How Goodwill Works

Goodwill Industries-Knoxville's mission is changing lives and strengthening families by helping people reach their full potential through community-relevant job training, work experiences, and career services.

Donate - Donations help people and the environment! Clothing, furniture and household goods like books, toys and dishes stay in use and out of the landfill.
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Shop - Donated items are sorted and processed for resale in Goodwill retail stores, which provides an affordable shopping alternative for the community.
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Job Training Programs - Proceeds from the sale of donated items provide the funding for our job training programs and employment services.
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Change Lives - When given the proper training and counseling, individuals are able to overcome their barriers to employment to obtain and maintain meaningful employment and are able to contribute to their community.
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Our Impact

In 2019, Goodwill Industries-Knoxville served 4,086 individuals through our job training programs. We operate 29 stores in 15 counties, which fund our five Employment Training and Workforce Development Centers.

Goodwill agencies around the country serve more than 2.4 million people each year.

Review our 2019 Annual Program Report

Goodwill Works: Success Stories

Goodwill Works: Meet Tenille

Being a teenager is difficult in the best of situations but a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, severe anxiety, and manic depression, can almost make life devastating. Tabitha “Tenille” Ochoa was this teenager labeled with these disabilities. She spent a great deal of time during her teen years in and out of hospitals. During this time, she required medications to address the specific diagnosis symptoms. Relationships within the family were tested and her ability to look to the future was bleak.

Goodwill Works: Meet Jennifer

Jennifer Carson knew early on she wanted to have a job so she could earn her own money - her first thoughts about being employed began in high school. She wanted a job so she could earn her own money to use how she pleased while spending time with her friends.

Goodwill Works: Meet Katie

Weighing in at one pound, nine ounces at birth and spending four months in the NICU at Children’s Hospital, Katie never expected to fast forward to 2019 with such successes under her belt.

Goodwill Works: Meet Julie

Julie was ready to enter the workforce again after being a stay-at-home mom. She always wanted to work at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and was bound and determined to get her computer skills up to date so she could reenter the workforce…

Goodwill Works: Meet Callie

Callie was running in different directions to try to make her dream come true. Her dream: to have her scratch-made jam business be her single income source, but Callie was juggling three part-time jobs…

Goodwill Works: Meet Dennis

Happy Father’s Day to Dennis! Find out how he landed his new job and is helping support his family.

Goodwill Week: Meet the CNAs

The CNA program at Goodwill is one of our most popular programs. In celebration of National Goodwill Week, check out what our most recent graduates have to say about their experience.

Goodwill Week: Meet Jesse

For National Goodwill we’re celebrating the success of our program participants; check out how Jesse had grown and moved on to the next chapter in his life.

Goodwill Week: Meet Anjanette

It’s National Goodwill Week; let’s celebrate the successes of our amazing program participants! Anjanette, a mother of two, is on that road to success with the help of Goodwill’s SPACE program.

Goodwill Week: Meet Sarah

It’s National Goodwill Week and to celebrate we’re spotlighting several of our program participants: Sarah is living her dream job in the medical field. Find out how Sarah got the certification and support she needed to get to work!

How Goodwill Works

Our Impact

Goodwill Works: Success Stories

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