Deadline nears for 2015 charity gift deductions

Goodwill thrift stores may not sound as festive as the typical New Year’s Eve party, but lines will be forming outside them this week as donors rush to get in their 2015 tax donations by midnight Thursday.

The agency is one of a handful of local charities that hope to benefit from an end-of-year bump in donations at thrift stores in the days leading up to New Year’s Day.

Goodwill, which has about 50 drop-off locations in the region, has extended its retail store hours from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. through the week. It also promises to stay open New Year’s Eve as long as cars are in line at drop-off locations. This includes its stores in two South Carolina counties: York and Lancaster.

People also can give to Salvation Army Thrift Stores, Habitat for Humanity ReStores, the Assistance League Thrift Store and the Crisis Assistance Ministry Free Store and Furniture Bank.

The last week of December is traditionally the busiest of the year for charity thrift stores, and New Year’s Eve is the busiest single day because of the midnight deadline for tax deductions.

Goodwill is predicting a 75 percent increase in donor visits. In years past, the agency has estimated as much as 5 percent of its annual donations – about 30,000-plus items – have arrived during the year’s final week. Money raised through sale of the items funds a variety of programs.

“When you donate to Goodwill, you make a difference in our community,” said Michael Elder, CEO of Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont. “Donations help directly fund the free job training programs and employment services that help our neighbors get back on their feet to support themselves and their families.”

In 2014, the most recent year for which data is available, Americans gave $358.38 billion to charity. This reflects a 7.1 percent increase from 2013. Philanthropy experts say it’s the fifth straight year that giving has grown since 2009, when the brunt of the recession hit nonprofits.

Goodwill is by far the biggest operator of thrift stores in the region with 22, followed by the Habitat for Humanity ReStores with 12 and the Salvation Army with five.

These are some of the options for donations this week:

▪ The Salvation Army has sites in Charlotte, Matthews, Pineville, Gastonia and Kannapolis. All but the Gastonia store will be open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. New Year’s Eve. The Gastonia store will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. A later option on New Year’s Eve is available at the charity’s warehouse behind the store at 1011 Central Ave. It will be open until 8 p.m., or as long as cars are in line, officials said.

▪ Crisis Assistance Ministry Free Store, 500-A Spratt St., will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Thursday. The agency’s Furniture Bank at 333 Dalton Ave. is open the same hours and accepts beds, bed frames, mattresses, furniture and appliances in good, useful condition.

▪ Habitat Restores in the region are open New Year’s Eve, but hours vary from store to store, with most closing at 5 p.m. that day. ReStores accept donations of new and gently used items from individuals and businesses, including building materials. There are two locations in Charlotte: 3326 Wilkinson Blvd. and 1133 N. Wendover Road. Both are taking donations New Year’s Eve from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

▪ The Assistance League of Charlotte has a store at 3405 S. Tryon St. that will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday throughFriday, and is accepting household goods to support its programs for low-income students.

This story was originally published December 29, 2015 at 3:17 PM with the headline "Deadline nears for 2015 charity gift deductions."