The Origins of Goodwill
Goodwill began in Boston in 1902. Rev. Edgar J. Helms, a Methodist minister,
founded the organization to give people hope, dignity and independence. His
original concept was visionary, for it is just as relevant today as it was more
than 100 years ago.
Using burlap bags, Dr. Helms went door to door in Boston’s wealthiest
districts, asking for donations of clothing and household goods. He hired and
trained poor people and immigrants to mend and repair the donated items,
learning trades and skills as they worked. The goods were then sold and the
money was used to pay the workers. This cycle of donation, processing, resale
and wages – which remains essentially intact today – was the beginning of
Goodwill Industries.
Formally incorporated in 1910, the organization became known as Morgan Memorial
Cooperative Industries and Stores, Inc. The name "Goodwill Industries" was
adopted later after a workshop in Brooklyn, New York coined the phrase. By
1920, there were 15 Goodwill agencies including one in Pittsburgh.
Dr. Helms spread the message of Goodwill around the world. In 1926, he traveled
to Australia, Japan, China, the Philippines, Malaysia, Ceylon (Sri Lanka),
India, Egypt and several European countries. In the early 1930s, Goodwill
opened its doors in Canada.
During the Great Depression, Goodwill helped thousands of people in need, and
during World War II, it collected salvage for the war effort. The organization
had always welcomed those with disabilities, and had been helping wounded
veterans since World War I. The return of World War II’s fighting men cemented
Goodwill’s commitment to re-training people with disabilities.
Also in the 1940s, Goodwill began contracting with federal and state
governments, as well as private industry, creating thousands of jobs and
earning thousands of dollars in revenue. From janitorial services, to
manufacturing, Goodwill found workers to meet industry’s needs, and put people
to work.
When Dr. Helms died on December 23, 1942, his visionary leadership had set the
course for what would one day become a $1.5 billion nonprofit organization. Dr.
Helms described Goodwill Industries as both 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."
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