Goodwill Industries International, Inc global.goodwill.org

My Story: Eun Hee Lee

Goodwill Korea is my first job. I have been working as a staff member on the sales floor since the opening of Sasang Store in Busan in April, 2010.
I came to know about Goodwill from a teacher at my church. I was a volunteer for the first six months. I learned how to work at [...]

My Story: Luis Miguel Soto

My name is Luis Miguel Soto, I am 24 years old and I have a musculoskeletal disability. Before coming to Goodwill in Venezuela, I didn’t do anything at home. I was discouraged and felt like I couldn’t do anything. I felt like I was useless and wanted something to do. I wanted to be able to be a useful person.
I decided to look for something to do and called Goodwill to see if they could give me an opportunity, and they did. I arrived at Goodwill through contacts from local government offices. They called me three times, and I didn’t come until I decided I wanted to participate with Goodwill. I was there for one year and seven months, and with God’s help they were able to help me find a job.

From Venezuela to Vegas: Goodwills Exchange Ideas Internationally

Last week Caroline Ruiz, manager of Goodwill Venezuela traveled to Las Vegas for three days of training and information exchange with Goodwill of Southern Nevada. Ruiz, who had never before traveled to the United States, visited her first Goodwill® store during her layover in Miami before traveling to Las Vegas. Once there, she was received by Goodwill of Southern Nevada’s President and CEO Steve Chartrand and his leadership team, with Walter Lescano, director of donations and logistics, serving as interpreter during the visit.

Goodwill Venezuela, known as Industrias de Buena Voluntad, was founded in 1964 and is based in Caracas, Venezuela. Its focus is on professional rehabilitation for people with disabilities with professional services provided in the areas of occupational evaluation, work adjustment, vocational training and job placement. They currently run a small donated goods retail store and a small appliance repair shop.

GII, Together Foundation Team Up to Expand Goodwill’s Social Enterprise Model in Korea

Goodwill Industries International began a new chapter in its international expansion efforts in early July, when it entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Together Foundation to continue to spread Goodwill Industries of Korea’s (GIK) mission throughout the country. The Together Foundation operates with a similar mission to Goodwill, aiming to provide stable jobs [...]

Goodwill Industries of Korea Opens new store in Songpa

Goodwill Industries of South Korea opened its newest store on April 28 in the Songpa neighborhood of the South Korean capital of Seoul. Yu Kerl, a top Korean architect who designed the new city hall for Seoul, donated his services to design this new store. The store currently employs 50 individuals including one North Korean refugee and 40 employees with disabilities. Employees with disabilities are paid a wage that is six times that of an average person with disabilities in the country.

The new store has performed four times better than any previous Korean Goodwill® store and resembles an average size US Goodwill store. Grand opening sales totaled around $12,000, with the store achieving an average of $3,000 in sales and 300 shoppers per day since that time.

Goodwill Venezuela opens second POETA Job Training and Technology Center

Goodwill Venezuela inaugurated their second POETA job training and technology center in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas last week. This new POETA center is part of a network of centers throughout Latin America made possible by a partnership between The Foundation for the Americas, an organization affiliated with the Organization of American States (OAS), together with Microsoft Civil Association of Goodwill. The centers feature a computer training space specially designed to meet the learning needs of people with disabilities.

Carlos Bullos, President of Goodwill Venezuela Wins Gerald L. Clore International Award

At the 2011 Goodwill® Conference of Executives, Carlos Bullos, president of Asociación Civil de Buena Voluntad (Goodwill Venezuela), was awarded the Gerald L. Clore International Award for demonstrating passion for developing the capabilities of Goodwill agencies outside the United States. His dedication to the international efforts of Goodwill has served to further the organization’s international [...]

Goodwill® Extends Its Reach to Benefit Economic Development in Latin America

At the Clinton Global Initiative’s Annual Meeting, Goodwill Industries International made a commitment to expand its sustainable business model in Latin America and the Caribbean, with a specific focus on Brazil and Mexico. Goodwill® will collect and sell gently used items in six areas throughout these countries to fund job training programs and career services for people facing challenges to finding employment.

Goodwill Industries of the West Indies Steel Orchestra Shines

Since she first took the helm of Goodwill Industries of the West Indies (Port of Spain, Trinidad) in 1998, CEO Barbara Alleyne sought a way for program participants to express themselves. She thought from the start that music could be the outlet for such expression. After many years struggling to find people willing to loan steel pans to the Goodwill, someone donated a set at the end of last year. With that donation, the Goodwill Industries Steel Orchestra was born.

As Goodwill program participants were exposed to the steel pan — the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago — and to this avenue of musical expression, Goodwill staff saw a noted transformation in the self-esteem of many.