Goodwill of Southern Indiana recently implemented a program that allows people to donate their unwanted clothing, household goods, furniture and other items and never have to leave home to do it.

With the new service, anyone with something to donate can call Goodwill, and employees of the organization will show up at their residence with a truck to collect them.

“It’s something that the public has been asking us to do for years,” said Candice Graves, who is marketing coordinator for Goodwill of Southern Indiana Inc.

“It’s just a natural fit that will allow an added level of convenience for our donors,” she said.

In the past, anyone with donations had to load them up and take them to one of the organization’s 11 stores in nine counties in southern Indiana or any of the numerous express donation sites including three in Seymour. Other express donation sites featuring the organization’s distinctive blue bins in Jackson County are located at Brownstown, Crothersville, Freetown and Uniontown.

Using the company’s truck and van, Goodwill employees now are able to assist donors who do not have the transportation or capability to lift or transport large items to the store or an express donation site.

“It can also help individuals that might not be able to get out of the house to bring in a donation,” Graves said.

Items eligible for the home pick-up service include furniture that’s in good condition and large quantities of smaller items such as clothes and household goods. Loose items must be boxed or bagged.

“Donors will need to have a minimum of either two pieces of furniture, 15 bags (or) boxes of clothing or household goods or a combination thereof,” Graves said.

To use the service, a donor can call the Seymour store at 1857 E. Tipton St. at 812-522-4394 and schedule a pick-up time. They also can call the program’s main number at 812-725-3384 for information or to have items picked.

The person does not have to be home when the driver arrives, but the store requires items to be on ground-level outside of the home. Drivers cannot go up or down stairs or go into any residence. 

“Our goal is to have a 48-hour turn around time from the time you call until the items are picked up,” Graves said. “However, our trucks are on a fixed route that may cause a longer turnaround time.”

Drivers will call donors 30 minutes prior to arrival and will give donors a donation receipt for income tax purposes.

Besides Jackson County, the pick-up service is available at Goodwill stores in Clark, Crawford, Floyd, Harrison, Jefferson, Jennings, Lawrence, Orange, Scott and Washington counties.

Revenue from the sale of the donations is funneled back into the community through one of seven programs ran by Goodwill of Southern Indiana.

The first store of the non-profit organization, which funds services provided to children and adults with disabilities and other disadvantages, opened in 1930 in New Albany.

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For a list of guidelines to donate, visit http://goodwillsi.org/donation/homepickup

For a list of donation sites, visit http://goodwillsi.org/donation/stores-and-donation-sites

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To schedule a pick-up from the Seymour location, call 812-522-4394.

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