Specialties
Goodwill of the San Francisco Bay is a local nonprofit that has been changing lives through the power of work since 1916. With the support of community donations that we sell in our stores, we create life-changing opportunities for local people experiencing barriers to employment by providing free career services, job training and jobs. We also provide an affordable alternative to buying new – which is good for the planet and our local community.
History
Established in 1902.
Goodwill was founded in 1902 in Boston by Rev. Edgar J. Helms. An 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 “A Hand Up, Not a Hand Out” was born. There are now 162 Goodwill chapters in the United States and Canada. In the Bay Area, Helms worked with the Rev. Samuel Quickmire to establish Goodwill of San Francisco at an earthquake shelter at 16th and Mission streets in 1916. As the third Goodwill in the United States, it spawned an additional seven Goodwill operations in Northern California over the next 20 years.
Meet the Manager
Sara C.
Your purchase has a purpose. When you shop at Goodwill you provide critical job services to Bay Area people facing barriers to employment. We create second chances through training and the dignity of work.
