Need Help Filing Your Taxes? Let Goodwill Help You!

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Lori LauMeet Lori Lau. She is the Assistant Director of Workforce Development for Goodwill Industries of Hawaii and is in charge of overseeing the statewide Supporting Employment Empowerment (SEE) Hawaii Work and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance programs (VITA).

Here’s her blog contribution:

It is common knowledge that filing your taxes can be a laborious task. To soften the blow of tax season, from January through April, Goodwill has been holding VITA clinics for low-income individuals and families. Instead of buying pricey tax preparation software, you can save money by using MyFreeTaxes – a free tax preparation program, which is an available service offered by Goodwill. If you are not technologically savvy, the VITA clinic can also help with filing taxes online too. Worried about not qualifying? It’s simple. You can get free tax help if you have earned $50,000 or less in 2012, do not own your own business, and do not own your own home.

With community volunteers and Goodwill employees working together, they have helped tax clinic participants prepare and file their taxes at no cost. If you are still in need of assistance, VITA clinics is a cost efficient solution. Visit www.higoodwill.org for the locations and hours of operation. Or, if you would like to file your taxes online for free, visit: www.myfreetaxes.com/goodwillhi.

2013 VITA Tax Clinic Locations:

Oahu:

1075 Young Street
(808) 690-9801
January 31, 2013-April 2, 2013
Tuesdays and Thursdays,
4:30pm – 7:00pm
Saturdays: 10:00am – 2:00pm

2140 Lauwiliwili Street
(808) 690-9802
February 5, 2013-April 6, 2013
Tuesdays: 4:30pm – 7:00pm
Saturdays: 10:00am – 2:00pm

45-720 Keaahala Road
(808)690-9803
February 2, 2013-April 6, 2013
Saturdays: 10:00am – 2:00pm

Kauai:

4334 Rice Street #205
(808) 634-2758
February 6, 2013-April 3, 2013
Wednesdays: 3:00pm-6:00pm

Hilo:

200 Kanoelehua Ave., Suite 101
(808)443-5838
February 2, 2013-April 4, 2013
Thursdays: 4:00pm – 7:00pm

Kona:

74-5599 Luhia Street, Suite F-4
(808)443-5839
February 2, 2013-April 7, 2013
Thursdays: 4:00pm-7:00pm

Maui:

250 Alamaha Street, Suite N17
(808)442-8908
February 4, 2013-April 8, 2013
Mondays: 4:00pm-7:00pm
(Closed on Presidents’ Day and Kuhio Day)

Five Fresh Fashion Tips for Spring

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When thinking of spring, having a fresh start in style comes to mind! Whether you want to create a new style or re-vamp a current one, Goodwill has got you covered. It isn’t necessary to replace old clothing just because a new season has arrived, but we can add new pieces in order to refresh last season’s looks.

Here are some points to consider:

  1. Head-wear:- sun hat, turban, bowler, fedora, cap, or even a headband chain
  2. Be adventurous with your shoes! Try some flatforms, chunky heels, flats, strappy sandals (remember, shoes aren’t limited to seasons)
  3. Don’t be shy!- Experiment with prints & textures
  4. Layer, layer, layer:- layering lightly will keep you comfy and stylish
  5. Incorporate emerald, the color of the year

Of course, it’s always good to give and take a little. If you do have “trendy” pieces that you think have lost their momentum, donate them to Goodwill in order to continue the cycle and give someone else a chance to re-style themselves too! These donations will further Goodwill’s mission in helping people with employment barriers reach their full potential and become self-sufficient.

Football Jerseys and Goodwill

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Now that the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl are behind us, it might be time to store away that football jersey of your favorite  player or depending on how YOUR season went, it may be time to donate that jersey to your nearest Goodwill.

Goodwill is also a place to find football jerseys.  Before the 2013 Pro Bowl, we did some football jersey hunting at Goodwill and came across these great finds: Tomlinson and Favre.

When you donate your gently used items and purchase items at Goodwill you’re helping to further Goodwill’s mission – to help people with employment barriers to reach their full potential and become self sufficient.

A few famous football players had a great time with some of Goodwill’s Waiver Program participants:


CFL’s (Canadian Football League) Most Outstanding Player of the Toronto Argonauts receiver Chad Owens poses with the Goodwill Kapolei Community West Team.


Goodwill Kapolei Community West Team with Ikaika Alama-Francis of the San Francisco 49ers.


Samson Satele of the Indianapolis Colts & Leon Washington of the Seattle Seahawks (kneeling) and others, pose with Goodwill Kapolei Community West Team at NFL PLAY 60 youth clinic at Kapiolani Park January 26, 2013.

The Goodwill GLAM! Squad

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Meet Ken Leung, Director of Retail Sales at Goodwill Industries of Hawaii. He’s been at Goodwill  since August, 2002, and worked as a store manager and has held various positions within the organization leading up to his current title –  Director of Retail Sales.

When he’s not at work he enjoys Karate, traveling with his family and spending time with his dog.

Here is Ken’s article:

Last year, Goodwill Industries of Hawaii held the inaugural public awareness event titled Bank of Hawaii presents Goodwill Goes GLAM! The event was a success and much of that success was due to the volunteers.  Volunteers clocked in more than 3000 hours in support of the event-week. To learn more about the successful results of Bank of Hawaii presents Goodwill Goes GLAM! click here.

You never know where volunteering will lead you. Take for instance Olotania Alalamua.  He’s a student at Honolulu Community College and is part of the Fashion Technology program.  He started with us as a volunteer production worker because he had an eye for identifying brand named and vintage items to support the inventory goals for the GLAM! event.  Because of his good attitute and hard work, his time as a Goodwill GLAM! Squad volunteer has transitioned into a job. He is a part-time worker at Goodwill and he is learning about the production process before items reach the retail stores.

Olotania Alalamua – from Goodwill GLAM! Squad volunteer to Goodwill employee

Here are a few facts about the Goodwill GLAM! Squad and information about how you could join the squad of volunteers: The Goodwill GLAM! Squad provides opportunities for volunteers to showcase their talent while supporting a good cause.

Goodwill GLAM! Squad members modeling at the Discover Kakaako fashion show: Keala Patterson, Uthpala Walpola and Rebecca Lin

Also…

Are You A Fan Of Goodwill, Food, Fun and Fashion? if so, consider volunteering at our next event:

Click here to register to volunteer at a future event.

The Goodwill GLAM! Squad shares information about Goodwill’s mission and community impact and also provides event support for the Discover Kakaako activities. 

 

Attire from Hawaii-based ABC Shows Donated to Goodwill

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(By Jill Kuramoto -KITV4 News Morning & Weekend Anchor aired: 1/2/13)

Here’s a chance for you to own a piece of Hollywood. They’re the shoes, shirts, pants and dresses worn in the television shows “LOST,” “The River,” “Off the Map” and “Last Resort.”

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Sony Entertainment did some house cleaning before moving out of the Diamond Head Studios last week and chose to donate it all to Goodwill Industries of Hawaii.

“It was a win-win situation because we could disperse all of it to [Goodwill] and [Goodwill] can use it as you see fit and maybe it’ll help a lot of people,” said Dallas Donovan along with Charley Kaeo, costumers with Sony Entertainment.

Thousands of items have been donated and Goodwill isn’t sure yet the value of what they’ve received. Initial estimates are somewhere around $15,000.

LOST fans will recognize some of the characters and maybe their clothes. And as soon as Goodwill’s done itemizing it all, it’ll be up for sale.

“You never know. Maybe you’ll be watching reruns of ‘Lost’ and then you’ll say, ‘wait a minute, I’m wearing that exact outfit,’” said Amanda Stevens, public relations and communications manager for Goodwill Industries of Hawaii.

The good news is, what is sold will go towards helping Goodwill’s mission.

“All of these items are going towards giving people job training and job placement programs,” said Stevens.

The perfect plot: Hollywood helping Hawaii.

[Editor's Note:]

Goodwill will announce when the wardrobe from the studio will go on sale.

When you shop at and donate your gently used items to Goodwill, you’re helping to support Goodwill’s job placement and job training programs. Goodwill’s 501(c)(3) non-profit mission is to help people with employment barriers to reach their full potential and become self-sufficient.