Ruth Espy

Palmetto Goodwill

Goodwill was founded in 1902 in Boston's South End by Reverend Edgar J. Helms, a Methodist minister. Helms collected used household goods and clothing in wealthier areas of the city, then trained and hired the poor and immigrants 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. The organization, formally incorporated in 1910, provided job skills training programs and even a rudimentary placement service. The name "Goodwill Industries" was later adopted after a Brooklyn, NY, workshop coined the phrase. Here in Lower South Carolina, your local Goodwill has been building better communities through the power of work since the 1970s. In 1974, a small group of local citizens raised concerns over the lack of opportunities for people with disabilities in the Charleston area. After five years of endless meetings and small fund raising activities, the group received a charter from Goodwill Industries International and the agency officially opened its doors on October 16, 1979 with the name Goodwill Industries of Lower South Carolina, Inc. Since its inception, your local Goodwill has continued to provide services to individuals, businesses and organizations throughout the South Carolina. The community has supported Goodwill Industries with donations of goods, monetary contributions and by shopping in Goodwill retail stores. Because of this support, Goodwill's mission of helping people achieve their full potential through the dignity and power of work is as relevant today as it was when Goodwill opened its doors in 1979.