Giving back

During the holiday season, many are focused on buying gifts. When the holidays are over, consider another way of giving: donating.

Being charitable doesn’t always mean writing a check. Cleaning out your closet and donating items like computers, household items, clothing, bikes, books and textiles to Goodwill Industries of Central Oklahoma can impact your community. Each donated item helps generate revenue to support essential job training and placement services, provide workstations and offer the business community motivated workers trained in fields where job openings exist.

All donations are tax-deductible. Find a Goodwill Donation Center near you to donate today.

– Ashley Ross, Jones PR

The Fred Jones Family Foundation, a charitable foundation supporting 501(c)(3) organizations in central OK, recently awarded its 2016 Mary Eddy Jones Signature Gift of $75,000 to Peppers Ranch Foster Care Community.

The grant allows for the creation of an orchard with 100 fruit trees to produce jams, jellies and preserves, an outdoor plant pavilion for gardening and community events, ten beehives for local pollination and substantial landscaping and beautification around the ranch’s 300 acres.

“These are truly transformational gifts for Peppers Ranch and our 13 families and 110 children that live here,” said Tonya Ratcliff, executive director.

– Chip Carter, Jones PR