Make a Fresh Start by Donating to Goodwill® at Bon-Ton Stores This Spring

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Goodwill Industries International and The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ: BONT) encourage people to clean out their closets and make a fresh start this spring. Donors can set aside clothing and household textiles such as apparel, outerwear, shoes, handbags, blankets or comforters they no longer need and donate them to Goodwill during the Bon-Ton Goodwill Sale from March 12 – 28. For each item donated, customers will receive a coupon for up to 25 percent off new spring merchandise and fashion  at Bon-Ton, Bergner's, Boston Store, Carson's, Elder-Beerman, Herberger's or Younkers stores. Donations will be sold in local Goodwill stores, and the revenue generated will fund job placement, job training programs and community-based support services, such as child care, financial education, mentoring and transportation for people looking for employment. Customers who visit the Million Acts of Goodwill website can enter for the chance to win a $500 Bon-Ton shopping spree as well as a daily $25 gift card giveaway.

For more than 20 years, the Bon-Ton Goodwill Sale has been giving shoppers the opportunity to help their communities by donating clothing and household textiles to Goodwill at their local Bon-Ton stores. This event represents the largest and longest standing cause partnership and department store donation drive in the country. Last year alone, donations from Bon-Ton customers provided 693,000 hours of job training in their local communities. The donations collected are vital to helping Goodwill provide the services people need to find jobs and care for their families. In addition, the Goodwill Sale is a great time to refresh your wardrobe and home and get great deals on new spring merchandise, including 15% off on cosmetics and fragrances.

"Thousands of people in our local communities have been able to find jobs with Goodwill's help through the generosity of people who donate during the Bon-Ton Goodwill Sale," said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. "This partnership has allowed Goodwill to provide the services people need to build careers and brighter futures for their families."

Each Goodwill agency customizes its training programs to meet the employment needs in its community. People can take advantage of a number of services provided by their local Goodwill, including, among many other services, career counseling, computer training, and résumé and interview advice. Goodwill provides services to millions of people each year, helping them earn paychecks and build their skills.

"We are committed to serving our communities, and we are proud to be able to help people build their employment skills by supporting Goodwill," said Kathryn Bufano, president and CEO of The Bon-Ton Stores. "The Bon-Ton Goodwill Sale is a time-honored tradition for many Bon-Ton customers.

During the Bon-Ton Goodwill Sale, customers can share the positive impact of their donations and their new purchases using the hashtag #GoodwillSale. Goodwill Industries (@GoodwillIntl) and The Bon-Ton Stores (@bonton) will highlight their favorite tweets throughout the event.

About The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc.
The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc., with corporate headquarters in York, Pennsylvania, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, operates 270 department stores, which includes nine furniture galleries and four clearance centers, in 26 states in the Northeast, Midwest and upper Great Plains under the Bon-Ton, Bergner's, Boston Store, Carson's, Elder-Beerman, Herberger's and Younkers nameplates. The stores offer a broad assortment of national and private brand fashion apparel and accessories for women, men and children, as well as cosmetics and home furnishings. The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. is an active and positive participant in the communities it serves.

For store locations and information visit www.bonton.com. Join the conversation and be inspired by following Bon-Ton on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and the new fashion, beauty and lifestyle blog, #LoveStyle.

About Goodwill Industries International
Goodwill Industries International is a network of 165 community-based agencies in the United States and Canada with a presence in 14 other countries. Goodwill is one of America's top 20 most inspiring companies (Forbes, 2014). Goodwill agencies are innovative and sustainable social enterprises that fund job placement programs and other community-based services by selling donated clothing and household items in more than 3,000 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 services preparation, and document imaging and shredding. In 2013, more than 9.8 million people in the United States and Canada benefited from Goodwill's career services. To learn more, visit goodwill.org.

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

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SOURCE Goodwill Industries International