Goodwill Industries of Central Oklahoma is a community-based, nonprofit agency in Central Oklahoma serving central Oklahoma as well as Ada and Ardmore.

Goodwill 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.

Dr. Helms’ vision set an early course for what today has become more than a $5 billion nonprofit organization. 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.”

Every day we are advancing our mission of helping people overcome challenges to employment. This is accomplished through the operation of retail stores, contract services and offering a variety of programs and training classes designed to make individuals more career-ready.

How We Advance Our Mission

• Help to those needing a job or job training
• Help to people with disabilities
• Help to homeless veterans
• Help to people coming out of the justice system
• Help to organizations who need janitorial or unarmed security services

We give job training to thousands of Oklahomans a year.

We also offer skills training to our non-profit partners in the community to help individuals with barriers to employment obtain the skills they need to transform their lives through the power of work.

Goodwill’s Core Values

Respect

• Listen
• Show care and compassion
• Appreciate the opinions of others

Integrity

• Do the right thing
• Be open and truthful
• Uphold our values

Commitment

• Pursue excellence
• Hold ourselves and others accountable
• Work as a team

Innovation

• Seek better ways of doing things
• Welcome ideas
• Learn and grow

Goodwill Mission

Goodwill is Empowering Individuals
Goodwill’s mission is clear. We help people overcome challenges to employment. The revenue from your donations goes back into the central Oklahoma community by providing jobs and resources to transform lives through the power of work.

As a second-chance employer, a majority of our workforce has a criminal background. Through our partnership with the Department of Corrections, we can provide jobs to non-violent offenders who are transitioning out of incarceration.

We also employ individuals with disabilities. In fact, 75% of our janitorial staff has a disability.

In 2020, our Job Connection Center provided 4,054 Job seeker services. We reached more than 12,000 people worldwide through our virtual job training services. When we say we help people get back on their feet, we mean it.

Watch Goodwill’s success stories here and learn how we’ve helped people overcome challenges to employment.

Work for Goodwill

Working at Goodwill is more than just a job. We are seeking individuals with a desire to help us grow our mission which is To help people overcome challenges to employment and transform lives through the power of work. We believe in hiring capable, talented people committed to making a difference and sharing values of respect, integrity, commitment and innovation. With a Goodwill career, your work will support a mission to enhance lives. You can be a part of it all!

Achieve Your Dream
At Goodwill, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to work, earn wages and achieve their dreams.

Growth Potential
We always have job opportunities with growth potential available. With jobs available across Central Oklahoma, you can find an opportunity right for you.

Achieve Your Goals
We’re committed to helping you achieve your goals, whether it’s earning a credential or degree, planning for your next career, polishing your job search and interview skills, or getting your finances in order.