2005 News and Events

The 2005 Goodwill Industries commemorative holiday ornament proudly represents Austin as the Live Music Capital of the World. With original live music playing in Austin's clubs and restaurants seven days a week, the music scene is a defining part of the city's culture. Home to several world famous music festivals, Austin attracts a diverse range of musical talent from around the world while fostering its own local music heros at live music venues throughout the city. Your generous contribution through the purchase of this 2005 Goodwill Industries commemorative holiday ornament will help further Goodwill's mission to provide job-related services for people with disabilities and other barriers to employment.

OCTOBER, 2005 - Goodwill Industries Founder Among First Honorees of the Extra Mile – Points of Light Volunteer Pathway

Edgar J. Helms, founder of Goodwill Industries, is the first honoree of a new monument – a “walk of fame” – that memorializes a number of America's private citizens who dedicated their lives to creating solutions to serious social problems. Former President George Bush dedicated the Extra Mile – Points of Light Volunteer Pathway at a ceremony in Washington, DC, on Friday, Oct. 14. Read More

SEPTEMBER, 2005 - Goodwill Delegation Visits E-Cycling Model In Scotland

Goodwill Industries International (GII) Board Chair Jerry Davis (who is also President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Central Texas) and members of a Goodwill delegation visited Remploy in the United Kingdom ...read more.

AUSTIN CEO TESTIFIES ON E-WASTE BEFORE CONGRESS

Jerry Davis, President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Central Texas and Goodwill Industries International Board Chair, testified before the House Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials on the challenges Goodwills face, the steps members are taking, and the role the federal government can play in responsibly disposing and reusing e-waste. Read More

SEPTEMBER, 2005 - HURRICANE KATRINA RELIEF EFFORTS

Goodwill Industries of Central Texas, Austin Area Red Cross, and WorkSource Austin come together in relief efforts for evacuees of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Read More

AUGUST, 2005 - CENTRAL TEXAS DROPPED SOME WEIGHT!

From August 25-28, Central Texans dropped their unwanted pounds by donating to Goodwill’s 8th Annual Weigh Good Donation Drive. The event’s goal was to secure 200,000 pounds of clothing and household items within four days and early projections look like the goal was met. If you missed the donation drive, remember that Goodwill takes donations all year.

AUGUST, 2005 - GOODWILL OPENS NEW OUTLET STORE

Goodwill opened an all-new outlet store on Saturday, Aug. 13. Blue Hanger McNeil is located at 12317 Technology Blvd., Suite 300 in Northwest Austin and carries clothing priced from $1.25 to $3.50.
Visit Blue Hanger McNeil just in time for Back to School.

JULY, 2005 - GOODWILL CELEBRATES COMMUNITY PARTNERS

On Thursday, July 14, Goodwill hosted its annual Community Partnership Awards Luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin. The event, emceed by KEYE-TV 42’s sports director, Skip Baldwin, honored community partners who have helped Goodwill put people to work. A fundraiser for Goodwill's Workforce Development Services, the theme of the event was “Goodwill. Pass It On.” Dick Hoyt, half of the famous father and son team, Team Hoyt, was the keynote speaker. Hoyt’s son, Rick, was born with spastic paraplegia and without the ability to ever walk or speak, but together they compete in marathons and triathlons around the country. Over 250 people attended the luncheon. For a list of Award Winners, click here.

JUNE, 2005 - NEW COMPUTER WORKS STORE OPENS IN SAN ANTONIO

Goodwill Industries of Central Texas and Goodwill Industries of San Antonio opened a brand new Computer Works store on Friday, June 3 at 10 a.m. The store is located at 4914 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX 78229 (in the Northwest Shopping Center near the intersection of Summit Parkway). Read More

JUNE, 2005 - LOCAL GOODWILL CEO TAKES HELM OF INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Rockville, MD – The Board of Directors of Goodwill Industries International, Inc., has elected Gerald L. Davis as its new chair. Davis took office during the organization’s annual Delegate Assembly, held in Appleton, WI, on June 25-28. He will serve a one-year term. Read more

MAY, 2005 - GOODWILL EMPLOYEE NAMED TO KEEP TEXAS BEAUTIFUL BOARD

Goodwill Recycling Manager Rebecca Hays was named to the board of directors of Keep Texas Beautiful, the statewide grassroots environmental organization and affiliate of Keep America Beautiful.

MAY, 2005 - GOODWILL CELEBRATES COMMUNITY CENTER

Goodwill Industries of Central Texas (GICT) officially opened the doors to the Goodwill Community Center (GCC) and the Goodwill Dell Computer Museum on Friday, May 20 with a Grand Opening celebration. About 300 people attended the Open House and took tours of the GCC, which showcased each department individually. Visitors also took tours through the new museum and browsed the shelves at Computer Works and the Goodwill store, which are all part of the GCC. As they left the celebration, guests received souvenir GCC coasters and fortune cookies that read, “Wishing you Goodwill and Fortune.” Read more

MAY, 2005 - NEW PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCED BETWEEN GOODWILL AND AUSTIN HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Austin Habitat for Humanity is teaming up with Goodwill Industries of Central Texas to test a new program of making area donations of goods and materials more convenient for Austin residents. Read More

MAY, 2005 - DONORS GAVE THEIR SHIRTS AT T-PARTY

Goodwill and KGSR 107.1 collected 814 gently used t-shirts at the 14th Annual Austin T-Party on May 28 at Stubbs Bar-B-Que. Anyone who donated a gently used t-shirt (or other donation) to Goodwill received a ticket good for one of KGSR's new Summer 2005 t-shirts. Donors were also treated to a free concert.

MAY, 2005 - SHARE THE PANTS! DONATE JEANS TO GOODWILL!

In conjunction with the June 1 release of the new Warner Bros. feature film “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,” donors can bring a pair of gently used jeans to Goodwill and receive a special “Join the Sisterhood” bracelet recognizing the contribution. Promotion lasts until June 12, but supplies are limited, so share the pants and join the sisterhood today! Supplies are limited, so share the pants and join the sisterhood today! Jeans = Jobs. Your donations help put people to work! Donate to any Central Texas Goodwill store. (excluding Computer Works and Blue Hanger)
For more information, visit www.Goodwill.org

MAY, 2005 - GOODWILL AND MAYOR’S COMMITTEE HOST 7TH ANNUAL CAREER EXPO

The economy is looking up, so come find a job at the seventh annual Community Career Expo, hosted by Goodwill Industries of Central Texas and the Austin Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities (AMCPD). The Expo is Wednesday, May 11, 9am-3pm at the Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Road - Hall 2. Goodwill and AMCPD annually host the event, which matches employers with potential employees and provides education on hiring qualified job seekers with disabilities and other barriers to employment. The Expo is free and open to all job seekers. More than 50 employers are expected to participate offering jobs in professional, office clerical, medical, customer service and service crafts job fields. Sign language interpreters, sighted guides and adaptive technology will be available at the event. For more information, please call 480-0772, ext. 212.

Goodwill Industries of Central Texas was named:

Best Thrift Store and Best Store to Find a New Wardrobe for Under $10 in the Austin Chronicle's 2005 Best of Austin list. The Austin Computer Recycling Project, a partnership between Goodwill, Dell and the City of Austin was also named on the list as: Best Out With The Old.

MARCH, 2005 - GOODWILL’S E-WASTE TASK FORCE MEETS IN CALIFORNIA

In early March, five CEOs from Goodwills across the country joined 26 E-Waste Task Force members for a two-day summit at Goodwill Industries of Southern California (GISC). The group, led by Jerry Davis, CEO of Goodwill Industries of Central Texas, discussed best practices, legislative matters and drafted the 2005 Strategic Plan for the task force. In addition to touring GISC's recycling facility, participants visited several other recyclers, including neighboring Goodwill Industries of Orange County (pictured at right).

FEBRUARY, 2005 - NEW RETAIL STORE OPENS, COMPUTER WORKS RELOCATES

On Feb. 5, a new Goodwill store opened at 1015 Norwood Park Blvd. Attached to the Goodwill Community Center, the store also includes the relocated Computer Works store. Filled with donated items and new goods, Norwood sports the same design as the Brodie, Lake Austin, Airport and Cypress Bend stores have – vibrant colors and an industrial feel.

FEBRUARY, 2005 - NEW DONATION SITE OPEN IN WESTOVER SQUARE

On Feb. 7, a new storefront donation center and bookstore opened in Westover Square at 3517 Hyridge Rd. Modeled after Goodwills successful donation storefront on Southwest Parkway, the new site will take donations and sell used books. Other donation sites are planned for early 2005, including sites on Gattis School Road in Round Rock, on Parmer Lane in North Austin, on Williams Drive in Georgetown and at Sawyer Crossing in Dripping Springs.

JANUARY, 2005 - GOODWILL EMPLOYEE EARNS CERTIFICATION

Adam Griebel, Goodwill Target Supervisor, recently earned his Therapeutic Recreation Associate certification. Griebel also has an Associate’s degree in Human Services specializing in therapeutic recreation from Austin Community College

JANUARY, 2005 - 2005 SBC WHITE PAGES COVER HIGHLIGHTS NEW GOODWILL COMMUNITY CENTER

At a press conference on Friday, Nov. 19, SBC unveiled their latest two-volume set of phone directories serving Greater Austin. The new Goodwill Community Center (GCC) served as the location for the announcement and a rendering of the GCC was presented on the cover of the new white pages. In addition, SBC presented Goodwill with a check for $5,000 to help fund Goodwill’s Center for Assistive Technologies. About 766,000 directories will be printed and distributed in the Austin area.

JANUARY, 2005 - EIGHT PEOPLE INDUCTED INTO GOODWILLS HALL OF HONOR

At a press conference on Friday, Nov. 19, SBC unveiled their latest two-volume set of phone directories serving Greater Austin. The new Goodwill Community Center (GCC) served as the location for the announcement and a rendering of the GCC was presented on the cover of the new white pages. In addition, SBC presented Goodwill with a check for $5,000 to help fund Goodwill’s Center for Assistive Technologies. About 766,000 directories will be printed and distributed in the Austin area.

JANUARY, 2005 - EIGHT PEOPLE INDUCTED INTO GOODWILLS HALL OF HONOR

On Jan. 20, eight people were inducted into Goodwills Hall of Honor. Introduced a decade ago, the Hall of Honor recognizes clients who have come to Goodwill, benefited from its services and are excelling in the workplace.