Goodwill of the Heartland is expanding its sustainability efforts with a new in-store recycling initiative, making it easier for shoppers to responsibly dispose of plastic bags and other flexible film materials.
Through a partnership with NexTrex, all Goodwill of the Heartland retail locations now offer collection bins for plastic film — items that are not typically accepted in curbside recycling programs. Instead of ending up in landfills, these materials are recycled and transformed into durable composite products such as decking and outdoor furniture.
Accepted items include clean, dry plastic film such as:
Shoppers can bring eligible items with them during their visit and place them in the designated collection bin, labeled and located on the sales floor of each store. Goodwill gathers materials as each bin fills and provides it to NexTrex for responsible plastic recycling.
Plastic film is one of the most common materials that cannot be recycled through traditional curbside programs. By offering this collection option in-store, Goodwill of the Heartland is helping divert waste from local landfills while supporting a more circular use of everyday materials.
Small actions — like saving and recycling plastic bags — can add up to meaningful impact across our communities.
Got a drawer full of mystery cords? A laptop collecting dust? A printer that gave up years ago?
This Earth Day, Goodwill of the Heartland invites you to give your old electronics a new purpose at our E-Waste Collection & Recycling Event in Cedar Rapids.
By recycling your unwanted tech, you're not only clearing space at home — you're helping keep electronics out of local landfills and supporting programs that strengthen our community.
📆 Wednesday, April 22
🕐 1:00 PM — 5:00 PM
📍 5520 Council St NE, Cedar Rapids
🚙 Drop-off Location: South-facing door off Sydney Dr NE at the Cedar Rapids East E-Commerce Sorting Facility (enter Sydney Drive from Blairs Ferry Road)
Whether you're dropping off a single items or clearing out a whole collection of old electronics, our team will be on hand to make the process quick and easy.
While you're here, you'll have the opportunity to step inside our E-Commerce facility, learn more about how donated items are processed, and see firsthand how sustainability and mission come together at Goodwill of the Heartland.
✨ Easy, drive-up e-waste drop-off
✨ Behind-the-scenes tours of our E-Commerce facility (1-5 PM)
✨ Interactive information about Goodwill's sustainability initiatives
✨ A chance to see how your donations support our mission
We're accepting a wide range of electronics, including:
While you should remove all personal information from devices, we we clean all hard drive data to Department of Defense standards for any device slated for resell. When we recycle computers, we destroy their associated hard drives.
To help keep things running smoothly, please enter Sydney Drive from Blairs Ferry Road and follow posted signage.
If you arrive after 5 PM, donations will still be accepted in the regular donation drive-up for the Cedar Rapids East Goodwill Store (on the same campus).
This event is part of the Dell Reconnect program, helping provide responsible recycling solutions while supporting job training and community programs.
This Earth Month, we're celebrating the creativity, resourcefulness and everyday choices that make a difference. From secondhand finds to simple reuse ideas, small actions can have a big impact — and we want to see yours.
Join our Earth Month Photo Challenge on Facebook and share how you give items a second life for a chance to win weekly prizes and be entered into our grand prize drawing.
Each week in April, we'll post a new photo prompt on our Facebook page. To participate, simply:
Every entry counts — so the more you join in, the more chances you have to win.
We'll keep things simple and creative. Prompts may include:
There is no need for perfection. We're looking for real-life inspiration.
Prizes include sustainability-themed items such as reusable bags and eco-friendly dinnerware.
April 1 — Earth Month kickoff
Fridays in April — New photo challenges
April 20 — Final day to submit entries
April 22 (Earth Day) — Grand prize winner announced
Look for more April goodness as event details are finalized!
Spring is here, and we're celebrating with a special visit from the Easter Bunny at the Burlington Goodwill Store.
Join us on Saturday, March 28, from 1 to 3 p.m. for a fun, family-friendly afternoon. Bring your camera and stop by for photos with the Easter Bunny. It's a perfect way to capture the season with your family.
Kids can also join our coloring contest, which is separated into two age groups: 6 and under, and ages 6-12. Pick up a coloring sheet in-store and return it by the end of the day on March 28 for a chance to win a prize.
We'll select winners through a random drawing and contact them by phone or email, so be sure to include your contact information on the back of your submissions.
Stop by, join the fun, and celebrate springtime with us!
When you shop at Goodwill of the Heartland, you help power our mission: we help people reach their full potential through education, training, and the power of work.
Your purchases -- along with your donations -- directly support local programs that help people find and keep jobs. In fact, for every dollar spent in our stores, 88 cents goes right back into those programs and services.
At Goodwill of the Heartland, we're committed to being transparent with our shoppers and our communities. You may have noticed a small change when paying with cash at our stores, and we want to explain what's happening and what it means for you.
The U.S. Mint has ended production of the one-cent coin, and pennies are becoming increasingly difficult to source. As supplies diminish nationwide, many retailers – including your local Goodwill Store – must adjust how cash transactions are handled.
At this time, there is no federal guidance outlining how businesses should manage cash transactions without pennies, so retailers are implementing practical, customer-focused solutions.
For cash transactions only, totals are now adjusted up or down to the nearest five cents. This adjustment happens automatically at the register.
You also see signage similar to the image included in this post in our stores explaining this update and offering payment options.
The adjustment applies only to the final total of a cash purchase – not individual items. Sometimes totals round up, and sometimes they round down. Either way, shoppers can see any rounding clearly on their store receipt. Over time, these adjustments are expected to balance out.
If a small overage does occur, those funds support Goodwill's mission: Helping people reach their full potential through education, training and the power of work. That includes programs like Supported Community Living and workforce resources like Helms Career Centers in the communities we serve.
Only about 30 percent of purchases at our stores are paid with cash, and many of those shoppers already choose to Round Up to support our mission. Overall, this change affects a relatively small portion of transactions, but we believe it's important to explain it clearly and openly.
The adjustment allows us to continue providing a smooth checkout experience for all shoppers while remaining responsible stewards of our mission and resources. If you have questions, feel free to reach out through our website, or ask a team member at any of our stores.
Thank you for your understanding – and for supporting Goodwill of the Heartland and the life-changing programs made possible through your donations and purchases.
As we begin 2026, Goodwill of the Heartland celebrates an important environmental milestone: All of our retail locations now operate without single-use plastic shopping bags.
Following months of focused planning and careful rollout that began a few years ago, all Goodwill of the Heartland stores officially stopped offering single-use plastic bags on August 18, 2025. This year marks the first time shoppers across our region experience Goodwill as fully plastic-bag free, but the impact is already clear.
By eliminating single-use plastic shopping bags, Goodwill of the Heartland keeps an estimated 2.5 million plastic bags out of local landfills each year. Those bags no longer enter waterways, green spaces or already stressed waste systems.
This change also strengthens our mission in a practical way. Reducing the purchase of disposable bags saves Goodwill approximately $90,000 annually - funds we can reinvest directly into job training, employment services and community programs across southeastern Iowa and west-central Illinois.
Shopping at Goodwill now looks slightly different at checkout, but the process remains simple:
These small choices create real impact. When shoppers reuse bags, they help reduce waste while supporting a more sustainable shopping experience. That experience reflects Goodwill's core purpose: extending the life of goods while creating opportunity through reuse.
Goodwill of the Heartland helps people reach their full potential through education, training and the power of work. Sustainability directly supports that mission. Every item reused or recycled reduces waste, conserves resources, and strengthens local economies.
By eliminating single-use plastic bags, we align everyday retail operations with long-term environmental and community impact.
Going plastic-bag free marks an important step, but not the finish line. In the coming months, Goodwill of the Heartland will pilot new recycling initiatives focused on responsibly collecting and recycling additional types of post-consumer plastic.
We look forward to sharing more details soon. Our direction remains clear: reduce waste, increase reuse, and build systems that benefit both people and the planet.
Looking toward the year ahead, we're proud to begin with this level of progress and excited to keep moving forward.
At Goodwill of the Heartland, Youth Services isn't just about resumes and interviews. It's about helping young people figure out who they are, what they're good at, and where they might be headed next.
For Mara Bundy, that journey started out earlier than most.
Mara was just 15 years old when she was referred to Goodwill. She was bright, motivated, and academically gifted - so gifted, in fact, that she finished high school at a remarkably young age. It was a huge accomplishment ... and also a challenge.
Because while Mara was ready to work, most employers weren't ready to hire someone under 16.
That's where Goodwill of the Heartland Career Navigator Karey Hagerman came in.
Mara and Karey met weekly - sometimes in a small office, sometimes tucked into a quiet corner of the school library. Their time together was short, squeezed between school schedules, weather cancellations, and an approaching graduation date. But Mara showed up, ready to work.
With support from Goodwill and Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Mara practiced interview questions, built confidence, and strengthened soft skills.
"They helped me develop my social skills and interpersonal skills," Mara said. "And overall, they just prepared me to have a job."
The hardest part wasn't her abilities. It was her age.
"You are so well-qualified," Karey would tell her. "You're a great student. How are they not hiring you?"
Mara already knew the answer. "It was always just my age."
Even when nerves kicked in - "I tend to be kind of anxious and overthink," she admitted - Mara kept going. She practiced. She prepared. And she learned one of the most valuable skills of all: persistence.
Karey was there every step o the way, offering steady encouragement and reminders like, "You got this."
Eventually, it paid off.
Mara landed her first job as a pool cashier with the City of Marion - a role that was friendly, flexible, and supportive. It gave her real-world experience with time management and customer interaction, all while leaving room for something else she loves.
That something is crocheting.
"I started crocheting as a hobby in seventh grade," Mara said. "Now that I've just graduated, it's also graduated to more of a passion."
Today, Mara creates detailed crochet pieces in everything from bright, playful colors to rich earth tones. And she's thinking bigger - dreaming about starting her own crochet business, selling at markets, and even taking custom orders.
She's also discovering that Goodwill can help with that, too.
"I would love to get better at making a noticeable social media presence," she said. "I want to make something so that people know me and my work."
Mara is quick to express gratitude for the support she's received.
"I'm really grateful for all the opportunities Goodwill provides," she said, "to help me not only find my first job, but also develop my passion."
Her story is a reminder of what's possible when young people are given encouragement, tools, and someone who believes in them - especially at the very beginning of their journey.
Sometimes, all it takes is a little support ... and a reminder that, yes, you really do got this.
As the winter season arrives and the spirit of giving fills our homes and hearts, Goodwill of the Heartland invites you to be part of something meaningful. Your gently used donations help create real opportunities for people in our local communities who are working to build better futures.
We rely on loyal shoppers and generous donors to provide a variety of free. local programs and services. Every item you donate plays a role in supporting people as they work toward greater independence, dignity and long-term success.
Every sweater, book, household appliance or toy you donate is more than just "used stuff." It's a lifeline! Your gifts fuel programs that empower people to build brighter futures. Through your generosity, we:
In short: When you donate, you don't just clear out your shelves and closets. You spark hope, change lives and build community strength.
This December, your support is more than a holiday gesture. It's a lifelong gift. Every donation, no matter how big or small, helps provide training, support and job opportunities for people in our communities.
Thank you for believing in second chances, in community, and in the power of generosity. With your help, we can turn closets into classrooms, old chairs into career seats, and old toys into new hope.
As we approach the holiday season, Goodwill wants to help you plan your shopping and donating trips in advance. Please note these adjusted hours for Goodwill Stores, offices and service centers during the holidays.
Find local contact information for all Goodwill of the Heartland facilities by visiting our locations page. Learn more about the employment and workforce programs and services available at our Helms Career Centers.
We appreciate your continued support throughout the year! Your donations and purchases make it possible for Goodwill to provide job training, employment services and community programs that change lives.
From all of us at Goodwill - Thank You, and Happy Holidays!
If 2026 is your year for growth, skill-building, or a fresh career direction, Goodwill has training opportunities to help you get there. Our January classes for adults over hands-on learning, professional instruction, and that support you need to succeed.
Google IT Professional
January 12 to April 29
Mondays and Wednesdays, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Build a foundation in IT support, troubleshooting, and system administration.
Google Cybersecurity Certificate
January 13 to May 21
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Gain skills related to cybersecurity tools, risk management, and incident response.
Google Data Analytics Certificate
January 13 to May 21
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:30 to 5 p.m.
Learn to collect, organize, and analyze data to support business decisions.
Custodial Technician Certificate
January 5 to February 20
Monday through Friday, 1 to 3 p.m.
Hands-on training in safe, effective, and professional custodial procedures.
Guest Service Professional
January 5 to January 9
Monday through Friday, 9 to 11 a.m.
Develop customer service and communication skills for hospitality and retail roles.
Hospitality Maintenance Technician
January 12 to February 13
Monday through Friday, 9 to 11 a.m.
Learn essential property maintenance skills for jobs in hotels and commercial facilities.
Independent Study (Open Enrollment)
Prefer a more self-paced option? These courses allow you to start and finish on your schedule:
Bobby Diehl
Bobby found Goodwill's free Occupational Skills Training programs and quickly gained needed professional certificates for information technology.
Leslie & Gavin Meerdink
Food certification courses helped Leslie and Gavin launch a new food truck business, The Bagel Shop.
Thomas Houser
Tom needed employment that would allow him to work from home and also allow for potential career growth. After gaining a certificate in social media marketing, he found an opportunity that provides both.
View more participant stories by
visiting our Mission Moments page
or YouTube channel
Learn more about these and all our upcoming course offerings by visiting a Helms Career Center near you, or by requesting a virtual information session through our Get Started With Goodwill online form.
So, go ahead: Start your year with a step toward a stronger future.
We're here to help you succeed in your chosen career.
