Goodwill of North Georgia celebrated its 100th anniversary Thursday with an event at its West End store.
Gov. Brian Kemp has issued a commendation to honor the nonprofit’s century of service, and the Georgia House of Representatives declared June 19 “Goodwill of North Georgia Day.”
Mayor Andre Dickens and Sebastian Barron, Gov. Kemp’s representative for Metro Atlanta, attended the event. Goodwill of North Georgia President and CEO Keith Parker reflected on the organization’s mission-driven history and future goals during his remarks.
“Goodwill of North Georgia has been serving the community since 1925, and we plan to continue that service for the next 100 years,” Parker said in a statement. “As the economy continues to evolve, we remain committed to workforce development and economic opportunity while also being a trusted destination for smart, sustainable shopping.”
Goodwill of North Georgia has 70 stores across a 45-county region. And it is nationally recognized as the top-performing Goodwill organization in job placements through its career centers.
Goodwill’s story began in 1902 with Rev. Edgar J. Helms, a Methodist minister in Boston, who pioneered the concept of employing people in need to refurbish donated goods that would be offered back into the community.
That idea inspired Georgians to open Goodwill Industries of Atlanta on Edgewood Avenue in 1925, the statement said. The West End location opened in 1973.
Goodwill of North Georgia was formed through key mergers, including Vocational Transitions in 1998, Kelley Diversified in 2005, and Toccoa Rehabilitation that same year.
The nonprofit opened the first of 14 career centers in 1995, offering workforce training programs. Goodwill reports that more than 300,000 people have been hired in areas such as welding, forklift operations, supply chain management, and highway construction.
“By 2030, our goal is to serve an additional 155,000 job seekers, expand our retail presence, enhance sustainability and continue building on our economic impact,” Parker said.
