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Nonprofit Goodwill, known for its second-hand retail stores and donation centers, has announced a merger between two of its Northern California branches.
With an approximate service population of 5 million, the merger will impact shoppers and employees of stores in the Tri-Valley and greater Bay Area region.
Goodwill San Francisco and Goodwill of the Greater East Bay will now join operations, resulting in the newly formed “Goodwill of the San Francisco Bay”. The newly formed Goodwill district will serve the greater San Francisco Bay Area, an area that covers 4,000 square miles and includes the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin and others.
The nonprofit, which uses funds for job training programs and other community services, has been operating in the Bay Area since 1916, running over 30 storefront locations and donation centers. Two of the storefront and donation centers are located within the Tri-Valley, with one in Livermore and one in Dublin.
In late October, Goodwill San Francisco Bay held a “Bridging of the Bay” event to recognize and celebrate the new sector. Hosted by Goodwill SF Bay President and CEO William Rogers, the presentation took place on Treasure Island.
“This merger of Goodwills is about expanding opportunity and life possibilities for some of the most vulnerable populations in the Bay area,” Rogers said at the event. “(There are) people who have often been considered unemployable, individuals who are emerging from homelessness, incarceration and those who have limited skill levels or who have simply fallen on hard times.”
“The Bridging of the Bay event is not only to celebrate our coming together,” Rogers continued. “But to celebrate all of the individuals who, with the help of programs at Goodwill San Francisco Bay have and will continue to transform their lives through training and the power of work.”
According to Goodwill officials, 90% of revenue generated goes directly to programs that are “helping at-risk individuals with high barriers to employment develop skill sets and paid work histories.”
“Goodwill SF Bay hopes the event raises awareness about how simply donating gently used items and shopping at Goodwill stores supports the nonprofit’s ability to provide paid employment and critical workforce development programs,” officials said.
“Goodwill is proud to be one of the only nonprofit organizations to offer employment with benefits, individualized career services, and professional skill development and certifications, all under one roof,” they added.
The Goodwill storefronts and donation centers impacted by the merger will see additional collaboration and resources provided to them by the parent organization in the coming months, according to officials.
Goodwill does alot of good work around the world, but their stores are overpriced now. $9 for a shirt you could buy new for $5. The store in Livermore collects alot of really nice stuff from Livermore, but then puts all the nice stuff on a truck to take elsewhere and even auctions some stuff online. If you look at what’s at other thrift stores in the area, they have alot more nicer stuff. The ‘wares’ are especially bad at Goodwill, with rarely ever anything good or worth the price.