Beyonce is Lending Her Voice for GOOD

Beyonce partners with Goodwill® to Transform Lives

ROCKVILLE, Md., April 15, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Goodwill Industries International is pleased to announce that Beyonce Knowles-Carter will lend her voice to help raise awareness about Goodwill's mission of transforming lives through the power of work. The announcement comes just as Beyonce gets ready to kick off The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour today in Serbia.

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"Goodwill helps people get back to work by providing education, job training and placement. I wanted to team up with an organization that puts people first and works every day to help them improve and re-establish their lives," said Beyonce.

Beyonce will encourage fans to support Goodwill by promoting donation drives at her North American concerts beginning on Friday, June 28, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Goodwill will host a mobile donation center onsite at 28 tour venues in 24 North American cities, collecting clothing, electronics and small household goods. The revenue from the sale of these donations will directly benefit local Goodwill agencies in their work to help people with disabilities and disadvantages, and anyone facing challenges to finding employment.

Beyonce will also help build awareness of Goodwill's mission through in-concert education, social media and online ticket auctions. Global charity auction site Charitybuzz.com will auction special ticket packages for The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour, with the revenue benefitting Goodwill.

Every 38 seconds of every business day, a person served by Goodwill is placed in employment. Goodwill promotes independence and dignity for people who need support to provide for themselves and their families. When people donate to their local Goodwill, they play a vital role in fulfilling this mission. Financial donations and the revenue generated from the sale of used goods helps to sustain skills training, career placement services and job opportunities, and support services such as career counseling, access to free tax preparation and financial coaching. Members of the public can do their part to support Beyonce's efforts by giving goods, giving financially, or giving their voice to increase awareness of Goodwill's mission of transforming lives through the power of work.

Beyonce will also support and advocate on behalf of other local charitable agencies involved in job creation and employment services during the overseas portion of her tour, to bring to light the importance of economic independence and an increased quality of life for those in need around the globe.

"We face a jobs crisis in the U.S. and around the world that threatens the future and the potential of our families and communities. Through Beyonce's platform, we will be able to increase knowledge of the positive impact Goodwill has on communities, the environment and the lives of the millions of people we serve each year through education and skills training, many of whom have been unemployed or underemployed for long periods of time," said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. "We cannot begin to express our sincere gratitude to Beyonce for her generous support of Goodwill and for showcasing Goodwill's far-reaching programs and services that change lives each day." 

About Goodwill Industries International
Goodwill Industries International is a network of 165 community-based agencies in the United States and Canada with 14 affiliates in 13 other countries. Goodwill is one of America's top 25 most inspiring companies (Forbes). Goodwill agencies are innovative and sustainable social enterprises that fund job training programs, employment placement services and other community-based programs by selling donated clothing and household items in more than 2,700 stores and online at shopgoodwill.com. Local Goodwill agencies also build revenue and create jobs by contracting with businesses and government to provide a wide range of commercial services, including packaging and assembly, food service preparation, and document imaging and shredding. In 2012, more than five million people in the United States and Canada benefited from Goodwill's career services. Goodwill channels 82 percent of its revenues directly into its programs and services.

To find a Goodwill near you, use the online locator at locator.goodwill.org, or call (800) GOODWILL. Follow us on Twitter: @GoodwillIntl or @GoodwillCapHill, or find us on Facebook: GoodwillIntl.

About Charitybuzz
Charitybuzz raises funds for nonprofits around the globe through online auctions with the world's most recognizable celebrities and brands. Featuring access to acclaimed actors and musicians, business and political leaders, sports stars, luxury travel, couture fashion, rare memorabilia and more, Charitybuzz brings its online community of bidders exclusive opportunities to live their dreams and make a difference.  Since launching, Charitybuzz has raised more than $75 million for charity.

For more information, please visit Charitybuzz.com, like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/CharityBuzz or follow us on Twitter @Charitybuzz.

To learn more about the partnership, visit http://goodwill.org/give

SOURCE Goodwill Industries International