Goodwill Central Coast

Goodwill Central Coast is a chapter of the national thrift store chain Goodwill, serving Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties.

According to its official website, the mission of Goodwill Central Coast is to build “lives, families and communities by helping
people with employment needs become successful, supported by innovative enterprises that preserve earth’s resources.”

At Goodwill, everyone has the right to work, although some cannot due to disabilities, financial challenges, and other life-altering circumstances. Some obstacles, like homelessness or PTSD due to military services, are too large to overcome independently, and Goodwill steps in to be of assistance. Others may not be able to find a job elsewhere due to societal stigmas around their life circumstances, such as former incarceration, single parenthood, and addiction.

By working at Goodwill, many individuals residing in the region get a chance at reentering the workforce and rebuilding their lives. Goodwill provides job training, life skills, and even betters the environment by encouraging its communities to shop secondhand and leave a smaller footprint on the earth.

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