We've been sustainable from the beginning.

Goodwill was founded in Boston, MA in 1902 by Rev. Edgar J. Helms. It was Rev Helms’ vision to end poverty through the power of work and so he began collecting donated goods from his local community with the intent to sell those donated goods for profit, and then use the money to pay the workers who helped refurbish them.

Working to Change the Model

Materials donated to Goodwill follow the Collect, Sell, Salvage model.

• Materials are donated to Goodwill.
• Donated goods are sorted and put on the floor to be sold at Goodwill Retail Stores. Anything that cannot be sold in retail gets sent to our Retail Operations Center (ROC) here in Phoenix, AZ.
• Our team at the ROC then finds alternative markets for the donated goods through the “salvage” market.

Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona (GCNA) is working to identify what else we can do with donated goods between “sell” and “salvage” which is why we are dedicated to identifying responsible end markets for every item donated in an effort to divert materials from landfills.

We’re proud to say that Goodwill equals reuse and here at Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona, we are launching exciting new initiatives to help the Grand Canyon State recycle, repurpose, and reimagine what is possible when we make protecting the planet a priority….

And it all starts with your donations!

Our Opportunity

Currently, an estimated 11.3 million tons of textile waste – equivalent to 85% of all textiles – end up in landfills annually in the United States. Meanwhile, over 80% of plastics used in the United States end up in landfills yearly.

That’s why GCNA is focusing on plastics and textiles to:

Together, we are committed to increasing the impact of tried-and-true methods of reducing waste in landfills while driving workforce, educational, and economic impact in our community.

The Triple Bottom Line: Social, Environmental, and Economic Impact

The triple bottom line is an economic concept that expands a typical business model from focusing only on profits to include social and environmental impacts.

Environmental: We’re maximizing the value of existing products by reselling them in their current state, repurposing or remanufacturing them into new products, or responsibly recycling them.

Social: Goodwill’s mission services provide career development, education advancement, and housing programs that are helping Arizonans find the stability and security they need to flourish.

Economic: Revenue generated from donation resale powers our mission services. We’re creating local jobs and connecting them to sustainable solutions to support economic growth and sustainable employment in our own communities.

Goodwill & Reju Collaboration

Did you know less than 1% of cloth fiber products are made from recycled materials? 

Reju, a materials regeneration company, is dedicated to changing that by creating innovative solutions for recycling polyester textiles. In an exciting move, Reju is collaborating with Goodwill Industries International (GII) and WM to collect and resell or remanufacture discarded textiles into new fabric materials.

GII’s sustainability team is working with local Goodwill organizations across North America to kickstart the project, and Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona is proud to be part of the steering committee for the ambitious initiative.

In 2023, GII diverted over 4.3 billion pounds of donations from landfills, revenue from which supported career development and other community-based services for more than 1.7 million people. GII and WM will play a critical role in collection and sorting, and the initiative aims to create a circular textile-to-textile ecosystem.

“Goodwill has been a leader in sustainability for over a century, and we are proud to be a part of the solution for advancing textile recycling.” – Beth Forsberg, SVP of Sustainability, Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona

Partnerships

We know that being successful also means building community partnerships and learning from the successes of others. That’s why GCNA is forming partnerships that foster shared values and a shared vision so we can all work together towards a shared mission.

Arizona State University (ASU) – In February 2024, we celebrated the launch of a brand new, state-of-the-art circular plastics microfactory with ASU’s Rob and Melani Walton Sustainability Solutions Service that will turn old plastics into new products. This could be something like a new skateboard deck, outdoor furniture, and more. The possibilities are limitless. This 10,000-square-foot facility, located at our Retail Operations Center, uses our newly upgraded, advanced sorting processes to reclaim and repurpose thousands of pounds of plastics annually.

Be a part of the solution!

We can’t do this without you. The more goods that are donated to Goodwill, the better understanding we have of what is in our waste streams and once we understand what we’re dealing with, we can innovate and find new solutions to revitalize the reduce, reuse, recycle model!

Help support the planet and empower your local community – find a store or donation center near you and donate your gently used goods today!