Our
Leaders

Dear Friends,

For one hundred years, Goodwill has been supporting people in need of training and jobs. During moments in history—world wars, the Great Depression, recessions and shifts in the workforce—Goodwill has responded to the needs of the times, stepping in to fill the gaps to help individuals reach their full potential. Today, our mission of providing training, employment and supportive services for people with disabilities and disadvantages remains firmly intact, though much broader in scope, as we seek to improve even more lives, strengthen more families and enhance the quality of life in the communities where we operate.

Adapting to changing community needs and marketplace dynamics is what has kept us strong and relevant. Last year we introduced EmpowerOne, a new program model that supports individuals with disabilities on their path to success, integrating them into the community. This new program was created after transitioning more than 400 individuals with disabilities from our site-based Work Services program toward community employment or other services of their choice.

The need to provide support to employees who work in our Goodwill Store & Donation Centers led to the creation of Goodwill Way Guides. These individuals provide one-on-one support and encouragement to employees who may encounter issues that can get in the way of successful employment.

Retail also entered the increasingly popular online shopping market by developing an e-commerce operation that is maximizing revenue, thereby directly impacting our mission programs and services. Last year, we opened the first Goodwill Outlet in Racine, Wisconsin, where items not sold in our traditional Goodwill Store & Donation Centers are sold by the pound to savvy customers looking for another great bargain.

Reusing, recycling and repurposing have been big parts of Goodwill’s history and continue to be so today. From salvaging operations during two world wars to recycling computers, phones and electronics today, Goodwill has always cared for our planet. Last year Goodwill recycled 4.7 million pounds of electronics and kept 165.8 million pounds of other materials out of landfills.

The people featured in this report are part of the fabric of our mission and our centennial story. You’ll see people like Bryon, Creighton and Willie, who were featured in the past decades and continue to be true ambassadors of the mission. And we’d like to introduce you to Tiffany, Dakota, and Keishla, who are newly served in 2018. All those featured are a testimony to the Power of Work.

Our centennial is a tribute to our past and a celebration of what lies ahead in our next century. As we celebrate this milestone, we recognize that our accomplishments are a result of the leadership of our Board of Directors, the inspiration from those we serve, the dedication of our staff, and the generosity of our community.

Sincerely,

Bob Klug
Chairman of the Board

Jackie Hallberg
President and CEO

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