The state of Arkansas has a long and vibrant history. It began as Native American lands and later was settled by hardworking European and American settlers and farmers. Because of this, Arkansas has always had a long history as one of the top agricultural and manufacturing hubs of the country and it remains so even today.

According to a 2006 report from the U.S. Census Bureau, Arkansas’ top three industries are all in the area of manufacturing. Food manufacturing ranks first, primary metal manufacturing is second, and transportation equipment manufacturing ranks third. Below is a description of each of these industries.

Food manufacturing
Food manufacturing is the process by which food is processed and made available en mass. This might include a few different steps and processes including milling, preservation, labeling, packaging, and transportation of the food. Large food manufacturing plants provide employment for many people in Arkansas.

Primary Metal Manufacturing
Primary metal manufacturing is an industry like a steel mill or iron mill that smelts or refines metal from ore or scrap using metallurgical techniques. They may also manufacturer alloys by introducing other chemicals to pure metals. The output of smelting and refining is used to make forms of metal like sheet, strip, bar, rod, or wire.

Transportation Equipment Manufacturing
This industry produces equipment for transporting people and goods. This might include bending, welding, and forming metal or plastic into mechanical parts and components. These may used in many transportation sectors including road, rail, air, and water transportation. This industry is extremely economically significant in all North America countries.

Goodwill Industries of Arkansas has several rehabilitation services, 15 retail stores and two attended donation stations.

As with Goodwill Industries in other states, Goodwill Arkansas derive most of their revenue from the sales of donated items. From clothes and couches to cars and trucks – donations received by Goodwill Industries will be used to turn around the lives of disadvantaged people so that they can work to improve their own lives.

At the start of 2005 the rules governing tax deductions on donated vehicles changed. Now, the value of a donated vehicle is no longer determined by yourself, but is based on how much money the charity received for its resale. After donating a car, you will usually receive a written document within 30 days informing you of how much money the charity received from the sale of your car and the amount that you can claim as a tax deduction as a result.

The donation of cars and trucks allows Goodwill Industries of Arkansas to create programs that enable disadvantaged people attain their highest potential with vocational training, employment schemes, and work placement services. By providing on the job training they also help people with disabilities reach their goals and improve their working conditions.

One particular program at Goodwill Arkansas is their Supported Employment program. This is designed to train individuals with a severe disability to be able to work in a competitive work environment. Programs like these are helped by donations from people like you, as well as organizations like Charity Dispatch. Charity Dispatch is an organization that can help you process your vehicle donation.