LEE COUNTY, Fla.- Late December is traditionally the busiest time of year for charitable donations, as people attempt to make room for new holiday gifts. Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc. is reminding Southwest Floridians that donations must be made by December 31 in order to be eligible for a 2014 tax deduction. Taxpayers that itemize deductions on their federal tax returns may be entitled to claim a charitable deduction for clothing, household goods, vehicles, and even cash contributions to Goodwill. Donors at Goodwill stores and attended donation centers will receive a receipt that meets Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidelines for donations. Only donations made to IRS-approved nonprofit organizations, such as Goodwill, are tax-deductible. To search for those approved organizations, click here. Goodwill encourages donors to leave donations at sites with attendants on duty, and reminds donors to keep itemized lists of their donations. Goodwill provides receipts to donors at its stores and attended donation centers sites, and attendants can validate itemized lists when they are presented. “We want people to give as much thought to where they donate their clothes as they do to volunteering time or donating money,” says Carolyn Johnson, Goodwill’s vice president of communications and development. “Whether it’s cash, cars, or gently-used items, every donation to a nonprofit like Goodwill is an investment in the economic energy of your community.” Most Goodwill locations in Southwest Florida are open until 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve for last minute donations.