Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit

In the late 1890's, Methodist minister Edgar J. Helms was seeking innovative ways to help the jobless, immigrant population in Boston. He began collecting unwanted household items and hired the jobless to repair and refurbish the items. Income from the resold items paid the workers' wages. The system worked and the Goodwill method of self-help was born. Goodwill Industries was formally incorporated in 1902 with job skills training programs and even rudimentary job placement services.