Goodwill Industries of Middle TN

Training programs at Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee, revenue from the sale of donated goods serves as the primary source of funding for our education, training, and employment programs. We are committed to providing free training to community residents, helping them overcome employment barriers and achieve their career goals. Our free occupational training programs include forklift operating, call center operations, custodial services, and skilled trades such as construction and welding. Additionally, we offer training in the technology field with courses in digital literacy, grow with google, ibm, and cisco. We also provide over a dozen free employability skills classes, including online job search, resume development, interview preparation, financial literacy, social media marketing, and office productivity. Our mission is to equip our clients with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the workforce and reach their full potential. At Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee, we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to succeed, and we are dedicated to helping our community members overcome barriers to employment and achieve their dreams.

Recycling and salvage Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee is committed to sustainability and protecting the planet. One of the ways we achieve this is through our salvage operations, which recycle the majority of donations that do not sell in our retail stores, online, or outlet locations. In 2023 alone, we repurposed or reused more than 26.4 million pounds of salvage and recyclable material, keeping them out of landfills. In 2023, we sold 5.3 million pounds of clothing items through our stores and outlets preventing 884,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere. This has had a tremendous positive impact on the environment by reducing waste and preventing harmful toxins from leaching into the soil and water supply. In addition to our recycling efforts, Goodwill's thrift sales also play a significant role in promoting sustainability. By selling donated clothing, household goods, and furniture at affordable prices, we help to reduce the demand for new goods, which in turn saves energy, reduces carbon emissions and conserves natural resources. According to the environmental protection agency, for every pound of textiles that is reused or recycled, 6 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions are prevented from entering the atmosphere. By this calculation, the 26.4 million pounds of textiles salvaged or recycled by Goodwill in 2023 alone resulted in the prevention of nearly 158 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions. By recycling 2.9 million pounds of cardboard and paper pulp, Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee also saved more than 25,000 trees from being cut down. Trees play a crucial role in reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, so preserving them is an essential part of any sustainability effort. Through our recycling and thrift sales programs, we are proud to contribute to the fight against climate change while providing valuable job training and employment opportunities to members of our community.

Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1957 with a mission to change lives through education, training, and employment. We believe that everyone deserves a hand up, not a handout - a saying coined by our founder, the rev. Edgar j. helms, in the early 1900s. We serve members of our communities who face barriers to employment, including individuals with disabilities and those who have trouble finding and keeping jobs, such as veterans, immigrants, seniors, youth who dropped out of high school and people with a history of justice involvement. Our retail stores also serve as service-oriented employment sites, offering training, work experience, and income for people with disabilities and others who have trouble finding and keeping jobs. We provide our team members with career and life skills training to help them identify their career goals and obtain the skills necessary to meet those goals. Our generous donors provide us with gently used items that we sell in our retail stores, outlets, or online at onlinegoodwill.com. Over 91% of our organization's total revenue is generated from these sales to fund no-cost education, career and technical training, and job placement services in the 48 counties we serve in Middle Tennessee. Although affiliated with Goodwill Industries international in rockville, Maryland, we operate independently through our own local ceo and governing board of directors. We are based in nashville, Tennessee, and are proud to have served our communities for over six decades.

Career solutions sites Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee is committed to providing free job training and placement services to individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment. Through the sale of donated items, we offer education, training, and employment services at no cost to thousands of clients every year. Our vision is that all people have the opportunity to reach their fullest potential through the power of work. With 13 career solutions centers located throughout our service area, we provide job fairs, employment training, and one-on-one career navigation services to all clients. In addition, we offer a range of classes, including resume writing, interview skills, and basic digital literacy. To further expand our reach, we have a mobile career center to provide remote training and job search assistance to rural communities.