The first Goodwill began in Boston in 1902. Then, Goodwill founder, Dr. Edgar J. Helms, in an attempt to meet the needs of families in his neighborhood, took a burlap coffee bag and went to his friends in other parts of Boston, returning with bags full of discards from their closets. The plan of repairing these garments and selling them for money to pay wages to the workers quickly developed into Goodwill.

Through the years, the mission and scope of Goodwill has grown. Today, Goodwill focuses on two areas: offering the job training and vocational rehabilitation necessary for disabled or disadvantaged people to lead independent lives and collecting donations from the communities it serves to provide employment in the production and retail areas of Goodwill.

The strength of the Vocational Services program of Goodwill Industries lies in the ability to train people to meet identified needs in the community. One of the greatest challenges facing the business world is finding qualified workers to fill jobs, particularly at the entry level. Yet while this shortage exists, people with disabilities and other barriers to employment remain unemployed.