Goodwill Turns Back to School into Back to Cool

Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois is turning “Back to School” into “Back to Cool” by throwing their ‘hat in the ring’ for back to school shopping. Customers can find affordable used and new school items such as clothing, shoes, accessories and backpacks in each of their 11 locations in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.

Shoppers will find affordable, fashionable clothing and new inexpensive school supply items such as backpacks, duffle bags, erasers, highlighters, magnetic locker mirrors, dry-erase boards, desk organizers, scissors, permanent markers and more.

“Back to school shopping at Goodwill is not “cookie cutter” since each store is different based on customer donations, but that’s what makes it “Cool””, explained Sam Schmitz, President of Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois. “Even more cool, the revenue from store purchases helps create jobs for people with disabilities and barriers to employment right here in our community.”

Goodwill shoppers also have the option to “round up” at the register and donate their extra change to help fund scholarships for students with disabilities. In 2015, Goodwill will be awarding over $44,000 in local scholarships to Rock Valley College, Blackhawk Technical College, Highland Community College, Illinois Valley Community College, Sauk Valley Community College, Kishwaukee College and McHenry County College all due to the generosity of Goodwill customers.

For more information about Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois or to find store locations and phone numbers visit www.goodwillni.org

ABOUT GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS

Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois is a community-based not-for-profit organization whose mission is to create opportunities for individuals with barriers to enhance their lives. Goodwill funds job training programs, employment placement services and other community-based programs by selling donated clothing and household items in its 11 retail stores located in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. In 2014, Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois served 6,240 people in the communities in which we reside. Goodwill stores in northern Illinois (Rockford, Machesney Park, Freeport, Sterling, DeKalb, Ottawa, McHenry, Huntley, Crystal Lake and Algonquin) and Beloit, Wisconsin employ over 500 people.