You are cordially invited to the First Annual “Sustainability for Positive Change” Art Auction.

It has been said that a person has to hit rock bottom before they can start finding their way up again, and Darren Primes knows just what that means. He had a good job and a solid work history for companies including Lockheed and Ford and took care of his wife and family -- that was until he started using crack cocaine and his life began a steep spiral downward.

After spending nine years as a stay at-home mom for her daughter Leah, Wendy Roberts was ready to get back to work – but starting a new career proved almost impossible.

“Shell-shocked” is how Iraq war veteran Thomas Beltrametti described himself when he returned home after serving in the Army during the first surge. He had seen heavy combat, been wounded in multiple road-side bombs (which left shrapnel in his leg), was even grazed by a few enemy bullets. Despite suffering from depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) upon his return, he found success working for Wells Fargo as a mortgage consultant.

For Businesses

Goodwill and Levi’s have launched a new initiative nationally, ‘A Care Tag for Our Planet’, designed at diverting billions of pounds of unwanted clothing from landfills. The project was piloted in San Francisco and is the brainchild of BBDO West, Goodwill San Francisco's pro bono strategic branding agency.

Dear Goodwill Family,

Goodwill's Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2008-2009 is now available. Included in the Annual Report is a letter from CEO Deborah Alvarez-Rodriguez.

Goodwill Industries of San Francisco, Marin and San Mateo Counties post daily on its value-centered blog SeamSoGood.com. The blog aims to be a guide for choosing wisely when it comes to fashion and home. In challenging economic times, the blog's goal is to be the roadmap for Recessionistas – a term coined for fashionable people who want to make their dollar stretch farther during the downturn. The blog is for readers who want to be stylish and tasteful but want to do it in a way that works for their budget while making them look like they spent ten times more. Read More >>

Take the lead and give your time, talent and energy in one of the most meaningful ways you can – join a nonprofit board!

Earlier this year, Goodwill realized that our community faced the most severe economy since the Great Depression. Tens of thousands of people in the Bay Area alone had lost their jobs as a result of the economic crisis. People who faced severe barriers to employment – including disabilities, past addiction, past incarceration and lack of experience – were having an even tougher time finding jobs. These are the people Goodwill serves. Without Goodwill’s help, they were at risk of falling back into poverty. 

Levi Strauss & Co. and Goodwill® today announced A Care Tag for Our Planet, a new initiative that aims to put billions of pounds of unwanted clothing to good use instead of into landfill. Beginning in January 2010, the Levi's® brand will be the first major retailer to include messaging on product care tags that encourages people to donate unwanted clothing.

Just as there is a Disability Navigator to assist persons with disabilities navigate through the challenge of seeking work, the Ex-Offender Navigator is the point-person at the One Stop Center who assists ex-offenders with entering  into the workforce development system and reintegration into the workforce. This is an important resource for anyone coming out of criminal justice system.
The Ex-Offender Navigator’s primary focus will be to assist participants who were formerly incarcerated. The Navigator will help the participant develop an agreed upon work plan to achieve their short and long term goals. The Navigator will also make the necessary referrals to appropriate programs that are best equipped for their needs or to the Business Relations Specialist for direct placement services.
“The Ex-Offender Navigator program is important because it provides a single contact for ex-offenders to work through the One Stop system and other community resources, creating a more efficient and helpful process for ex-offenders to reenter into society,” said Ex-Offender Navigator Krystal Koop. Read More >>

This week, the eBay Giving Works program is recognizing the work of Goodwill Industries of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin Counties by featuring the organization on eBay. eBay shoppers will be given the opportunity to make a donation to the San Francisco Goodwill when they checkout using PayPal. This is not limited to just the San Francisco Goodwill eBay Store, but all eBay transactions. In addition, sellers using the eBay "Sell Your Item" form will also be given the opportunity to select us to receive a portion of their sale. Nonprofits, such as Goodwill, can also receive donations from eBay users through the "Donate Now" feature, which lets anyone with a PayPal account donate to nonprofits right away -- without buying or selling anything. The eBay Giving Works program is a partnership of eBay and MissionFish. Read More >>

RAMP is a six-week intensive life skills and job readiness training program targeted to at risk young adults between 18-24 years old in under-served communities in San Francisco that recently launched, with its first classes starting May 11.

The goal of the program is to connect young adults with resources, training, education, employment and community. It is a collaboration between Office of Economic and Workforce Development and Goodwill Industries, along with other non-profits San Francisco Conservation Corps and Rubicon.

The program's components includes assessment, life-skills training, conflict management, job-readiness training as well as job placement upon completion of the program.

At Goodwill, Laura Burton is RAMP Head Trainer, and Anita Jackson is RAMP Case Manager.

"We are getting troubled adults off the street and they want to change, they are telling their friends and their family members," said Laura.

The program participants must do their part to overcome the barriers in their lives and achieve success in their time during RAMP, from very tactical day-today challenges to deeper issues. "They have to show up on time and open themselves up and be willing to learn is most important," Laura said. Read More >>

San Francisco's Goodwill was featured in The New York Times. It's all about Goodwill boutique shopping and the great finds you can get at Goodwill. The article also specifically mentions how we use digital media. As the article says, you can catch us www.SeamSoGood.com or on our Twitter feed, handle: SFGoodwill. Read More >>

Goodwill Industries of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin Counties today announced key cross-sector support for its Jobs for Our Community Fundraising Campaign, which aims to raise $1 million in community investment by June 30, 2009 to meet the growing demand for Goodwill’s employment services. The campaign has gained momentum with the support of The San Francisco Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund and the S.H. Cowell Foundation. Not only has the campaign built support with major foundations, it has garnered extensive pro-bono services by award-winning advertising agency BBDO West, which today launched an ad campaign that focuses on the people who are transforming their lives through Goodwill’s job training and workforce programs.

If you supplied us with an email when you donated, your Goodwill donations may be listed on your donation history Web page. This can help you to keep track of all your material donations, to review the amounts and ways you have supported Goodwill, and to have an annual record of charitable giving for tax preparation.

Goodwill has given Craig Bolland something he thought he’d never see: a second chance.

Click here to donate.

Before enrolling at the Bayview Hope Transportation Academy (BHTA), Edwin Yoc-Aguilar was having trouble paying his bills. He was working long hours as a cook in a restaurant, but wasn’t making enough to support his family, given the Bay Area’s high cost of living.

Cherisse Jones was unemployed, raising two children and caring for an ill grandmother, when a non-violent drug offense threatened to slap her with a felony conviction. “I was spiraling out of control and wasn’t focused on doing the right thing,” she says of that time in her life.

At 98, Elvin Fowler’s commitment to Goodwill is just as strong as ever. That’s why he has pledged a $50,000 challenge gift to support Goodwill in these bleak economic times. Thanks to Mr. Fowler, every gift made to Goodwill will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to a total of $50,000.

Mr. Fowler is passionate about helping people find jobs. That’s why he has been a passionate supporter of Goodwill for 50 years.

Before coming to Goodwill,Laura Burton, Admissions Coordinator, was a nurse working with terminally ill patients.

Thanks to a grant from the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF), our ReCompute electronic recycling/refurbishing program is now undergoing a massive expansion with goals to annually train 94 clients in computer literacy and advanced computer technician training.

Are you interested in becoming a home health care provider? The One Stop at Goodwill is partnering with In-Home Supportive Services Consortium to put together an informational session in this promising career field.

Tatianna Murray started working at Goodwill back in January of 2008. "Before that," she says, "my life wasn't good. I was on the streets, selling drugs, doing what I could to survive."

Several stays in jail gave Tatianna time to reflect on how she might do things differently the next time she got out. She got herself into a life skills class in jail, and when she was released on good behavior she started working with Goodwill as an RTW tagger.

Before joining Goodwill's job-training program, Libby was in a drug rehabilitation program and had just gotten out of prison. Now she is a star salesperson.

In early September, the Goodwill family lost two employees and friends in a shooting in the Mission District. Matthew Solomon and Noel Espinoza were exemplary employees. We express condolences to the families and friends of both men.

The KTSF 26 (Mandarin/Cantonese station) Evening News recently featured Goodwill's Work-Based Learning services for Chinese speakers.

This summer we’ve hosted three interns who are pursuing their masters degrees in business. Read More >>

ABC-7 TV recently featured fashion bargains at our West Portal store on their news program, "7 on Your Side."

Click here to watch the 2-minute news clip. Read More >>

Joe came to Goodwill in the winter of 2000, following a period of unemployment when he was dealing with chemical dependence recovery issues. Today as Executive Assistant in the Office of the President, Joe works closely with President & CEO Deborah Alvarez-Rodriquez. Read More >>

Ten members of the Goodwill staff recently received training in basic American Sign Language (ASL). This class was designed to assist hearing staff in communicating with deaf staff and participants.
Read More >>

Starting August 9th through August 31, the Shops at Tanforan are giving you the chance to dump a pair of your gently worn jeans in exchange for a $10 gift card to your favorite retailer. Collected jeans will be donated to Goodwill!

Wear your favorite pair of jeans to the Shops at Tanforan on August 9th to enter Wild 94.9's Denim Fashion Contest. Wild 94.9's Saint John will be hosting the event and will choose three winners who demonstrate their unique style. Read More >>

“I did a lot of things in the past that got me into trouble,” says Matthew Solomon. “When I came to Goodwill in August 2007 I was on parole, homeless, and hardly involved with my two children. I was like a part-time father that wandered in and out of their lives.”

We partnered with Cole Hardware to host an Electronics Recycling Day on Saturday July 12th. We had about 85 donors and collected 3,500 pounds of e-waste, which went to our ReCompute program to be refurbished or recycled. Read More >>

Goodwill and the San Francisco Business Times co-sponsored the first Green Business Awards at the Fairmont Hotel to raise awareness that we are an environmental business. Read More >>

Tom Wozniak has come a long way from when he started at Goodwill almost five years ago as a Transitional Employee. He steadily worked his way up, from Dock Worker to Operations Staff, to Operations Lead, to Production Supervisor.

Two Bay Area organizations (The Good Life San Francisco and Taproot Foundation) buy used neckties from us and repurpose them in creative ways. Read More >>

KTSF Channel 26 (Mandarin/ Cantonese station) recently featured our Bayview Hope Transportation Academy on their 7pm and 10pm news.

Mirsada Causavic fled from her native country, Bosnia, 12 years ago, and arrived in the United States unable to speak a word of English and needing to support her 3-year-old son. "I was a refugee because of the war going on in my country at that time," says Mirsada. Read More >>

We had a record-breaking 30 employers on-site at our recent Goodwill Job Fair, answering questions, accepting applications, and even interviewing applicants on the spot.

Thank you to the San Francisco Department of the Environment for awarding us $200,000 to support a two-year pilot to reuse and recycle donated furniture. More details of this exciting pilot are coming soon. Read More >>

Recently, ten Goodwill assistant store managers job-shadowed with Levi’s employees at the Levi’s Store at Union Square, to learn about everything from operating the store and greeting customers to stocking the displays. Read More >>

Sheldon Callum started out in Goodwill’s Transitional Employment program 13 years ago. “I came to Goodwill to get my life back on track,” he says. “I caused a lot of destruction before I found Goodwill. But my life here is the exact opposite of where I came from." Read More >>

A crowd recently gathered at 1500 Mission Street for the final presentation of twelve image makeovers. Ten transitional employees and two permanent employees had been meeting with students from City College of San Francisco’s Fashion Department to upgrade their “look.” Read More >>

Thanks to you, Goodwill won "Best Thrift Store" in SF Weekly's Best of San Francisco 2008 Readers Poll.

Have money left over on gift cards from the holidays? Donate them to Goodwill! We've partnered with Gift Card Donor to accept financial donation through gift cards from many major outlets. Donate the full gift card amount or the portion that's left over after you've made your purchases.

Theres a positive story unfolding in Bayview Hunters Point, a story of people transforming their lives at Goodwills Bayview Hope Truck Driving Academy. The Academy puts students on a career path, but more importantly, it also puts them on a life path that leads to personal fulfillment.

Our store at 19th Street and Mission is now open! Our bustling mission area store specializes in quality new & used furniture as well as a great selection of clothing and accessories.