Clyde Beal: Goodwill provides something for everyone

For more than 100 years, Goodwill Industries has been a household word to families looking for quality clothing at an affordable price. Today, many businesses and households fail to see this sleeping giant as much more than a distributor of used clothing, and miscellaneous common everyday items that have outlived their usefulness. That assumption is as outdated as the Ford Edsel. With an annual payroll approaching $3 million locally, Goodwill Industries has long outgrown the stereotypical label associated with small business.

For starters, Goodwill has their own version of eBay. Go to www.goodwillhunting.org. Once at this site, look to the far left of the screen, click the "shop" icon, then select, shop goodwill.com. You will find categories like: musical instruments, toys, dolls, antiques, transportation, sports, crafts and others. Follow the instructions on the screen -- once registered, you will be bidding away.

In addition to accepting general items for resale, Goodwill now accepts all nonworking and outdated computers, printers, scanners, fax machines and cell phones at their Industrial Contracts Center at 525 19th St. W. For a small fee, they will come to you for pick-up. Computer hard drives are destroyed or cleaned and returned according to U.S. Defense Department standards. If possible, computers are refurbished and sold in local Goodwill stores. Those that are not suitable for resale, are disassembled and properly prepared for recycling. Call 304-429-3261 for more information on electronic recycling. There is a very modest fee for this service.

In addition to the proper disposing of electronics, Goodwill provides shredding of confidential documents in their facility at 19th Street West. They guarantee that material delivered to this facility is properly secured while awaiting destruction. Upon request, a certificate of destruction is provided to assure that all documents have been destroyed. Material that has been shredded is recycled into the production of cardboard containers.

Ever wonder why the stadium lights are left on after Marshall's home football games? Goodwill employees are cleaning up tons of debris left after each game. They also clean carpets, strip and wax floors, clean office facilities, banks, and manufacturing facilities. If it needs cleaned, chances are, Goodwill has been trained to do it.

Need help with consumer credit counseling? Goodwill offers classes by qualified instructors in Debt Management, Consumer Education, Pre-filling Bankruptcy Procedures, Free Budget, Credit, and Home Loan Counseling. For more information in this area, 304-522-4321.

Employment training is another service provided by Goodwill. Training in current computer applications, basic math skills, medical office skills, retail skills and basic adult educational skills are just some of the classes offered. Restrictions and prerequisites may apply. If interested, call the Career Center coordinator at 304-523-7461, or visit the above mentioned Web site. Some local businesses that have benefited from Goodwill training are: Bob Evans, Kroger and VA Medical Center.

The Family Services Division of Goodwill offers counseling and parenting support services by qualified personnel, they also provide social and family problem counseling. Training also is offered for depression, anxiety, stress management, sexual and physical abuse, and school difficulties. Again, there are enrollment restrictions and guidelines to be met, call Goodwill to see if you qualify.

The Downtown Depot, located at 401 9th Street is another enterprise of Goodwill. Featuring hand-made crafts, scenic photographs, Blenko Glass, and an assortment of jams, candies, and more. All produced by local artists. They are open daily, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. If you enjoyed visiting the Tamarack at Beckley, The Depot will be a real treat.

Goodwill is always accepting job applications in a diversity of areas. In most cases, they pay better than minimum wages. They still operate under the same value system of dignity and respect as they did when they opened in Huntington more than 30 years ago. But they no longer are restricted to selling used jeans. Their motto still holds true: "We sell second -hand goods so we can train first-class employees."

Clyde Beal is a freelance writer living in Huntington. This is part of a series of articles bringing attention to those who volunteer their time supporting organizations in our community who would perish without their support. If you wish to become a part of this series, contact Night Local Editor Luke Damron at (304) 526-2753 or by e-mail at ldamron@herald-dispatch.com.