Goodwill Hawaii - New Chamber Member
Goodwill Hawaii is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit charity that helps people with employment barriers to reach their full potential and become self-sufficient. Goodwill Hawaii’s employment programs and services strengthen our community. www.goodwillhawaii.org
Since 1959, they have provided job placement, career development, education, training, employment and support services for people throughout the state. Thousands of Hawaii residents each year benefit from their services and have found employment in our community.
Goodwill Hawaii is rare among not-for-profit agencies because most of its revenue is earned. Their unique, self-sustaining system enables them to serve thousands in Hawaii each year. They are funded through:
- Retail sales at their community stores
- Service contracts (in competition with private enterprise)
- City, state and federal job training grants
- Support from individuals and corporations
Philosophy
For more than 100 years, Goodwill Hawaii has championed a philosophy of community service through the power of work. In 1902, the founder of this philosophy, Reverend Edgar J. Helms, a Methodist Minister, took burlap bags into Boston’s wealthier neighborhoods collecting donations. He invited community residents with disabilities and other disadvantages to help repair and sell the donations and used the revenue made through the sales to pay the workers. This philosophy is evident throughout Goodwill Hawaii, and in Goodwills throughout the world.