History of Goodwill Industries of East Texas, Inc.

Goodwill Industries International began as a vision of founder Rev. Edgar J. Helms. He was seeking a way to help the needy in his community at the Morgan Memorial Chapel in Boston, Massachusetts. During that time, Boston had a large population of hungry, homeless and people in need.

Rev. Helms, a young idealistic minister took a burlap bag and went door to door seeking donations of unwanted clothing and household goods. He offered these items to those needing work as a means to make a living. Today there are 155 Goodwill agencies in North America, as well as more than a dozen internationally.

Tyler leaders saw a need to help those with barriers to employment and helped gather community support to start Goodwill in East Texas. Those leaders included Isadore Roosth, P.K. Caldwell and C.R. Lindsey.

Goodwill Industries of East Texas, Inc. (GIET) began as a branch of Goodwill Industries headquartered in Dallas, Texas. In 1975, it was incorporated as an independent Goodwill agency and was granted 501 (c) 3 non-profit status by the IRS. (Internal Revenue Service. Retail stores were opened and were accepting donated goods. Rehabilitation services were offered shortly thereafter.

In 1997, Goodwill of East Texas merged with a local sheltered workshop, Opportunities In Tyler (OIT), to insure continued availability of the services offered by OIT. The operation became the Commercial Services Division and offers an Extended Employment Services Workshop to individuals with severe disabilities. In 2009, Goodwill of East Texas merged with Goodwill of the Pines, headquartered in Longview, Texas., which it founded years earlier. Today, GIET offers services in Anderson, Cherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Marion, Panola, Rusk, Shelby, Smith, Upshur, VanZandt and Wood counties.

In July 2013, the present President/CEO, Kimberly B. Lewis, joined the organization. That same year a strategic plan was developed to provide a path for growth steeped in mission services, financial strength and talent acquisition to best meet the needs of East Texans. The mission of the organization is to provide skills training and vocational opportunities for people with barriers to employment.

The services offered include Assessments, Work Adjustment Training (WAT), Personal Social Adjustment Training, Job Coaching, Job Placement, Supported Employment, Re-Entry, Veteran’s Services, Literacy, Counseling, YouthWorks Academy, GoodAssist, GoodTemps,  GoodBiz, GoodTech Academy as well as a variety of Computer Classes and Information Technology (IT) Certification Courses.