Edgar J. Helms began the Goodwill Movement in Boston over 100 years ago. As a Methodist Minister, Helms devoted much of his energy and resources to his troubled community. The need was great, and Helms was quickly overwhelmed with requests from the community for food and clothing. Something simply had to be done.
He began collecting items in a burlap bag from the weathier areas around Boston. These items were damaged, discarded or just not of use to the affluent in the area. Helms brought the items back, and offered the poor wages for fixing and repairing the items. The repaired products were then sold to other people in the area. This is what would later come to be known as Goodwill Industries. It was Helms who believed that people needed "a chance not a charity,” and this became the new organization's motto.
In a 1924 interview with Earl Christmas, Helms states:
"You can't help a man by doubting him," Helms said. "When he tells us he wants to work, we assume that he does. When you give a man a job, you are not dealing with a pauper. He is not an applicant for charity. He wants to give something for what he receives, so we do not need to make 'investigation' the first item of our program." (Wooster 2002)
In 1935 The Ministerial Association met with Rev. Baker, Executive of Cleveland Goodwill and explained the work of Goodwill Industries. In 1935 our goodwill was organized, a board of directors was appointed and we are still here today after 77 years of service.
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