On Sunday, March 20, Goodwill NYNJ participated in this year’s United Airlines Half Marathon to collect the clothing that athletes leave at the start line or throughout the route. More than 20 thousand runners took to the streets of Manhattan to participate in the sporting event. Our volunteers picked up 31 thousand pounds of sportswear.

Our new President and CEO, Katy Gaul-Stigge, was present at the Half Marathon to meet the volunteers and cheer the athletes. We will sell the clothing at our Goodwill stores to support our programs for people with disabilities and other barriers to employment.

For the past four years, Goodwill NYNJ has collaborated with the New York City Road Runners, the local organization who hosts the NYC marathons. The goal is to prevent usable clothing from ending up in the trash.

Last year, Goodwill NYNJ helped residents divert more than 117 million pounds of clothing and household goods from local landfills.