In the late 1890's, Methodist minister Edgar J. Helms, pastor of Morgan Chapel in Boston's South End, found innovative ways to help his community's jobless, immigrant population. He convinced the idea of collecting unwanted household goods and employing men and women who were impoverished to repair and refurbish them. Income from the resold goods paid the workers' wages. The system worked and Goodwill's method of self-help was born.
Goodwill Industries was formally incorporated in 1902, with job-skills training programs and even a rudimentary job-placement service operating out of Boston's Morgan Memorial Chapel. Initially named "Morgan Memorial Cooperative Industries and Stores, Inc." the organization later adopted the name "GOODWILL INDUSTRIES," a catchy phrase first used by a workshop in Brooklyn, New York.
With Helms as the driving force, the Goodwill concept spread across the United States. By 1926 Helms was traveling the world, telling Goodwill Industries story and laying the groundwork for an international movement. Today Goodwill has 186 member organizations in the United States and Canada, and 53 associate member organizations in 37 other nations all over the world.
During the 1930's, Goodwill Industries, noting a lack of services for people with disabilities, redirected its mission toward that population. Although people with disabilities had never been excluded from Goodwill Industries programs, they had not previously been the focus of the organization's efforts.
Today, Goodwill's client population includes people with physical, mental and emotional disabilities, as well as those who face such barriers to employment as illiteracy, advance age, lack of work experience or dependence on public support.
Goodwill Industries strives to achieve the full participation in society of people with disabilities and other barriers to employment. Opportunities and occupational capabilities are expanded through a network of nonprofit, community-based organizations. Each Goodwill organization in the United States and Canada provides vocational evaluation training, employment and job-placement services.
Revenues for Goodwill Industries organizations comes from a variety of sources. The sale of donated goods in more than 1,400 retail stores remains the greatest source of funding for programs Goodwill provides, Other major sources of funding include industrial and service contract work, rehabilitation service fees and government grants, public and salvage sales. Cash gifts and bequests are also accepted.
Volunteers lead the boards of directors at the international office and all member Goodwill organizations, and fund-raising activities at many Goodwill's.
First of all there is Maria Young to thank for. She is my counserlor for THE TEXAS RHEABILITATION CENTER.. She is the one who told me about the job-placement for GOODWILL.
Lavelle Lemonier is the next guy to thank.. What a wonderful and extremely helpful man and I must say a wondeful and encourgement friend! I have learned a lot from him. He was my computer teacher at the GOODWILL job-placement class. With his help I was able to work here at GOODWILL.
To Joe Langston my supervisor for his dedicated work and also to Ron for his hard work too.
Most of all to Mr. Dave B., The President of our GOODWILL. He is one of the nicest guys I have ever met in all of my life! I love working for him! Thanks so much for letting me be a part of your oranization MR. DAVE!......
---COMING SOON---WHAT GOODWILL MEANS TO YOU---
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