Goodwill Celebrates Milestone with Online Contest

FORT MYERS, Fla. - June 24, 2014 - PRLog -- Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida has reached a new social media milestone: The agency earned its 10,000^th Facebook “like” on June 23.

“Having 10,000 likes on Facebook tells us that people want to connect with us, not just in our stores but through all of our community outreach efforts,” says Kirsten O’Donnell, Goodwill’s director of public relations and marketing in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades Counties.  “We’ve worked hard to get here. Out of 165 Goodwill agencies worldwide, only a handful of others have reached this milestone.”

Goodwill is celebrating its 10,000^th like by giving away $100 in Goodwill gift certificates to one lucky fan.  Entries to the “$100 for 10,000 Likes” contest will be accepted via the nonprofit’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/goodwillswfl through noon on June 30.

“We’re thrilled by the response so far,” says O’Donnell.  “In just the first two hours, we already had nearly 50 entries and another dozen new likes on our page.”

The agency plans more online offers to celebrate the milestone in the coming week.

Social media is an integral part of Goodwill’s communications outreach. In addition to Facebook, Goodwill utilizes outlets such as Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to communicate with its stakeholders.

“So many people think of us as just a thrift store,” O’Donnell explains.  “That’s how most people find us online.  But then our social media friends and fans learn more about our mission through our daily activity.  They may come for the bargains, but our objective is that they leave with a better understanding of how we serve the community.”

Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc. is committed to serving people with disabilities and disadvantages by offering life-changing opportunities to achieve independence. Programs and services include job placement, youth mentoring and education, vehicle assistance, and disability-accessible housing. Goodwill supports these programs primarily through the resale of donated goods at its 30 Southwest Florida Retail & Donation Centers. For more information, visit http://www.goodwillswfl.org.