In 1902, Goodwill Industries International was founded in Boston by Rev. Edgar J. Helms, a Methodist minister and early social innovator. Helms collected used household goods and clothing in wealthier areas of the city, then trained and hired those who were poor to mend and repair the used goods. The goods were then resold or were given to the people who repaired them. The system worked, and the Goodwill philosophy of self-sufficiency was born.

In 1963, Goodwill Industries of Central North Carolina, Inc. (GICNC) began serving the Triad community by providing career development services to people with barriers to employment, such as a disability or lack of work experience. Through a grant in 1976, we moved our corporate office from Elm Street to Eugene Street, allowing us to expand our building as well as our services. Through a capital campaign in 1993, we were able to expand our corporate offices and services again.

With a desire to offer more services, our organization grew again in 2003, by building a Community Resource Center in Reidsville that opened in 2004. In 2007, we broke ground on a Community Resource Center in Asheboro that opened in 2008. In 2010, Reidsville Community Resource Center added a west wing addition to support health and allied services classes. Currently all three community resource centers utilize staff and curriculum by respective community colleges.  Therefore, those who utilize these services also gain continuing education credits.

In 2010, GICNC broke ground on a new retail model that incorporated our first Career Center. Opened in 2011, the North Elm Career Center offers career services while also allowing shoppers and donors to see the mission of Goodwill. 

Currently, Goodwill operates 18 retail stores and three Community Resource Centers to serve Alamance, Caswell, Guilford, Randolph and Rockingham Counties. Goodwill collects donated items, sells them in stores and uses the revenue to fund job training in community resource centers. Our Community Resource Centers offer evaluations, vocational skills classes, computer labs, career counseling, job search assistance and many other services to vocational rehabilitation clients, department of social services clients and other local residents.

Going forward, Goodwill Industries of Central North Carolina, Inc. has goals for future expansion.  Our strategic plans, based on feasibility studies, is to build a Community Resource Center in Burlington (Alamance County) and Career Centers in Eden (Rockingham County) and Oak Ridge (Guilford County), to enhance accessibility of services within our five county territory assignment.