Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids, Lowell

Minister Edgar J. Helms founded Goodwill at the turn of the 20th century to support the unemployed immigrant population of Boston. He gathered unwanted household items and hired the immigrants to refurbish them for resale. Over time, the operation grew into a comprehensive job-skills training and placement program.

In the past 90 years, Goodwill Industries has played an integral role in communities nationwide by placing nearly 90,000 individuals into jobs. Each purchase helps fund programs that help people with barriers to employment find work, and the stores themselves serve as a training site for participants to gain work experience.