History/Mission

Dr. Edgar J. Helms

Dr. Edgar J. Helms, a Methodist minister, founded the international Goodwill Industries movement in 1902. As a settlement worker Boston's South End among the area's immigrants, Dr. Helms looked for a way to help them get on their feet. He gave Bostonians the opportunity to be generous in a new way - not only through their wallets, but also through their closets.

Closer to home, Goodwill Industries of Northern New England was established in 1933 in Portland, Maine by Reverend Frederick Olsen. Inspired by Dr. Helm's compassion for people in need, our mission continues - helping people with disabilities or other barriers earn a paycheck and live as independently as possible. Rev. Olsen worked to provide educational and employment opportunities for Maine's citizens. Jobs were created and wages earned through the collection, repair and sales of material donated by the public. The motto of the times was "Not charity, but a chance."

In 1934 an agreement between Goodwill Industries of America and Portland Goodwill Industries made us one of the original twenty member Goodwills in the nation. By the mid-thirties, retail stores in Portland and Biddeford were established.

Preble Chapel in Portland housed Pride Training School, founded by Anne Pride; in 1951 it was the first school of its kind in Maine. By 1956 it had moved to South Portland under the auspices of the Greater Portland Association of Retarded Children, Inc. (Greater Portland ARC). This center provided students with, in many instances, their first exposure to the world of work. Portland Goodwill Industries and the Greater Portland ARC merged in July of 1969.

Known as Abilities and Goodwill, Inc., vocational evaluation, work adjustment training and Pride Training School were all managed under one umbrella to serve the community. In addition, a Goodwill retail store in Lewiston had been established, bringing our total to three.

The seventies ushered in several decades of growth, most noticeably in the field of residential services. Both Ingraham House and Carleton House were acquired, with Carleton House becoming the first group home in Maine. In 1976 Goodwill opened a residence licensed for twenty individuals in South Portland, which later would be named Pride House.

Our presence in the retail market also expanded during this decade to include stores in Bath and Brunswick.

In 1977 Abilities and Goodwill, Inc., had become known as Goodwill of Maine, Inc. This name change reflected our ability to provide services - rehabilitation and retail - statewide. That year also marked the closing of Pride Training School, as its mission had been fulfilled with the era of special education courses being offered through school systems in Maine.

The pace set during the previous decade foreshadowed the expansion of Goodwill Industries of Maine during the eighties and nineties. A $1.2 million capital campaign was initiated from 1986-1987 to fund renovations at the Cumberland Avenue corporate location. These renovations were completed in 1988.

The in the late eighties we expanded our residential services in the Portland area which include Deaf Services at Caron Street; a transitional program located at Newton Street for people who have acquired brain injuries; a residence at Georgia Street, which provides a permanent home for people who have survived brain injuries; and a residence on Haskell Street in Westbrook. Supported Living Services are also offered in Portland and Augusta.

The availability of Employment Services has broadened to include the Southern, Central and Mid-coast areas of Maine. An active Business Advisory Council has been established in the Southern Region, which plays an integral part in the success of the program.

Services in Augusta, in both the industrial and rehabilitation departments, are located in fully accessible building on Leighton Road.

In 1991, once again, in response to the stated needs of our community, we opened BaySide NeuroRehabilitation Services in Portland, which is a comprehensive, community based rehabilitation and therapeutic service for individuals with acquired brain injury.

The expansion to the Human Service Programs was due, in part, to the aggressive growth of our retail division.

In 1994, Goodwill Industries of Maine, Inc. officially changed its name to Goodwill Industries of Northern New England, reflecting our interest in expanding services in New Hampshire and ultimately Vermont. Goodwill stores in Maine and New Hampshire total 13. Goodwill serves about 500 individuals with disabilities. Spilller Park, an apartment/supported living facility for six men with brain injuries, opened in January 1996 in Gorham, Maine. A home operated by Hearthstone, Inc. was closed and the 8 residents were transferred to Goodwill programs. WestSide, a companion program to Bayside in Lewiston, opened in October 1996 and serves 100 individuals annually with acquired brain injury.

January 1998 BaySide NeuroRehabilitation Services has moved and expanded to serve 185 people. The Therapy and Leisure Center in Augusta has merged into Goodwill, adding 16 people with developmental disabilities into our residential programs and 35 in a life skills program in the Augusta area. Services for people who are deaf and mentally ill have been added in Portland. Six more stores have been opened in Maine and in New Hampshire and a like number have been renovated or relocated. Goodwill's store count is 19.

Goodwill continued its agency wide rapid expansion in its programs and services, which has required growth in the infrastructure to support it. A result of this growth has been diversity and the broadened expertise that managing diversity requires has opened the door to greater opportunities.

By 2003, Goodwill Industries of Northern New England is operating in three states with 23 retail stores and over 60 human Service programs. The brain injury, residential, and vocational services have continued to grow. Goodwill opened supported living programs for individuals with acquired brain injury in Winthrop and Leeds Maine. New services for people with disadvantaging conditions have been added. Goodwill developed the Good Wheels Program for TANF recipients to provide participants with low interest auto loans and reliable transportation. With 30 thousand shoppers per week, 20 million tons of donations processed annually and over 4000 people served we have met the community needs and become a recognized leader in empowering people to become self-sufficient.

Today, Goodwill Industries of Northern New England is challenged with the shift away from government funding, finding valuable resources and financial support for the agency's programs. We look towards a stronger collaboration with the people, state agencies and businesses of our community to establish the continued support we need for pursuing and fulfilling our mission.