Goodwill® and Uber Team Up for Nationwide Mobile Donation Campaign

On Saturday, May 2, Uber drivers will pick up clothing donations and deliver them to Goodwill free of charge

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Apr 30, 2015, 08:00 ET

ROCKVILLE, Md., April 30, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For one day this spring, donating clothes will be even easier thanks to an innovative partnership between Goodwill and the popular on demand transportation platform, Uber. On Saturday, May 2, donors can open the app and request a pickup for their donations to be delivered by an Uber directly to their local Goodwill, free of charge.

Building on the success of previous promotions in the New York, Boston and San Francisco areas, this is the first time Goodwill and Uber have partnered on a full-scale nationwide campaign to combine the power of donating with the convenience of ordering a ride via a mobile device. The partnership is available in more than 50 cities across the United States.

Here's how it works:

Throughout the month of April, people around the country who are spring cleaning will bag up jackets, shirts, pants, blouses and other clothing items to donate to Goodwill.
On Saturday, May 2, donors will open the Uber app and be able to select the GIVE option on the bottom of the screen.
An Uber SUV will arrive to pickup clothing bags, and the driver will drop-off the donations to Goodwill.

The Details:

All clothing must be bagged for drivers to accept donations.
Drivers will arrive at requested pickup locations. Donors are responsible for bringing bags outside, as drivers cannot leave their vehicles unattended.
For those who have already completed their spring cleaning and donations, or live in areas where Uber isn't available, monetary donations can be made to Goodwill at http://give.goodwill.org.

Most people tend to do some form of spring cleaning in April, after a winter that was particularly harsh for many. With Goodwill and Uber coming directly to donors, it's the perfect opportunity for people to clean out their closets and give as much as they can, while ensuring that their clothing can be reused and contributing to a good cause. Goodwill will use the revenue from the donations sold in its retail stores to help fund job placement and training programs in the communities where the goods are donated. In 2013, Goodwill provided services to more than 9.8 million people.

"This innovative and exciting partnership demonstrates Uber's commitment to local communities on a national and international scale," said Kim Zimmer, chief marketing officer and senior vice president of global development of Goodwill Industries International. " This collaboration has made Spring cleaning and donating an easy task, while ensuring that their clothing is not only diverted from landfills, but also goes toward supporting efforts to put people back to work."

"Both Uber and Goodwill strive to make a meaningful impact on local communities, and we are thrilled to once again team up with Goodwill to make donating fast and easy for Uber users," said David Plouffe, Senior Vice President of Policy and Strategy at Uber. "Those who participate in this campaign are not only checking something off their to-do list, but supporting Goodwill and its mission to strengthen communities by providing job placement and training for people in need."

For a list of cities participating in the Goodwill and Uber spring cleaning partnership, visit blog.uber.com/springcleaning2015.

About Goodwill Industries International
Goodwill Industries International is a network of 165 community-based agencies in the United States and Canada with a presence in 14 other countries. Goodwill is one of America's top 20 most inspiring companies (Forbes, 2014). Goodwill agencies are innovative and sustainable social enterprises that fund job placement programs and other community-based services by selling donated clothing and household items in more than 3,000 stores and online at shopgoodwill.com®. Local Goodwill agencies also build revenue and create jobs by contracting with businesses and government to provide a wide range of commercial services, including packaging and assembly, food services preparation, and document imaging and shredding. In 2013, more than 9.8 million people in the United States and Canada benefited from Goodwill's career services. To learn more, visit goodwill.org.

To find a Goodwill location near you, use the online locator at Goodwill.org or call (800) GOODWILL. Follow us on Twitter: @GoodwillIntl and @GoodwillCapHill, and find us on Facebook: GoodwillIntl.

About Uber
Uber is a technology platform that is evolving the way the world moves. By seamlessly connecting riders to drivers through our apps, we make cities more accessible, opening up more possibilities for riders and more business for drivers. From our founding in 2009 to our launches in over 300 cities today, Uber's rapidly expanding global presence continues to bring people and their cities closer. Follow us on Twitter: @Uber and find us on Facebook: Uber.

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SOURCE Goodwill Industries International