Hope and a helping hand – that's what Goodwill's mission has been since it started out in 1902. This non-profit organization has long been a worldwide banner for equal opportunities and support-driven communities.

Through its strong donorship program, Goodwill has been one of the biggest providers of employment training, additional education and placement services for people who have disabilities, criminal records or other special needs, immigrants and senior citizens, or those who have not had the chance to obtain education or job experience necessary to get a job. This includes things like language training, vocational courses, transportation and child care access for working parents, and a reliable support system from the Goodwill community.

The aim of the organization is to make sure that everyone, no matter who they are or where they came from, is able to meet their family's immediate needs, find success, and develop a sense of fulfillment in improving their lives. As of 2011, an estimated 189,000 people were able to find good jobs through the org. In 2010, there were some 2.4 million people helped by the organization.

To raise the necessary funds for their employment programs, Goodwill works mainly by selling donated clothes and household items in their thrift stores, as well as by providing commercial services. There are 179 independent Goodwills based in the United States, Canada and 14 other countries presently in operation.

Helming the massive success and laudable goals of this organization is current Goodwill Industries International President and CEO, Jim Gibbons. This civic leader, business veteran and well-seasoned speaker/lecturer suffered from macular degeneration as a child and was completely blind by the time he was in college, something which has made his many accomplishments an even sweeter inspiration for others. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering at Purdue University and earned his MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration, the first blind person to have garnered such an accomplishment from the prestigious university.

Jim Gibbons was the former president and CEO of the National Industries for the Blind (NIB), a non-profit organization working to promote inclusive employment opportunities and professional growth for the blind in the country. His efforts pushed NIB to become a better social enterprise, and Goodwill to remain as one of the best organizations with a heart. His hard work in social awareness and civic responsibility led to his appointment by President Barack Obama to the White House Council for Community Solutions in December, 2010, proving that the will to do good trumps anything else a person may lack.