Goodwill Industries International is the umbrella organization for a North American network of about 150 autonomous, community-based Goodwill nonprofits. Founded in Boston in 1902 by Methodist minister Edgar J. Helms, it runs the classic model of collecting donated clothing and household goods, reselling them through thrift stores and, increasingly, online, and using the proceeds to fund free job training, career services, and support programs. The parent body sets brand standards, coordinates national partnerships, and runs shared initiatives such as the online marketplace GoodwillFinds and the Goodwill Digital Career Accelerator, while local members deliver services on the ground.
Thomas (Tom) Moran is the former President and CEO of Goodwill Central Coast, the Salinas-based nonprofit that runs retail thrift stores, donation centers, and job-training programs across Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo counties. A physics major turned MBA turned retail-finance lifer, he came in as CFO in 2018 and was elevated to CEO in 2020 after stints at Conn's, West Marine, ARAMARK, Limited Brands, and CarMax.