## Goodwill of Orange County ##

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Goodwill Celebrates Its First Decade of Online Auctioneering
shopgoodwill.com, Goodwill’s Popular Internet Charity Auction Site, Turns 10

(Santa Ana, CA) – shopgoodwill.com, the nation’s first and only nonprofit Internet auction site is celebrating its 10 years in existence and proving that Goodwill Industries® is not only a leader in job placement, but also innovative social enterprise through its use of technology. The charitable auction site created and managed by Goodwill of Orange County ranked one of the Top 10 online auction sites according to Online Auction Sites “Top Ten Reviews” and Time.com’s “50 Best Websites of 2009,” has created a window into cyberspace, bringing a whole new world of shoppers and donors in contact with Goodwill® and its mission of providing job training programs, employment placement services and community programs worldwide.

Since its initial launch in August, 1999, the site has posted more than five million items, helping to cull $75 million in funds for job training programs for people who have disabilities, those who lack education or job experience and others having a hard time finding a job. The operation of shopgoodwill.com has opened up new jobs and training opportunities for people who have come to Goodwill looking for skill-building opportunities, including basic computer knowledge and customer service, photo skills, goods processing, and stocking and fulfillment systems.

“The auction items all come from one source with an internationally respected brand name — Goodwill. Security procedures make the site a safe place to bid and buy — it’s like buying something from someone you know,” said Dan Rogers, president and CEO of Goodwill of Orange County. “The revenues, as with Goodwill stores, benefit local Goodwill organizations nationwide, and because 84 percent of it goes directly into job training and other support services for families, shoppers feel good about their purchases.”

There is no fee to sign up or bid on items. All items are collected from the 166 independent Goodwill agencies across North America. More than 30,000 items are for sale at any given item to bidders who visit the site, including music, jewelry, handbags and other apparel, electronics, toys, hardware, furniture, antiques, books, rare paintings, collectibles, and other desirable items. A search function allows site visitors to sort items by seller and browse local available inventory through mobile technology. Some of the more unique items sold include a 1927 Martin 5 K soprano ukulele, a Mercedes and a Bose subwoofer.

“With more than a million page views per day, shopgoodwill.com is an Internet auction site that successfully coexists and functions with the big-name online auctioneers by its 165 categories and subcategories,” said Rogers.

Goodwill of Orange County operates 19 retail stores, the online auction site shopgoodwill.com and a variety of business services. The organization has provided thousands of people with disabilities and other barriers the opportunity to achieve their highest levels of personal and economic independence. Ninety-one cents of every dollar spent goes directly into Goodwill of Orange County’s services, earning the organization a four-star rating from Charity Navigator for organizational efficiency and capacity.

Read the shopgoodwill.com entry or view the entire list on the Time web site.

Watch The Today Show coverage online.

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