Mississippi Goodwill

Goodwill of Mississippi has been changing lives since 1957, and more than 60 years later, its Hattiesburg location has no plans to stop.

Goodwill of Mississippi has found a new home in Hattiesburg. For years,

Hardy Street has served as Goodwill’s prime location, but the former Rite Aid building on Highway 49 is the new home of Goodwill, offering more space and opportunities to serve the Hattiesburg community.

Since 1902, Goodwill has served as a source of jobs and hope for those in need. Its founder, Reverend Edgar J. Helms, trained those who were considered poor or unable to work to repair used goods, giving them a trade and household necessities of their own. Today, Goodwill of Mississippi continues this legacy by not only providing used goods for purchase but also providing employment opportunities. President and CEO of Goodwill Mississippi, David Hollingsworth, says, “We are excited to be opening our new goodwill store here. The reason we are is because Goodwill creates jobs. We are looked at as a thrift store, but really we are a job creator.”

Janet Spears from Goodwill of Mississippi’s marketing departments says, “...we help people with disabilities and those who have other barriers toward finding employment.” Goodwill of Mississippi’s mission statement is, “Goodwill of Mississippi assists people with disabilities and other barriers to obtain employment. This mission strengthens individuals, families and our community by changing lives of Mississippians.”

As of 2018, Mississippi ranked 51st in poverty with 19.8% of its population living below the poverty line. In addition, about 5.1% of Mississippians are unemployed according to Talk Poverty. By the year 2020, Goodwill Industries International, Inc. plans to help improve economic self-sufficiency for 20 million people through their 21st Century Initiative, including the nearly 600,000 Mississippians living in poverty. This initiative was launched in 2002 with the goal of getting millions opportunities in the work place by 2020. This initiative includes training people for careers, offering family services for workers, and developing opportunities for employment to those who have previously been considered unemployable. In 2017 alone, over 288,000 people were trained to work in industries like IT, health care, and banking. Goodwill was also ranked in the top five of brands that inspire people the most with its mission.

There are currently seven Goodwill locations in Mississippi, six of those being in the Jackson area, a community with a 30.7% poverty rate, 14% higher than the national average. Goodwill of South Mississippi makes it their personal mission “to eliminate poverty in Mississippi.” With the 21st Century Initiative, cities like Jackson will now have increased job opportunities and help for those in need.

Even with all of the good Goodwill is doing, there have been past instances of legal troubles for the international corporation. A recent case was filed on behalf of former and current Goodwill employees for a lack of overtime wage payments well as failure to pay the California minimum wage for hours worked off-the- clock. In addition to wage troubles, Goodwill recently paid $850,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit filed in San Francisco on behalf of six female janitors who faced sexual harassment by a supervisor.

Despite the lawsuits in California, Goodwill of Mississippi has not faced an legal issues or charges and continues to operate its seven locations- one in Hattiesburg, Clinton, and Pearl and two in Jackson and Ridgeland.

Goodwill’s new location officially opened on March 28th with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Although Goodwill of Mississippi’s Hattiesburg location has changed, the store’s hours have not. The new location will continue to operate Monday through Saturday from 9:00am to 7:00pm with its donation hours being the same with the addition of Sunday from 1:00pm to 5:00pm.

Goodwill of Hattiesburg’s new address is 5916 US Highway 49, only half a mile from the University of Southern Mississippi’s Hattiesburg campus. As the founder of Goodwill, Rev. Edgar J Helms said, Goodwill is “not charity, but a chance.”

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Click here to find out more about the new Hattiesburg opening.