Address |
5301 Wilkinson Boulevard
Charlotte, NC 28208
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Description |
Goodwill Industries was founded in 1902 in Boston by Reverend Edgar J. Helms, a Methodist minister and early social innovator. Helms started Goodwill with the idea that people could earn a living repairing and selling donated goods. His business model was rooted in the philosophy that a job was better than a handout. “Not charity, but a chance,” he always said.
Helms began his mission going door to door with burlap bags asking wealthy Boston residents to donate clothing. He then hired and trained people in need—many of whom were considered unemployable because they had disabilities—to repair, mend and clean the donated items so that they could be sold in thrift stores. The movement flourished and the Goodwill method of helping people earn employment was born.
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