Helping Hand of Goodwill Quality of Life Grants is sponsored by Helping Hand of Goodwill. This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.

Add Your Heading Text Here Frequently Asked Questions What is Goodwill's mission? Goodwill Industries® is a 501c3 not-for-profit agency that provides employment and training opportunities to assist people with employment barriers to become self-sufficient, working members of our community.

Our mission is to provide vocational and educational opportunities to eliminate barriers to employment, strengthen communities and help people in need reach their full potential through the power of work. When was Goodwill founded? Goodwill was founded in 1902 in Boston by Rev.

Edgar J. Helms, a Methodist minister and early social innovator. Helms created the Goodwill philosophy of “a hand up, not a hand out” when he collected used household goods and clothing in wealthier areas of the city, then trained and hired people who were poor to mend and repair the used goods.

The goods were then sold or given to the people who repaired them. More than 115 years later, Goodwill remains a household name and leading nonprofit provider of educational and workforce-related services. Goodwill has become an international nonprofit that takes in more than $4.

8 billion in annual revenue and provides more than 300,000 people with job training and community services each year. When was Goodwill Industries of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties founded? In 1919, Goodwill came to Los Angeles and Goodwill Industries of Southern California was formed, which included Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.

The first store in Ventura County opened in downtown Oxnard on the corner of 6th and C Street in 1961, where it remains today. In 1997, the Ventura and Santa Barbara Unit separated from the Southern California Goodwill, and was incorporated as a separate corporation, officially adopting the name Goodwill Industries of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. What services does Goodwill Industires of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties offer?

Goodwill Industries of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties offers employment opportunities for those with barriers to employment, on-the-job training, soft skills development workshops, and paid work experience. Details on our services can be found here: http://gwvsb. org/mission-services/ Goodwill serves those with barriers to employment.

This includes individuals with disabilities, people with limited work history, those who have experienced corporate downsizing and recipients of government support programs. Goodwill’s services are designed to meet the training and placement needs of the individual. Is Goodwill a religious organization?

No. Although Goodwill was founded by a Reverend, we are not a religious organization. Is Goodwill a non-profit organization? Yes.

Goodwill Industries of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties is recognized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization by the Internal Revenue Service. We are one of the area’s leading nonprofit providers of education, training and career services for people with disadvantages, such as welfare dependency, homelessness and lack of education or work experience, as well as those with physical, mental and emotional disabilities.

As a nonprofit, any profit we make is put right back in to more programs and services for the people we serve. Is Goodwill an accredited organization? Yes, Goodwill Industries of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties has received continuous three-year certifications in Community Employment Services since 1999 and in Employment Skills Training since 2011.

CARF is an independent, non-profit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process and continuous improvement services that center on enhancing the lives of the persons served.

Founded in 1966 as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and now known as CARF International, the accrediting body establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services. For more information about the accreditation process, please visit the CARF website at www. carf.

org . The CARF three-year accreditation represents the highest level of accreditation that can be awarded to an organization and shows the organization’s substantial conformance to the CARF standards.

An organization receiving a three-year accreditation has put itself through a rigorous peer review process and has demonstrated to a team of surveyors during an on-site visit that its programs and services are of the highest quality, measurable, and accountable. No. Goodwill Industries of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties is one of more than 160 independent Goodwill organizations throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Goodwill also has a presence in 13 other countries. To meet the needs of our local communities, each local Goodwill organization designs our own programs and services to best help the people in our local communities. Do you affiliate with Goodwill Industries International?

Yes. We maintain membership affiliation with the national organization, Goodwill Industries International, Inc. (GII). GII provides consultation services to help local Goodwills in the areas of workforce development, retail and commercial operations, financial and management information, education and training, public relations and marketing, and legislative information.

We also affiliate with our Goodwill statewide organization—the Council of California Goodwill Industries—to share “best practices” and support each other for the good of our communities. Who governs Goodwill Industries of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties?

Goodwill Industries of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties is led by a President/CEO and governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors who sets policy, adopts the budget and employs the President/CEO. Candidates for the Board are sought out based on individual qualifications, diversity of interest and experience in an effort to broadly represent our community. How does Goodwill fund their mission services?

Our mission services are funded by our retail operations, grants, donations, and contracts to ensure our programs are offered at no cost to qualifying and/or referred individuals. What do you do with the money individuals or corporations donate? Financial contributions are put right back into our Mission of providing programs and services for our community.

The more contributions we receive, the more people we can hire and train! We are fortunate to have loyal supporters who want to help us put people to work in our neighborhoods. Their gifts are precious to us and are used wisely and thoughtfully to help people gain the skills and attitudes they need to become self-sufficient members of the community.

Because of their support, thousands of individuals are now working, earning a paycheck and supporting themselves and their families. How much (or little) can I donate to support your mission? Any amount you would like to gift to us to use toward our Mission is truly appreciated.

Some people donate $5 while others are in the position to give hundreds. We treat each and every gift the same and are thankful for our generous community. How do I apply for a job at Goodwill?

Information on careers at Goodwill, current openings, and online applications can be found here: http://gwvsb. org/careers/ May I apply for more than one position? Yes.

You are welcome to apply for all open positions for which you are qualified. How many people does Goodwill Industries of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties employ? With over 500 employees and a vast network of stores, donation sites, mission services offices, warehouse operations, transportation, facilities, and a full corporate office to support it all – we offer a vast array of career opportunities.

How long does it take to process my job application? All applications are reviewed within 10 days of submission. If you apply for an open position and your skillset matches the minimum qualifications, we may contact you by phone for an interview.

Please keep in mind that for any given position we might receive hundreds of applications and are unable to contact every applicant. What benefits do you offer employees? Part-time and full-time opportunities Health and dental insurance plans Recognizable and trusted brand Dynamic, diverse, and exciting culture Benefits eligibility many vary by position.

Do you offer discounts or have sales? We offer 25% off color tag sales Friday – Sunday weekly. On Mondays, we offer a 25% off discount for all active military personnel, first responders, healthcare workers, seniors, students, and teachers.

Do you have an online store? You can shop Goodwill online! Visit our store at https://shopgoodwill.

com/ventura ShopGoodwill. com is the first ecommerce auction platform created, owned, and operated by a nonprofit organizations. Who do my purchases help?

Goodwill serves those with barriers to employment. This includes youth, veterans, individuals with disabilities, people with limited work history, those who have experienced corporate downsizing and recipients of government support programs. Goodwill’s services are designed to meet the training and placement needs of the individual.

What is your return/exchange policy? Our Retail Store Exchange Policy: Clothing, electronics, and purple tag items may be exchanged for items of equal or lesser value within seven days of purchase. The Goodwill tag must remain on the item and you must have your itemized register receipt from Goodwill Industries of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.

No refunds or store credit will be issued. All items other than clothing, electronics, and purple tag items are sold on an as-is basis and cannot be exchanged. What types of items do you accept?

We are very grateful for all donations. To view a list of acceptable items (and items we cannot accept), please click here . What items are you not able to accept?

We are very grateful for all donations. To view a list of acceptable items (and items we cannot accept), please click HERE . Where can I donate my gently used items?

A full list of our donation centers is available here: http://gwvsb. org/donationcenters/ Is my donation tax deductible? Will I receive a receipt?

When you drop off your donations at Goodwill, you’ll receive a receipt from a donation attendant. Hang on to this receipt. At the end of the year, if you itemize deductions on your taxes, you can claim a tax deduction for clothing and household items that are in good condition.

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service requires you to value your donation when filing your return. To get started, download our donation valuation guide , which features estimates for the most commonly donated items. I'm bringing a truck load of items to donate.

Do I need to call ahead? It is not required to call ahead, but is helpful so we can make sure we have space available to accommodate your generous donation. Yes!

Please call (844) 859-4663 to get started. Vehicle donations are tax deductible with proper documentation! Do you offer home pick-up services?

No, we do not offer home pick up services. A list of available donation locations can be found here: http://gwvsb. org/donationcenters/ What happens to items that do not sell in your stores?

Our goal is to help fund Goodwill programs from every item that is donated. So in most cases, we’ll do what we can to get items in salable shape. Items that do not sell in our stores are sent to our Goodwill Outlet store to sell at discounted prices.

From here, remaining unsold items are recycled, sold to industrial buyers, or sold to salvage brokers. Can I donate computers, tablets and phones to Goodwill? Yes!

Old, new, working and non-working electronics. Donate them all! I accidentally donated something I didn't mean to.

Is there a way to get it back? Typically, no. As donations come in to our stores, they are immediately processed and placed out on the floor or loaded onto a trailer and transported to our Distribution Center. From there, they may go to any one of our 16 retail stores.

We understand the anguish associated with giving away an item of sentimental value by mistake. If it’s the same day, you can return to the store and see if it’s possible for the staff to locate your bag of items. They will be able to tell you if that day’s donations are out on the floor or are in transport elsewhere.

Can I drop off donations after hours? No. Please only donate during normal business hours. Why should I donate to Goodwill and not another thrift store?

Goodwill retail stores help fund a great cause — helping people build skills, find a job and grow their careers! For-profit thrift stores sometimes arrange to use a charity’s name to collect donations in exchange for a flat fee or a percentage of the revenue. Often this deal is not generally publicized, and the percentage that charity actually makes may be less than 5 cents for every dollar spent.

Make your donations wisely! If I shop at a Goodwill store, will I be depriving other people of stuff they need? No. Goodwill serves individuals by educating, training and placing them into jobs.

By becoming gainfully employed, these individuals gain resources to buy the things they need. Many disadvantaged people who are in training or are employed by Goodwill Industries are offered vouchers or discounts at Goodwill retail stores. Whom should I contact if I have a question or comment about my experience at a Goodwill VSB location?

If you have a question or concern regarding a specific location, it’s most beneficial for you to reach out to the store’s manager directly by calling the store. General questions can be emailed to info@goodwillvsb. org or call us at (805) 981-0130 and we can direct your call to the appropriate department.

1451 N. Rice Avenue, Suite A