About Us
Dignity & Quality of Life
At Goodwill Manasota we strive to enhance the dignity and quality of life of individuals and families by helping people reach their full potential through education, skills training and the power of work.
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Through the sale of your donated goods, we’re able to provide employment training, job placement, career services and other Mission Services that lead to self-sufficiency. We are honored to invest our time and resources in individuals who are seeking a hand up - not a hand-out - so they can get on a path to career and life success.
Our Employees Earn A Competitive Wage
All of Goodwill Manasota’s team members earn well over minimum wage - our wages start at $14/hour.
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As a CARF-accredited agency, Goodwill programs provide services and support to individuals with various barriers to success, including intellectual and developmental disabilities, so they may exercise their right to lead fulfilling lives and participate fully in their communities. At Goodwill, we choose to focus on abilities rather than see barriers to our mutual success; we believe that everyone deserves the right to live, learn, play and work in the community, with plentiful choices and opportunities.
We are a nonprofit organization. Revenue from our retail stores
supports our Mission Services.
Many people know that we resell gently-used items - which are donated to us from generous members of the community - at discounted prices but this is not the primary reason for our operations. Revenue from Goodwill's retail stores help fund our Mission Services programs, such as our Job Connection, American Veterans and Their Families program, the GoodPartner Coach program, and the Supported JobsPlus program.
Our Mission:​
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Through The Power Of Work
CHANGING
LIVES
Our Executive Team
Donn Githens
President & CEO
Brady O'Neil
VP of Operations
Bob Stanell
Financial/Treasury
Alexa Olivas
VP of Donated Goods Operations
Adrian Gessen
Senior VP of Organizational Development ​
Melissa Carman
VP of Engagement
Margie Genter
VP of Mission Services
Angela Gerholdt
VP of HR and Risk Management
Board of Directors
Goodwill Manasota is accountable to a local Board of Directors, comprising leaders from the community with a wide variety of areas of expertise. Goodwill Manasota, in essence, belongs to this community and is not owned by any individual or company.
Xtavia Bailey
Betsy Benac (Chair)
Steve Boone
Rich Cautero
Rod Hollingsworth
Eric Kaplan
Laurie O'Loughlin
James McClure
Rob Morris
Laura Ritchey
Allen Weinstein
Brad West
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History
Goodwill was founded in 1902 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 “a hand up, not a hand out” was born.
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Dr. Helms described Goodwill Industries as an “industrial program as well as a social service enterprise…a provider of employment, training and rehabilitation for people of limited employability, and a source of temporary assistance for individuals whose resources were depleted.”
Even with a laudable history and record of accomplishment, Goodwill can't be satisfied when so many people still need our services. Times have changed but Helms’ vision remains constant. “We have courage and are unafraid. With the prayerful cooperation of millions of our bag contributors and of our workers, we will press on till the curse of poverty and exploitation is banished from mankind.