Goodwill Easter Seals now collecting items at downtown location

Each week, staff writer Meredith Moss highlights the wish list of a non-profit organization in the Miami Valley and shares information about the group. If your organization would like to be included, contact Meredith: MMoss@coxohio.com

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Did you know that Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley has added another donation location and is encouraging downtown residents and those coming downtown to donate items to support its mission?

The agency’s mission is to empower people with disabilities and other needs to achieve independence and enhance their lives. Donating to area Goodwill Stores helps the non-profit provide more than 40 programs and services to people in the local community. Programs include behavioral health services, children and youth services, senior services, employment services and developmental disability services.

You’ve undoubtedly passed the organization’s attractive new community services campus at 660 S. Main St. in downtown Dayton. But you may not have realized that the new facility includes an attended donation center that makes it quick and easy to donate on your way in or out of the downtown area. The donation center features a drive through and an attendant who provides unloading assistance and receipts for tax-deductible donations.

“We made sure to include an attended donation center in our new building to provide another convenient donation opportunity,” said Kim Bramlage, retail donations manager at the agency. “In addition to our 27 stores and attended donations centers throughout the region, we now have a nice drive-through donation center option in downtown Dayton.”

The new downtown donation center on Main Street is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 am. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

“We hope that folks will clean out their closets and drawers, garages and basements, to find things they no longer need or want,” Bramlage said. “Goodwill is the place to donate these things, any time of year.”

Proceeds from the sale of donated items help support the programs and services. GESMV served more than 17,000 people in 23 counties last year.

“Rather than throwing these items away, consider the positive impact of donating. Reuse of these items keeps them out of the landfill and provides others in our community with opportunities for independence,” Bramlage said.

Here’s what they can use:

The Goodwill Auto Auction also accepts cars, trucks, RVs, boats, motorcycles, and they don’t have to run to be donated. The agency will tow the vehicle for free and provide the donor with paperwork for tax purposes.

The Goodwill Store Donation Centers are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

For more information regarding donations, hours and locations, visit www.gesmv.org or call (937) 461-4800.