Surprise Find at Goodwill Sells for $40K, Funding a School

• READ MORE: Customers outraged by Goodwill rug priced at $6,000

An unexpected donation made to a Goodwill store in Maryland ended up selling for $40,000 at an auction.

Goodwill accepts contributions from individuals in the community. distributes them through over 3,300 of their outlets nationwide , utilizing the earnings for charitable causes.

While many contribute unneeded clothing or books following a decluttering session , every now and then, a truly exceptional find makes its way into Goodwill's inventory.

Not long ago, a scarce French painting was discovered as employees went through contributions at an organization based in a countryside area of Maryland.

"The seller genuinely wasn't aware of its true value," said Lisa Rusyniak, who leads the Baltimore branch of Goodwill as its CEO. told The Sun .

A staff member informed their supervisor, Terri Tonelli, that the painting might be valued at more than what was being offered for it in the showroom.

Tonelli found out that the artwork had been created by the French Impressionist Edouard Leon Cortes.

The art piece named Marché aux Fleurs portrayed a lively Parisian street scene.

'I had goosebumps by that point,' Tonelli previously stated to local media.

The artwork was dispatched to a Goodwill location in Baltimore so that regional art specialists could examine it.

Once they verified its authenticity, it was forwarded to Sotheby's auction house in New York for cleaning and valuation.

The auction house subsequently sold it for an astounding $40,600.

Goodwill utilized the profits to establish the Excel Center in Baltimore.

The Excel Center provides a free high school opportunity for individuals over 21 years old who wish to obtain a Maryland Department of Education accredited diploma.

Rusyniak explained that Approximately 80,000 individuals have not finished high school in Baltimore. And Goodwill is stepping up to address these shortages.

"We're dealing with significant intergenerational poverty in Baltimore, and our efforts at this high school are making an impact," she stated.

We launched it two years ago and now we're oversubscribed; we've got waitlists upon waitlists.

One of our students has brought her mother and grandmother along, which means we currently have three generations enrolled at the school. That’s wonderful.

Rusyniak informed The Sun that prices were increasing as the outcome of Trump's tariffs could attract more shoppers to thrift at Goodwill.

"I believe that more individuals will start thrift shopping who previously hadn’t explored this area," she elaborated.

We make sure to stock high-quality products in our showroom, and when prices go up, we notice an increase in customer numbers.

'They not only back our mission, but also assist in keeping our clothing and home items from ending up in landfills.'