All About Goodwill: Miss DC’s Recycling Platform (and How We Can All Take a Stand)

Most of us are no doubt familiar with Goodwill and may even be big fans of its thrift shop stores (as is yours truly). But did you know that our local chapter, Goodwill of Greater Washington, is also receiving acclaim for its fashion— that’s right, fashion—sense?

Bridging the gap between the passé and the present, the organization has partnered with Miss District of Columbia 2009 in a fashion-forward campaign designed to bring awareness to recycling.

The month-long campaign, is intended to showcase the recycling platform of Miss DC, Jen Corey, as she prepares for the Miss America Pageant in Las Vegas on January 30. It’s also designed to generate greater awareness for Goodwill’s mission during its slowest donation season of the year.

The campaign includes a series of video vignettes on the nationally-recognized Goodwill DC Fashion Blog. The vignettes, which debuted January 8 and run through the 22^nd, follow Corey as she peruses Goodwill Stores for recycled furniture and accessories to furnish her empty new apartment.

They are accompanied by snippets of a rap song influenced by Goodwill’s job training mission, “Dream without Boundaries,” written and performed by Kokayi, a Grammy-nominated DC artist and producer. The entire song, which also samples Corey’s opera singing (a highly trained opera singer, Corey will be performing during the Pageant), will be available online for a $2 donation to Goodwill of Greater Washington.

Personally, I love shopping at—and donating to—Goodwill. In fact, I have a bag full of things I no longer need sitting in my hallway, ready to go. I’ve also taken numerous items found while “dumpster diving” in the basement of my condo building (everything from a huge handpainted Portuguese ceramic tray to a bookcase to a lamp; OK, so some of these I’ve kept!)—perfectly good items that would have otherwise gone to landfill.

Granted, going to Goodwill may not be that convenient for some, but there are certainly many other options for donations (including homeless shelters and numerous thrift shops). Larger items such as TVs and furniture can even be scheduled for pick-up. And clearing out clutter can be so therapeutic!

Of course, Goodwill is so much more than a thrift shop, as it provides job training and employment services for disadvantaged and disabled individuals. No matter what your personal “platform,” recycling—and helping others— just feels right. And that’s something we can all stand for.