Marion Goodwill Celebrates 32 Years of Helping the Unemployed!

Marion Goodwill Industries is one of over 160 independent Goodwill agencies, all with a common goal to help unemployed individuals overcome their barriers to employment. Formed in 1977, Marion Goodwill has expanded from one retail store in downtown Marion, Ohio to eight retail stores, Shopgoodwill.com, a Corporate Office/Attended Donation Center, and fifteen donation booths spread out over the five counties served: Marion, Delaware, Union, Crawford, and Morrow Counties.

In the early years of Marion Goodwill, the operation was small enough that donated clothing items could be washed, ironed, and even mended as shown in the picture above.

Additionally, items such as electrical appliances, bicycles, and shoes could be repaired before being sold in retail stores.

The History of Goodwill Industries International:

An ordinary man with an extraordinary desire to help people help themselves
In 1902, Goodwill creator, Rev. Edgar J. Helms was living in Boston and was the pastor at Morgan Memorial. The chapel was known for servicing the poor. Helms started passing out clothing to community members in need. After a while, he started noticing some familiar faces making frequent visits for free clothing, and he decided something needed to change. One day a lady asked for a pair of pants. Helms said, “I’ll give you something better. I’ll give you a job.”
Over the years Edward Helms was with Goodwill, he strived to maintain the concept of “A hand up, not a hand out.” He loved people and what they could do. Helms not only set up the retail stores and put people to work fixing and cleaning donation items, he also set up various other methods of bettering the community. In the early years, every Goodwill store sold fresh eggs and scrap clothing was made into rugs. Helms set up a camp for children, began formalized rehab to get people into the workforce, and created one of the first after school programs for inner city children to stay off the streets.
 
The single Goodwill store in Boston has turned into a $3.2 billion nonprofit organization with over 2,300 retail stores, community-based organizations in fourteen other countries, and an online auction site, www.shopgoodwill.com. Goodwill has survived three depressions and two global conquests. Goodwill has always had a solid history of putting people to work, and the organization aspires to motivate people to continue this tradition for many years to come.

For more information on the history of Goodwill International or any service Goodwill offers, please visit www.goodwill.org.
  

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