The Goodwill Store

This Jamaica Plain Goodwill is a thrift store run by the nonprofit Goodwill organization, selling pre-owned clothing, shoes, furniture, housewares and other goods. Goodwill’s mission is to help individuals with barriers to self-sufficiency achieve independence and dignity through work. The store belongs to a long-standing nonprofit chain, and Goodwill’s Boston organization pairs its retail stores with career services and workforce development programs.

Goodwill as a movement began in Boston in the early 1900s, when Methodist minister Edgar J. Helms started collecting used goods and hiring people in need to repair and resell them. Today the organization’s mission still centers on work: its stores sell good-quality, low-cost items that help shoppers stretch their dollar, and it shares success stories from people who have built new lives through its programs.

What to Know

• Goodwill publishes a list of acceptable donation items, so check it before dropping off goods.
• Job seekers can get help through the Goodwill Boston Career Center and its workforce development programs.
• Employers can recruit work-ready candidates through the career center.
• Financial donations are accepted in addition to donated goods.