After more than 50 years operating under the same mission statement, Goodwill® Industries of the Southern Piedmont today unveiled new mission and vision statements to an audience of hundreds of donors, volunteers, and supporters at its annual event, Good Morning, Opportunity. The new statements, in addition to the nonprofit’s established purpose, reflect the organization’s changing role in the community over the years and clearly communicate the depth and breadth of the programs and services it provides to help people achieve their greatest potential and live their best life.
The nonprofit’s guiding statements now read:
Purpose Statement:
Goodwill exists to help people see possibilities, seize opportunities, and prosper.
Mission Statement:
Goodwill builds pathways that help people pursue the life they want to achieve.
Vision Statement:
Goodwill envisions a community where equitable access to career opportunities is available for all.
Each of these statements are the result of a shared strategic reflection effort by internal and external stakeholders. After more than a year of intensive conversations with donors, board members, teammates, participants and members of the community, Goodwill embarks on these redefined statements that better align with its goals and aspirations.
“These words reinforce the role we play in the community, as our organization’s work stretches far beyond just employment,” said Chris Jackson, CEO and president of Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont. “We believe these are unifying statements that not only guide our work but represent our holistic approach to supporting people in our community on their journeys and creating more equitable access to career and personal development opportunities throughout our region.”
Goodwill has been serving the Southern Piedmont region of North and South Carolina since 1965. What started as an organization to help people find work has grown into an invaluable community partner that offers so much more, including skills training, career counseling, employment tools and resources, financial needs programs, and community partnerships. These programs are available to anyone in the community looking for opportunities to grow and achieve more – offered at no cost thanks to donations and purchases from the community. Working to uncover possibilities and remove obstacles to goal fulfillment, Goodwill is changing family legacies, helping uncover their passions, enhance their skill sets, and achieve more for themselves and their families—creating a brighter future for all.
“Language is incredibly powerful and impacts the way we think, feel, and act, and we carefully constructed our new statements to provide clarity and direction,” Jackson said. “These statements are forward-thinking and represent Goodwill’s goals to lead our community toward addressing the obstacles that impact people’s ability to prosper and provide solutions for individuals that create equitable opportunities for all.”
With 25 retail stores, the Goodwill Opportunity Campus, the Goodwill Construction Skills Training Center, regional career centers, and business and educational partnerships, Goodwill employs more than 900 people in the greater Charlotte area and touches the lives of thousands throughout the region each year. The organization has bold plans to open more than 25 additional retail stores and donation centers over the next 5 years, creating more jobs that help to fund essential programs to help members of the community thrive.
“Our hope is that the members of our community see themselves reflected in these statements in a way that honors their individual pathways to success,” said LaRita Barber, the organization’s chief advancement officer. “While many feel that mission and vision statements are inward statements for an organization, we hope the impact of these words will reverberate throughout the community and definitively connect with those we serve.”
The new mission, vision, purpose, and brand guiding statements are available at www.goodwillsp.org/about-us/mission-vision-values.
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About Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont
Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont is a nonprofit organization that connects people to opportunities to find gainful employment and meaningful work. Through its 25 retail stores and more than 30 donation sites, the Goodwill Opportunity Campus, and partnerships with employers and other organizations, Goodwill builds pathways for members of the community to uncover their passions, enhance their skill sets, and achieve more for themselves and their families—creating a brighter future for all. As a social enterprise, proceeds from the sale of donated goods fund job training and employment services offered free of charge to members of the community. In 2020, Goodwill helped 697 people launch new careers, provided coaching to 1,381 individuals and helped 397 people complete training. At the Goodwill Opportunity Campus, the organization partners with Charlotte Metro Credit Union, Charlotte Community Health Clinic and Dentistry, among others, to provide health and financial resources so individuals can truly be successful in work and life.
You can learn more about Goodwill programs and services and view testimonials from participants by visiting www.goodwillsp.org.
Media Contact
LiZeatra Wilson | Public Relations & Communications Manager
Direct: (561) 676-7801 | Email: LiZeatra.Wilson@goodwillsp.org
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