Goodwill Industries International
The Reverend Edgar J. Helms, a Methodist minister who developed innovative ways to help his community's immigrant, jobless and poor citizens, developed the Goodwill concept in the late 1890's. His church-based "industrial school" in Boston's south side offered skills training and a fundamental job placement service was developed in 1896. Later, during the Spanish-American War, Helms took a burlap bag and went door-to-door asking his affluent neighbors for clothing and anything else that could be carried away. Impoverished men and women were hired to repair and refurbish the donated materials, which were then sold. The income from the sale of these items was used to pay the worker's wages. Thus, the original Goodwill Industries method of self-help enterprise was born.
In 1902, a new facility was built under the name Morgan Memorial Cooperative Industries and Stores, Inc. It was not until a group in Brooklyn, New York who adopted Morgan Memorial's methods of operation that the term "Goodwill Industries" was coined. With Rev. Helms as the driving force, the Goodwill Industries concept spread across the United States. By 1926, Helms was touring the world telling the Goodwill story and laying the groundwork for an international movement. Although people with disabilities were never excluded from Goodwill Industries programs, they were not the focus of the organization's efforts until the mid-1930's. Goodwill was one of the first organizations to address the long neglected needs of America's citizens with disabilities.
Today, Goodwill Industries International, Inc. (GII) is a network of 205 community-based, independent nonprofit organizations, making it North America's largest nonprofit provider of employment and training services. With locations in the United States, Canada and 22 other countries, Goodwill serves people with workplace disadvantages and disabilities by providing job training and employment services, as well as job placement opportunities and post-employment support. Goodwill helps people overcome barriers to employment and become independent, tax-paying members of their communities. While the basic goals of Goodwill have not changed greatly over the years, the types of people served have. Goodwill serves people who face a variety of barriers to employment, including physical or mental disabilities, illiteracy, homelessness, inadequate education and welfare dependency.
Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois
Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois, Inc. began operations in Peoria in 1934 during the height of the depression. The unemployment rate at this time was 50 percent. Goodwill Industries immediately began to provide work experience and training to area citizens, fulfilling its mission.
Today, Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois serves eighteen counties and operates eight retail stores in Peoria, East Peoria, Pekin, Washington, Canton, Galesburg and Kewanee. Not to be forgotten are our donation sites in Peoria, Chillicothe and Morton.
Home for Veterans
In May 2005 Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois opened its Home for Veterans. This is a ten-bedroom facility that provides an intensive holistic program that assesses the individual and customizes services to directly meet their needs.
Goodwill uses its expertise in working one-on-one with individuals to achieve life changes; research shows that lack of stable housing presents a significant challenge in obtaining gainful employment and eliminating the barriers and issues that are at the root of homelessness. As an extension to its mission, Goodwill's Home for Veterans is considered permanent, supportive housing and is the only facility of its kind in the state of Illinois.
Goodwill provides and coordinates all services including treatment for post-traumatic stress syndrome, substance abuse, stress, anxiety and psychological counseling, budgeting, clothing, legal assistance, food, telephones, transportation, entitlement benefits, medical care, job training, education and job placement services.
Smiling G Logo
Joseph Selame, a famous designer of corporate symbols and logos, originally designed the logo that represents the "face" of Goodwill Industries, known as the "Smiling G", in 1968. It was originally designed for Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries, Inc. in Boston, Massachusetts. They symbol was designed to last, because the longer it is used, the more its power grows. The "Smiling G" represents both our name and the smiles that come from helping people help themselves. In February of 1968, the Conference of Executives passed a resolution encouraging the adoption of the "Smiling G" symbol, and on March 29, 1968, the GII Board of Directors officially adopted the logo.
Shopgoodwill.com
Shopgoodwill.com is the first and only auction site operated by a nonprofit organization. Goodwill Industries of Orange County, California launched shopgoodwill.com in 1999. An original, signed Picasso etching, a signed Newcomb pot, an authentic Civil War discharge paper and a 1954 Bing Crosby record collection are just a few of the prized possessions that have been auctioned off on the website. Rare items consisting of antiques, art, books and records, cameras and electronic equipment, clothing, collectibles, home decor, jewelry and gemstones, musical instruments, pottery, seasonal and holiday, sports, and toys and dolls are pulled from Goodwill's vast inventory of donated goods. What makes shopgoodwill. com a perfect expression of our mission is that not only does it build added revenue to fund our programs, but also, as the site grows, it creates more jobs and more training opportunities in technology for Goodwill clients. With an average of 16,000 unique visitors per day and 13,500 items listed at any given time, Goodwill has created an Internet auction site that successfully co-exists with the heavy-hitting auctioneers.
Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois, Inc.
2319 East War Memorial Drive • Peoria, Illinois 61614-8014 • (309) 682-1113
URL: http://www.goodwillpeo.org/history.shtml
