The name can be deceiving, but the mission is straight forward: “supporting individuals and families who are working to better their lives.” That’s what Goodwill of Central Illinois is all about. Established in 1934, the non-profit organization covers 24 counties in Illinois, but that requires some explanation. Goodwill of Central Illinois’ territory was established years ago but does not include Bloomington/Normal and only goes as far south as Macomb and as far north Minooka. So, while Central Illinois is in the name, not all Central Illinois is included.
Each Goodwill, throughout the world, is operated independently and is governed by a board of directors. No one owns Goodwill, contrary to what you might read on the Internet. Goodwill Industries International is a support organization for the independently operated Goodwill’s throughout the world.
Goodwill of Central Illinois is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization which uses the funds generated by the sale of donated goods to supply a litany of free services. One of these services is job placement assistance. In 2018 Goodwill of Central Illinois provided or placed 820 people into jobs.
The organization also supports our veterans. Last year 554 veterans were served. This ranged from job training and placement assistance to referrals for everything from clothes to food, to housing, and substance abuse care. In addition, Goodwill of Central Illinois operates a 15 room veterans’ home, The General Wayne A. Downing Home for Veterans, which is in Peoria. In 2018, the home supplied 5,433 hours of housing for homeless veterans. Let’s not forget about the kids. Goodwill operates GoodGuides, a youth mentoring program, which served 477 individuals last year.
In total, Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois served 3,381 individuals in 2018 and that is because people donate and shop.
This information and more can be found on Goodwill’s website, www.goodwillpeo.org.
Community support is what makes Goodwill possible. So, the next time you read something online or listen to someone who might be uninformed, check out the website of give Goodwill a call at (309) 682-1113. Know the truth, continue the much needed support.