Causes Archives - Pea of Sweetness

I admit, I have a love/hate relationship with Spring Cleaning. The weather is beautiful, and it’s the perfect time to get some cleaning done, but I’m not always motivated to do it. It’s also a great time to purge, though! If, like me, you haven’t been motivated to participate in Spring Cleaning, now you will be – with the motivation from Goodwill’s job creation!
Over the past several years, most of us have had a family member, friend, acquaintance struggle in this economy. Either they have lost a job or struggled to find employment. And if not someone you know personally, really, all you have to do is turn on the TV or pull up social media to see the struggle. It is definitely real.
Goodwill’s career centers, training programs and staffing operations give people the resources, skills and confidence that changes thousands of lives each year. So how can you help to be a part of this growth and effort in your own community? It’s easy! Donate to Goodwill = create jobs!

I am needing to do a lot of purging this Spring between sorting out the clothes the kids can’t wear anymore to going through my warm weather clothes. Donating our clothes to Goodwill is a great way to give back to those around me.
Somethings to remember with Spring Cleaning is that it’s so much more than just deep cleaning (but it’s a great time for that as well). It’s a time to truly consider what you can live without. If you haven’t worn that shirt or used that appliance in more than a week, chances are high you can probably live without it. Donating things you’re no longer using or wearing is a great way to keep your house tidier in general. Less stuff means less clutter!

Thanks to the programs and support services made possible by donations of clothes and household items, Goodwill helped place more than 312,000 people in jobs in the United States and Canada in 2015 – that’s one person finding a job every 23 seconds of every business day.
Why do I donate? Because what I may not want or have use for may be perfect for someone else! If we have perfectly good items that can be loved by someone else, why not help our community? If you are not sure where your local Goodwill is, you can use the Goodwill Locator App available for Android and iOS devices and at http://www.goodwill.org/ (click “Explore Our Map” on the homepage). Simply input the items you’re donating to calculate the number of hours of career counseling, on-the-job training, resume preparation, financial planning classes, and other services you’ve helped provide people facing challenges finding employment. When jobs thrive, communities thrive.

Last year, nearly 2 million people engaged in face-to-face Goodwill services to advance in their careers. More than 35 million people accessed education, training, mentoring and online learning tools offered by Goodwill virtually to strengthen their skills and gain industry-recognized credentials.
We have done our part! Now it is time for you to do yours! Tag us on your social media posts with a photo of your Goodwill donations using #DonateStuffCreateJobs.

Rise from the Ashes with Smokey The Bear!

A campfire can be one of the best parts of camping, or provide necessary warmth to hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts. Unlike many natural disasters, most wildfires are caused by people—and can be prevented by people, too! Right now, a wildfire burning out of control in mountains and foothills east of Los Angeles has forced authorities to order three school districts to cancel classes due to heavy smoke and dangerous conditions.
The time for this message has never been more important than it is right now!

The new “Rise from the Ashes” campaign, created by the Ad Council and NASF, uses wildfire ashes as an artistic medium to illustrate the devastation caused by wildfires and highlight lesser known wildfire starts:

Improperly extinguished fire pit
Dumping ashes from a BBQ/grill
Metal chains hanging from a moving vehicle
Parking over tall, dry grass
Dying embers left in a campfire
Fueling lanterns
Stoves & Heaters
Flammable liquids for lanterns and heaters
Cigarettes and Matches
Burning yard waste in windy conditions

Millions of wildland acres will burn unintentionally this year. Much of it because most people are unaware of many things that can actually start a wild fire – things that most people would never think of.

Although progress has been made, accidental, human-caused wildfires remain one of the most critical environmental issues affecting the U.S. Smokey’s message is as relevant today as it was in 1944 and he continues to have an incredible impact on our country.
Although most of us don’t behave this way intentionally, each year we learn of devastating wildfires caused by careless behavior which can impact millions of acres of forest and thousands of homes. Although four out of five wildfires are started by people, nature is usually more than happy to help fan the flames.

The time is NOW! “Education is a critical part of reducing the number of unwanted, human-caused wildfires we experience every year,”- U.S. Forest Service Deputy Chief Jim Hubbard. Please – get the word out and remind your friends and family! Share this message, your own camping tips, and fire prevention methods on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #SmokeyBearHug and #OnlyYou! And if you tag @smokey_bear on Twitter – he may just tweet you back!