By Scott M. Bruner
SF Goodwill

Click here to go directly to the auction.

We get a lot of donations at Goodwill (though we can always use more!). But it’s not every day that we get a donation of clothing from bona fide San Francisco royalty.

Last week, we had the honor of accepting a donation of over 30 suits from The Mayor himself, Willie Brown. In addition, Mayor Brown also donated ties, blazers and some of the most happening sweaters we’ve ever seen.

The donation not only symbolized Mayor Brown’s continuing dedication to his City, but also his recognition for the legacy that Goodwill’s own Deborah Alvarez-Rodriguez leaves behind as she steps down as CEO.

“It’s an honor to celebrate Deborah and her staff’s accomplishments at Goodwill.  The very fact that during these tough economic times, she was able to grow the organization by eighty percent from $22 million to $42 million, is a strong testament to her leadership,” said Mayor Brown.  “More people have jobs, the tax base in San Francisco, Marin and San Mateo has been strengthened, and millions of pounds of repurposed products have been diverted from landfill.  We have good reason to celebrate.”

Your Bid Makes a Difference

We can’t say how much we appreciate Brown’s support – and gift – and are thrilled to announce that starting today these very special items, true symbols of both the history and style of San Francisco are available in an online auction. (Click here to go directly to our online store front.)

The auction began in December – and new items are being added on December 28. There are plenty more items from the Willie L. Brown Collection to come, so please, check back frequently in the weeks and months ahead to see what’s available!

Like every piece of clothing we are able to repurpose and sell in our stores, proceeds go directly towards getting people back to work. In fact, the money we raise over the initial bidding price on each item is a tax-deductible donation to Goodwill.

Last year, we helped over 7,000 people take the first step towards a job while placing over 500 folks directly into employment.

It’s a win-win situation. Your bid provides pathways to employment for the folks in our local community, and gives you a chance to look as civic-minded, and handsome, as The Mayor himself.

We’ll see you online – and good luck!