Goodwill Industries of West Michigan

Goodwill Industries has a rich tradition in reuse and providing work opportunities. It was founded in 1902 by Reverend Edgar J. Helms who collected used clothing and household goods which were mended and fixed by locals he hired. The donated goods were then resold, and the money raised was used to pay the workers who repaired them. That tradition lives on today in their mission, which is changing lives through the power of work. 

Goodwill Industries of West Michigan harnesses that power of work to also benefit the environment. They sell donated items for reuse, or they recycle them. In 2020, they reused or recycled over 8 million pounds of donated material. Keeping materials out of the waste stream reduces the carbon footprint, extends the life of goods, and continues the circular flow of materials. 

In addition to collecting clothing and household goods, they also collect many electronic items such as CPUs, laptops, VCRs, printers, and much more. Those in good, working condition are resold in one of their 17 retail stores. Outdated electronics or those that are in disrepair are disassembled to maximize the value of recovered plastics, metals, glass, and circuit boards. 

Goodwill of West Michigan also has a recycling and reuse service for businesses to manage surplus corporate assets. Through this program, they accept items such as appliances, office supplies, light fixtures, and machinery. These goods are picked up and brought back to the Goodwill recycling center, where they are sorted for disassembly and recycling, or for reuse. This program provides unique job training and work opportunities for people with barriers to employment. Learn more about the B2B Recycling + Reuse Services. 

Goodwill's triple bottom line is to help people, our planet, and support the prosperity of communities in West Michigan. We are happy to have them as Recycle, MI Partners. 

Learn More: https://www.goodwillwm.org/index.php?page=about-us