How Goodwill Works
Goodwill Industries of Mid-Michigan is a member of Goodwill Industries International, Inc. and the United Way of Genesee County and is an accredited agency by CARF (The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities). Our purpose is to provide vocational services and employment opportunities for individuals with barriers to employment. We are able to achieve this mission with the support of our community through donated goods and the sale of those goods.
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Donate - Donations help people and the environment! Clothing, furniture and household goods like books, toys and dishes stay in use and out of the landfill.
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Shop - Donated items are sorted and processed for resale in our retail stores, which provides an affordable shopping alternative for the community.
Train - Profits from the sale of donated items go directly into
our vocational training programs and employment services.
Work - When given the proper training and counseling, individuals are able to overcome their barriers to employment to obtain and maintain meaningful employment and are able to contribute to their community.
Community Impact
Goodwill Industries of Mid-Michigan served 845 clients with 1,222 service programs offered. We operate 16 retail stores, 8 donation centers and 1 outlet center in 10 Mid-Michigan counties, which fund our employment training and other programs to put people to work. In 2019, we recycled more than 9 million pounds of material which otherwise would have ended up in community landfills.
*2019 annual report data
Mission
To assist individuals with barriers to employment in making the transition to independence and self-sufficiency.
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Vision
Service excellence in developing human potential.
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Philosophy
We believe that work plays a critical role in our lives and forms the cornerstone of a person's relationship with others. Through the power and dignity of work, individuals are able to achieve both economic self-sufficiency and a productive role in society.
Success Stories
Check out the people who tell our story >
Donate. Shop. Create Jobs. Help your community. What an amazing cycle. Learn more >>
The Goodwill Industries of Mid-Michigan 2021-23 Strategic Plan Read the report >>
Goodwill History
Goodwill Industries International was founded in 1902 by Edgar James Helms, a Methodist minister in Boston, Massachusetts. In Boston, Helms sought ways to assist residents in the city's impoverished South End. So, he conceived the idea of collecting used household goods and clothing in wealthier areas of the city and then hiring and training unemployed residents and immigrants to repair and refurbish the used goods for resale. Income from the resold goods paid the workers' wages. The system worked, and the Goodwill method of self-help was born.
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Since that time, Goodwill's mission has grown into an international movement, improving the quality of life for disabled and disadvantaged individuals around the world. Goodwill Industries serves people who face a variety of barriers to employment, including physical or mental disabilities, illiteracy, substance abuse, inadequate education, ex-felons, and welfare dependency. The ultimate goal is to place individuals in productive employment.
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Goodwill Industries of Mid-Michigan, Inc. has a proud history dating back to 1932. The minister of Oak Park Methodist Church in Flint, called upon the Reverend John Martin of Detroit, to help establish an agency devoted to serving the needs of people with disabilities. Thus, Goodwill in Flint was founded.
We have grown to 17 retail locations, 1 Outlet Center, and 8 donation centers serving 10 Mid-Michigan counties. Our service areas includes Iosco, Bay, Midland, Saginaw, Shiawassee, Genesee, Oakland, Tuscola, Lapeer, and Huron Counties.
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PROUD COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Additional Essential Community Services
Dialing 211 directs callers to basic needs assistance and physical and mental health resource services for
the elderly, the disabled, those who do not speak English, those with a personal crisis, those with limited
reading skills, and those who are new to their communities.
