Heart of Texas Goodwill Industries

Heart of Texas Goodwill's retail operations serves as the mechanism for the organization to help people reach their full potential through the power of work. Goodwill accepts donated clothing and other household goods which are processed and sold in one of its retail stores. This process creates jobs in the community for people with barriers to employment as well as on-the-job training opportunities for people with disabilities or individuals needing help getting acclimated back into the workforce. The revenue generated from the sale of goods sold in Goodwill retail stores is then used to fund community-based employment services, skills training programs, and job placement assistance in one of five job connection centers.

Goodwill's contract services division creates job opportunities for people with disabling conditions through the state set-aside program with the state of Texas as well as contracts created with local municipalities. These contracts include litter pick-up along highways and state parks, mowing state-operated facilities and roadside picnic areas, and landscaping services. People with disabilities receive priority on these contracts.

The sale of donated items received from donors plays a significant role behind the scenes at Goodwill, helping to fund life-changing training programs and vocational services for individuals seeking greater success in the workplaces. Goodwill develops work opportunities and vocational training courses for people with barriers to employment and disabling conditions by partnering with state agencies and other community organizations. These partnerships create on-the-job training programs that give people the skills they need to succeed in the workplace, all while they earn a paycheck. These paid training opportunities occur within Goodwill's retail operations or at state offices, doing work such as legal services or general office work. These partnerships also create a pipeline of referrals to Goodwill's one-on-one and classroom-based job readiness and computer training, geared towards people looking to upgrade their skills or need help in their employment search. Most services are free and are offered by dedicated mission services staff located in one of five community-based job connection centers operated by Goodwill. Special programs also exist to serve specific populations such as veterans, justice involved, youth, and houseless.