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Before Mark started working at Goodwill in 2016, he was looking for a chance to start a career but had some roadblocks in the way.   

“I moved from California in 2008. But before that, I had been in prison for 12 years,” Mark shared. “Coming here was a fresh start. But when [companies] saw my record, nobody wanted to give me a fresh start.”

Mark owned a cleaning company, but the income was too inconsistent, so he came to Goodwill looking for some help with his job search.  

“I went to Goodwill for resume help, but then I started working in the stores,” he said. “The store manager told me the first day, ‘You should be in management.’ Six months to a year later, she promoted me to Shift Manager and then Assistant Manager.”

As an Assistant Manager, Mark says that every day brings something different to his position.

“I like being flexible. I like the freedom and the opportunity to do a little bit of everything. I like talking and laughing with the customers and seeing people find a gem that they’ve been looking for,” he shared. 

Finding a position at Goodwill helped Mark build a life with more stability. 

“It helped me mentally and financially, because mentally, I was beaten up. Everybody was telling me no. In the eight years that I’ve been here, I’ve barely missed a day. Goodwill saw my record, and they still gave me a chance. So, I’m going to make good on the chance they took with me,” he emphasized. 

In April, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont recognizes Second Chance Month, a time to raise awareness of the challenges facing people with justice-involved backgrounds and to spotlight the important work being done by community-based organizations to empower second chance individuals to achieve career and life success. Mark is a demonstration of our mission, growing from a participant we served to a Goodwill team member.

“[Goodwill] can help you get where you want to be, or at least take that first step,” he stated. “When I’m cashiering and a customer asks what the round up goes to, I get the opportunity to explain to them that I came through the program that you’re donating to. So, it makes an impact.”

Throughout his journey here at Goodwill, Mark has found close friends, many that he considers family, that have also inspired him.

“I’ve met a lot of good people through Goodwill,” he said. “I enjoy the people I work with; we’re like a big family. Most of us have been working together since I started; and some of them [worked here] before me. I was their peer and now I’m their manager, but they respect that, and I appreciate it. Everybody here has been so helpful. It made me believe in the Goodwill experience.”

ABOUT THE DONATION DRIVE

Join Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont and WCNC Charlotte for the Goodwill Day of Giving on Saturday, May 11, from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Charlotte Premium Outlets! Clean out your closets, declutter your drawers, and drop off the items you no longer want at this special donation drive. Not sure what you can donate? Check out our list of items we can and cannot accept!

HOW YOUR DONATIONS DO GOOD

FOR THE COMMUNITY:

We’ll sell the donations we receive from this special drive in our retail stores and online shops, and use the proceeds to fund job training programs, job search support services, family stability services and more – all of which we offer free of charge to thousands of people in our community each year. Last year, your donations and purchases allowed us to help more than 9,000 people in our community advance their careers and improve their lives.

FOR THE PLANET:

When you donate your unwanted items to Goodwill, you give them a second chance. Goodwill stores play a big part in the circular economy, which is a system that keeps products in circulation for as long as possible. Goodwill helps communities extend the life of usable items, which lessens the amount of material sent to landfills or incinerators. Millions of donated items are given a second life through your local Goodwill each year.

CAN’T MAKE IT?

If you can’t make it to the Goodwill Day of Giving, don’t worry! Goodwill accepts donations every day at its 36 retail stores and 10+ drop-off locations.

 

Did you know that donating your electronics and gently used items to Goodwill helps the earth tremendously? Help keep our planet safe and healthy while you declutter and start your spring cleaning this season.

RECYCLE YOUR ELECTRONICS WITH GOODWILL

Electronic waste is the fastest-growing waste problem in the world. Did you know that you can donate your used electronics to Goodwill, whether or not they work? Through our partnership with Dell Reconnect, we’ll refurbish your donated electronics to sell at our tech store, the GRID: Powered by Goodwill. If we can’t sell your electronic donations, we’ll recycle them responsibly, ensuring they don’t end up in a landfill. Here are four ways you can recycle your tech this Earth Month:

We accept the following items in all conditions and all brands:

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

In addition to helping the planet, donating your electronics and other items makes a difference by connecting people in our community to resources and job training at no cost. Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont uses the revenue generated from the sale of donations throughout its stores and online to provide job placement and training, certifications and credentials for anyone looking to grow their careers. Read about just a few of the thousands of people we’ve helped thanks to your donations here. 

The Lowe’s Foundation Gable Grants program is a five-year, $50 million commitment to help prepare 50,000 people for skilled trades careers. These Gable Grants directly support community and technical colleges, community-based nonprofit organizations and national nonprofit partners with strong local presence.  

The Lowe’s Foundation today announced Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont is the recipient of an $800,000 award to support its Construction & Trade Skills training program. 

“We are grateful to Lowe’s for the longstanding support for our mission services at Goodwill, especially for our career training programs since our Construction Skills Training Center was built in 2019,” said Chris Jackson, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont. “This grant is an incredible show of support and trust in the work that we do to help people acquire new skills and launch meaningful careers so they can achieve more for themselves, and their families. These funds will allow Goodwill to equip more community members with in-demand construction skills to not only meet the need for qualified talent in Charlotte, but to provide access to careers with great earning potential, health and other benefits so more people in our community can prosper.” 

There is an acute skilled trades workforce crisis in the US, with the Associated Builders and Contractors estimating that 501,000 new skilled tradespeople will be needed on top of the normal pace of hiring to meet demand this year alone.  

Training programs like the ones offered at Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont are proven to help participants find success – in fact, in 2023, more than 100 graduates launched their construction careers, with an average starting wage of $20.98 per hour, with 90 percent of them retaining those positions.  

Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont will use its $800,000 grant to scale its Construction & Trade Skills training program that not only offers industry-recognized credentials and skills, but also stability services, personalized coaching and access to employers to launch successful construction careers.  

During a check presentation at the Lowe’s Tech Hub this morning, Jackson said, “This support for our Construction & Trade training program is enabling us to expand the number of classes and cohorts to support more than 600 people with construction training in the next two years in HVAC, electrical, carpentry and construction basics.” 

He explained that this grant will also allow the nonprofit to offer access to additional online learning material, and increase virtual and augmented reality training offerings – as they shift to more dynamic and interactive learning models to support people’s unique learning styles. 

Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont is one of two nonprofits in Charlotte to receive a Gable Grant, which is part a larger $6 million investment from the Lowe’s Foundation to 10 total nonprofits across the country offering innovative skilled trades programming. 

New Outlet Store in Rock Hill

Goodwill is opening its second outlet store in the region this April, and we are looking for new teammates to join us in frontline positions! Second Editions: A Goodwill Outlet Store demonstrates stewardship and sustainability at its highest level, ensuring that donations made to Goodwill do not go to waste. This new outlet store will be located in Rock Hill, SC.

Get Hired on the Spot

Are you or someone you know looking for exciting work with purpose? Come to our upcoming hiring event where you could get an offer on the spot! The hiring event will take place on Tuesday, March 12, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at York Technical Community College in the Baxter Hood Center.

We’ll be hiring for the following positions at this event:

Pay & Benefits

As a Goodwill team member, you not only get to do meaningful work, but you also receive great benefits and competitive pay – with frontline team members starting at $15/hour. In addition to great benefits (like comprehensive health insurance, vacation and sick pay), team members also receive access to free career development and job training programs, opportunities for career advancement and more.

Apply Beforehand

If you’re interested in attending our hiring event, we encourage you to save time by filling out an application beforehand. Note: You can filter the jobs by typing “Rock Hill Second Editions” into the search bar.

We’re Staffing Our New Albemarle Crossing Store

Goodwill is opening a new retail location in Albemarle in February, and we are looking for new teammates to join us in both frontline and management positions.

Get Hired on the Spot

Are you or someone you know looking for exciting work with purpose? Come to one of our upcoming hiring events, where you could get an offer on the spot!

We’ll be hiring for the following positions at these events:

Pay & Benefits

As a Goodwill team member, you not only get to do meaningful work, but you also receive great benefits and competitive pay:
In addition to great benefits (like comprehensive health insurance, vacation and sick pay), team members also receive access to free career development and skill training courses, opportunities for career advancement and more.

Apply Beforehand

If you’re interested in attending one of our hiring events, we encourage you to save time by filling out an application beforehand. Note: You can filter the jobs by typing “Albemarle Crossing” into the search bar.

HIRING EVENT FOR NEW CHARLOTTE STORE

Goodwill is opening a new retail store in the Shopton Square shopping center in Charlotte early next year, and we’re hosting a hiring event to fill frontline and management positions! Are you or someone you know looking for exciting work with purpose? Come to our upcoming hiring event where you could get an offer on the spot!

WHY WORK AT GOODWILL?

As a Goodwill team member, you not only get to do meaningful work that makes our community better, but you also receive great benefits and competitive pay.

In addition to great benefits (like comprehensive health insurance, vacation and sick pay), team members also receive access to free skills training, free career coaching, opportunities for career advancement and more.

APPLY BEFOREHAND

If you’re interested in attending the hiring event, we encourage you to fill out an application beforehand. Note: You can filter the jobs by typing “Shopton” into the search bar. Once your application has been received, someone from our HR team will reach out to you to provide additional information.

Goodwill is hosting a donation drive in partnership with the Charlotte Knights! Stop by and donate your gently-used clothing, electronics, household items and more.

DETAILS

ENTER TO WIN PRIZES

When you donate your gently-used items, not only will you be giving back to your community – you’ll also be entered to win an XBOX One or a 50-inch flat screen TV!

THANK YOU, VETERANS!

In honor of Veterans Day, any veterans, military members or their dependents who donate will receive a coupon for 25% off donated goods at any Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont retail store, excluding its outlet store, Second Editions. Donors must show their veteran/military/dependent ID at the donation drive to receive the coupon.

YOUR DONATIONS MAKE AN IMPACT!

You can feel good about donating to Goodwill because your gently-used items will do good for our community! The revenue we generate from selling items in our stores funds career training courses, job search support, family stability services and more – all of which we offer free of charge to thousands of people in our community each year, including our own team members.

As employers seek to support the growth and development of their employees through clear career pathways, comprehensive benefits packages and/or wage increases, it is important for employers to be aware of some of the unintended consequences of some of these decisions. Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont is one of four employers piloting the CLIFF Employer Tool developed by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.

The CLIFF Employer Tool is designed to analyze the financial implications of wage increases and seek innovative solutions to lessen the impact of the benefits cliff on economic growth and mobility for lower wage earners.

Goodwill has initiated the use of the tool through its Pathways Program. Pathways Career Navigators introduced the tool to 117 participants, with 25 actively utilizing it. These individuals engaged in thoughtful discussions, understanding the tool’s benefits, potential impact on benefits reduction, and insights into public assistance complexities, aiding their career and financial choices.

Feedback from participants underscored the CLIFF Employer Tool as a valuable resource for plotting career paths, financial planning and family expansion. Despite potential benefit reductions, participants expressed dedication to career growth, adjusting strategies to address possible financial challenges. Noteworthy was their comprehension of the balance between wage increases and reduced benefits, encompassing considerations like Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), SNAP, Medicaid, and increased housing costs.

The successful initial phase propels the Pathways team to extend the tool’s implementation to 30-45 more participants. The accomplishment highlights the tool’s potential in empowering individuals to make knowledgeable decisions about their careers and finances, skillfully navigating the intricacies of public benefits.

WE’RE STAFFING OUR NEW LAURINBURG STORE

Goodwill is opening a new retail location in Laurinburg later this year, and we are looking for new teammates to join us for both frontline and management positions! 

GET HIRED ON THE SPOT

Are you or someone you know looking for exciting work with purpose in the Laurinburg area? Come to our upcoming hiring event where you could get an offer on the spot!

WHY WORK AT GOODWILL?

As a Goodwill team member, you not only get to do meaningful work, but you also receive great benefits and competitive pay.

In addition to great benefits (like comprehensive health insurance, vacation and sick pay), team members also receive access to free career development and skill training courses, opportunities for career advancement and more. If you want to work with purpose, join us at our retail hiring event!

APPLY BEFOREHAND

If you’re interested in attending, we encourage you to fill out an application beforehand. Note: You can filter the jobs by typing “Laurinburg” into the search bar. Once your application has been received, someone from our HR team will reach out to you to provide additional information.