A Message of Gratitude

This past year was another exciting time of growth and learning at Goodwill! Significant progress was made on our Five-Year Strategic Plan ~ Vision 2025, accelerating wellness and development opportunities for team members, strengthening communities by supporting people facing barriers to employment and life stability, and commitments to environmental sustainability and circularity

A culture of caring and learning continued to drive the development of team members, with 96% engaged in training including critical areas of equity, diversity, inclusion, and leadership development. Positive trends highlight an increase in the representation of equity-deserving groups at the board and leadership levels, exceeding targets set by the Federal government's 50-30 Challenge The Annual Employee Survey indicated that over 96% of team members are proud and satisfied working at Goodwill.

A significant collaboration in the circularity space was launched to repurpose, recycle, and remanufacture end-of-life textiles. Work has continued to advance the See the WORTH remanufactured apparel and accessories brand focused on people, planet, and community

Our WorkFirst transitional employment program which integrates life, health and wellness, and coaching supports, advanced hundreds of people facing barriers and their families toward prosperity. An important insight this year revealed that 57% of new team members reported having no family doctor and 72% no access to dental care; demonstrating the necessity of Employee Coaches who assist with navigating and accessing community and health resources. 77 scholarships were awarded to team members aspiring to achieve educational goals.

Community members responded generously to critical initiatives by rounding up their purchases, raising almost $200,000. These funds supported Ukrainians displaced by conflict, earthquake relief in Turkey and Syria, community programs like Circles and ClothingWorks, scholarships, and more. We also delivered over 1,100 donated medical devices to refugees through the Roll Up for Ukraine campaign with Enactus Western and Ability Through Action.

Goodwill continues to grow with new expansions including an Edgar and Joe’s Café in partnership with Indwell supported housing in Old East Village London and a Community Store and Donation Centre in Waterloo, where we created 60 new jobs for the community (42% hired through 12 community partners). We also saw significant growth in eCommerce with our team selling over 7,500 items through online platforms

Most importantly, our collective impact has been driven by our mission to change lives and communities through the power of work. Although the community and world around us faced challenges this year, we continue our work together, building a strong, healthy, vibrant, and inclusive team, guided by our I.C.A.R.E. values and ready for an exciting future ahead

Board of Directors

Goodwill Industries, Ontario Great Lakes