Goodwill Industries
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Goodwill Industries International (Goodwill) claims to be one of the world’s largest nonprofit providers of education, training, and career services for people with disadvantages, such as welfare dependency, homelessness, and lack of education or work experience, as well as those with physical, mental and emotional disabilities.
Goodwill Industries operates as a network of 185 independent, community-based organizations[1]in the U.S., Canada and 15 other countries[1]. In 2006, local Goodwills collectively earned more than $2.96 billion, and provided employment and training services to more than 946,000 individuals. Goodwill Industries places someone in a job every 56 seconds of every business day[1].
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[edit] Operations
The clothing and household goods donated to Goodwill are sold in over 2,100 Goodwill retail stores[1]and on its Internet auction site, shopgoodwill.com. The revenues fund job training and other services to prepare people for job success. Goodwill also generates income helping businesses and the federal government fill gaps caused by labor shortages, time constraints and limited space or equipment. Local Goodwills train and employ contract workers to fill outsourced needs for document management, assembly, mailing, custodial work, groundskeeping and more. More than 84 percent of Goodwill’s total revenues are used to fund education and career services and other critical community programs[1].
[edit] History
Goodwill was founded in 1902 in Boston by Edgar J. Helms, a Methodist minister and early social innovator. Helms collected used household goods and clothing in wealthier areas of the city, then trained and hired those who were poor to mend and repair the used goods. The goods were then resold or were given to the people who repaired them. The system worked, and the Goodwill philosophy of "a hand up, not a hand out" was born[2].
Dr. Helms' vision set an early course for what today has become a $2.96 billion nonprofit organization[1]. Helms described Goodwill Industries as an "industrial program as well as a social service enterprise...a provider of employment, training and rehabilitation for people of limited employability, and a source of temporary assistance for individuals whose resources were depleted."
Through its 21st Century Initiative, Goodwill Industries aims to improve the economic self-sufficiency of 20 million people and their families by 2020. Times have changed, but Helms’ vision remains constant. "We have courage and are unafraid. With the prayerful cooperation of millions of our bag contributors and of our workers, we will press on till the curse of poverty and exploitation is banished from mankind."
[edit] Donation policies
Goodwill has various policies on donations, including items that they can and cannot accept. Broadly speaking, Goodwill will accept items that they can resell, either in the retail stores, or as bulk lots. Goodwill generally will not accept donations of auto parts, non-working electronics, furniture showing signs of damage, or exercise equipment. For liability reasons, Goodwill generally will not accept baby cribs. Sanitary regulations prohibit Goodwill from accepting mattress donations (although most Goodwill retail stores do sell new mattresses and box-springs at reasonable prices). Recently, due to safety concerns (in particular, concerns over lead content), Goodwill will not accept many toys, particularly those made in China.
Goodwill will generally always accept donations of clothing, shoes, books, accessories (handbags, belts), and consumer electronics. Even if they are deemed unfit to be sold in Goodwill's retail stores, these items can be sold as bulk lots, and thus can still generate income.
Upon making a donation to Goodwill, the donor will be asked whether you would like a receipt; depending on applicable laws, the value of the goods donated can be used as a tax deduction.
[edit] Outlet Stores
When merchandise cannot be sold at a normal Goodwill store, it is taken to a 'Goodwill Outlet'[3] Items are mostly sold by weight, with prices ranging from $1.69 to $0.59 per pound, depending on the location. The wide selection and massive discounts on a variety of household goods typically attract a fervent following of regular customers, some of whom make a full-time living buying and re-selling goods. Conditions such as the disorganization of merchandise, hazards from broken glass or other unpleasant items, and the at times highly competitive atmosphere between patrons tend to lower the appeal of the shopping experience at Goodwill Outlet stores.
[edit] External links
See also: List of Goodwill member organizations
