Goodwill of South Central Wisconsin

MISSION

What is Goodwill’s mission?

Goodwill Industries of South Central Wisconsin’s mission is to build better communities by providing employment, housing, and support to people with disabilities and other challenges.

Who does Goodwill help?

We provide services to:

- People with disabilities who need supported work
- People with chronic mental illness who need both transitional and permanent housing
- People who need to acquire valuable work skills or work experience
- People who need help finding a job or earning a certificate of General Educational Development (GED)
- People who are victims of a natural disaster or other emergency
- People who are financially challenged
- Senior citizens who need permanent housing

How does Goodwill help these individuals?

Goodwill:

- Helps individuals with disabilities find and maintain employment in the community

- Provides individuals with chronic mental illness with a home where they can receive the support they need to learn the skills necessary to successfully live on their own

- Makes quality, permanent housing (i.e., apartments) available to low-income senior citizens and individuals with chronic mental illness

- Gives individuals who are not prepared for immediate, regular employment an opportunity to acquire general work skills and positive work habits while performing duties at a Goodwill work site

- Provides clothing and household items to victims of natural disasters or other emergencies

- Partners with counties, organizations, medical facilities, etc., to provide individuals in need with vouchers for free clothing and household items

- Operates a career center where individuals who are looking for a job or wanting to earn their general educational development (GED) certificate can receive assistance

What else does Goodwill do?

We also:

- Educate the public about the importance of recycling

- Provide training to cab and paratransit drivers and for individuals working in community-based residential facilities and to other human services care providers

- Educate area employers about the Americans with Disabilities Act and the benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities

How do Goodwill's services impact lives?

Our services, among other things:

- Help individuals to become as self-sufficient as possible
- Help those in need meet basic immediate needs
- Help individuals start a path toward a brighter future

ORGANIZATIONAL FRAMEWORK

Is Goodwill Industries of South Central Wisconsin a not-for-profit organization?

Yes. We are a 501(c)(3) organization.

Is Goodwill Industries of South Central Wisconsin part of a larger organization?

Yes. Goodwill Industries of South Central Wisconsin is part of Goodwill Industries International, a network of 166 community-based agencies in the United States and Canada with 14 affiliates in 13 other countries. Goodwill agencies are innovative and sustainable social enterprises that provide job training programs, employment placement services, and other community-based programs. While every organization serves people with disabilities and other challenges, each Goodwill identifies and responds to the needs of its local community.

Which counties are included in Goodwill Industries of South Central Wisconsin’s service area?

Our service area includes the following counties: Adams, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Grant, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Juneau, Lafayette, Marquette, Richland, Rock, and Sauk.

REVENUE

What are Goodwill’s sources of revenue?

Nearly 80 percent of our revenue is generated through the sale of donated items through our retail stores, online auction site, and online bookstore. We also receive county, state, and federal funding for services and rely on the generosity of individuals and corporations who financially support the efforts of our organization.

How much of every dollar of revenue goes directly toward providing services?

We are proud that more than 86 cents of every dollar we spend goes directly to helping the people we serve.

DONATIONS

Which items does Goodwill accept as donations?

Generally, we accept clothing, footwear, household and office furniture, books (including textbooks), housewares, and household linens. We also accept working and nonworking computer equipment and motor vehicles.

Are there particular items that Goodwill cannot accept? Why?

There are some items we simply cannot accept because they add cost to our operation and do not benefit our mission. Instead, we would rather use every resource we have to help people with disabilities and other challenges.

Also, federal and local regulations prohibit us from accepting and reselling many items including hazardous waste materials (aerosols, chemicals/household cleaners, fuel, oil (including lamp oil), and paint to name a few).

Here is a list of the items we are unable to accept.

Where are Goodwill’s donation centers located?

We have donation centers in Madison (east and west sides), Fort Atkinson, Middleton, Monona, Platteville, Portage, and Richland Center.

Are there any other places where donations can be dropped off?

Donations of clothing and linens also may be dropped off at each of the two Best Cleaners of Madison locations and each of the three YMCA of Dane County facilities. Footwear may be donated at The Shoe Box in Black Earth.

Donations of clothing, footwear, books, household items, and linens may also be made at businesses and organizations sponsoring a collection drive.

Does Goodwill offer a pick-up service?

Yes. Click here for more information.

Does Goodwill accept cash donations?

Yes. There are several ways to make monetary donations:

- Donations can be made at any of our retail stores or donation centers
- Checks made payable to Goodwill Industries can be mailed to 1302 Mendota St., Madison, WI 53714
- Arrangements for year-round, automated donations can be made online.
- One-time or occasional donations can be made online at your convenience

Are donations tax deductible?

Yes. All donations of cash or goods are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Click here for more information.

SALE OF DONATED GOODS

Where are Goodwill stores located?

Our retail stores are located in Madison (east side, west side, and downtown), Fort Atkinson, Monona, Platteville, Portage, and Richland Center.

Does Goodwill sell goods online?

Yes. Our online auction site, shopgoodwillmadison.com, is filled with hundreds of locally donated items – art, collectibles, clothing, jewelry, books, music, toys, home décor, and more. Shoppers can select from nearly 11,000 items donated from other parts of the country by visiting shopgoodwill.com.

Also, shoppers can support our mission by making their book purchases through our online bookstore, Good_Again. It offers children’s books, teen and adult fiction and non-fiction books, textbooks, and more. The Good_Again storefront can be found at Amazon.com, eBay.com, and Half.com.

Does the sale of donated goods generate much revenue for Goodwill?

Yes. Nearly 80 percent of our revenue is generated through the sale of donated items.

What happens to donated goods that don’t sell?

Textiles that are not sold to the public are used to make products such as carpet pads or are sold to third world countries where there is a great need for clothing. The remaining items are sold through our salvage program.

HISTORY

How did Goodwill Industries get started?

Goodwill Industries was founded in 1902 in Boston’s South End by Dr. Edgar J. Helms, a Methodist minister. He collected used household items and clothing in wealthier areas of the city, then trained the poor and immigrant to mend and repair the used goods. These items were either resold or given away to the people who needed them, and so the Goodwill philosophy of “a hand up, not charity” was born.

What is Goodwill Industries of South Central Wisconsin’s history?

Goodwill Industries of South Central Wisconsin opened in Madison in 1962 as a division of the Milwaukee Goodwill. First located in the basement of an old grocery store, the Madison division separated from the Milwaukee Goodwill and incorporated as Goodwill Industries of Madison, Inc. in January, 1971. Nine years later, that name was changed to Goodwill Industries of South Central Wisconsin, Inc. to more accurately reflect our growing reach.