Fact Sheet

Goodwill of Orange County Mission

Our Mission is to provide people with disabilities and other barriers the opportunity to achieve their highest levels of personal and economic independence.

Who We Are

• Goodwill was founded in 1902 by Reverend Edgar J. Helms in Boston Massachusetts.
• Goodwill of Orange County opened its doors in 1924 as a branch of the Los Angeles-based Goodwill Industries of Southern California.
• Our Orange County operation began as a storefront on Fourth Street in Santa Ana and has since become a well-recognized community service provider and leading employer with more than 900 employees and an annual budget of more than $78 million.

Who We Serve

• Goodwill of Orange County serves more than 1,000 children and adults with disabilities and other barriers to independence each day.
• Program participants are referred to Goodwill by the Regional Center of Orange County, the Department of Rehabilitation for the State of California, local schools, hospitals, and insurance companies.

What We Do

• Provide a comprehensive array of education, training, and employment services to assist individuals to overcome barriers to employment and to succeed at home, at work, or at school.
• Program participants are paid for their work based on their level of productivity and ability. We focus on a person's ability, not their disability.
• Our program participants are trained in Packaging and Assembly, Custodial Services, Maintenance, Retail Sales, Retail Processing, Document Destruction, E-waste Solutions, and Stock Room Management.

Our Successes

• Goodwill of Orange County is a responsible nonprofit agency. 91 cents every dollar spent goes directly to our services for people with disabilities and other barriers to independence.
• Recognized as one of the seven Best Companies to Work for in Orange County by OC Metro Magazine.
• Goodwill of Orange County has received its third consecutive 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America's premier independent charity evaluator, for effectiveness, organizational, and efficiency.
  
• Voted Best Thrift Store by The Orange County Register readers.
• Achieved three-year CARF (The Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission) Accreditation consistently since 1980.