About
Goodwill Industries International (GII) is the support organization for one of the world's best-known charitable enterprises: a network of more than 150 community-based, autonomous Goodwill organizations across the United States and Canada, with a presence in several other countries including Brazil, Finland, and Italy. Based in Rockville, Maryland, outside Washington, D.C., GII is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 53-0196517) that helps local Goodwills fund job training, employment placement, and other community programs through the sale of donated clothing and household goods.
Mission
Goodwill works to enhance the dignity and quality of life of individuals and families by strengthening communities, eliminating barriers to opportunity, and helping people in need reach their full potential through learning and the power of work. Its vision is that every person has the opportunity to achieve his or her fullest potential and participate in and contribute to all aspects of life, guided by values of respect, stewardship, ethics, learning, and innovation.
What they do
- Job training and employment placement programs run by local Goodwill organizations, funded by the sale of donated goods.
- More than 3,400 Goodwill retail stores across North America, plus online sales at shopgoodwill.com and goodwillbooks.com.
- Community-based programs designed by each autonomous local Goodwill to meet local needs, including support services such as English language training, additional education, and access to transportation and child care.
- Global work with partners addressing poverty and unemployment for people with disabilities and others facing barriers to employment.
History
Goodwill was founded in 1902 in Boston by Rev. 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 people who were poor to mend and repair the goods, which were then resold or given to the people who repaired them - a philosophy he described as "not charity, but a chance." Nearly 125 years later, Goodwill remains a household name and a leading nonprofit provider of educational and workforce-related services.
Scale and impact
The Goodwill enterprise comprises a network of 150 community-based organizations in the United States and Canada. According to the organization's About page, Goodwill served over 2.1 million individuals in 2024 alone. Local Goodwills operate as social enterprises, using revenue from more than 3,400 stores to create job training programs and employment placement services close to where people live.
Financials
According to ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, Goodwill Industries International (the Rockville-based support organization, not the combined network) reported total revenue of $66,583,568 and total expenses of $73,445,408 for fiscal year 2025, with net assets of $65,483,907. Funding came primarily from contributions (48.5 percent) and program services (47.3 percent). GII has been tax-exempt since January 1952.
Governance
Goodwill Industries International is led by President and CEO Steven C. Preston, per compensation data in its Form 990 filings on ProPublica. Each local Goodwill organization is autonomous and governed independently, designing its own programs and services for its community.