehouses, and transportation.

Want to see more pictures of the new store?  Visit Goodwill’s Picasa Web Album.