Discover Goodwill of Southern & Western Colorado and Goodwill Industries of Denver Announce Merger
DENVER and COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 3, 2019) — Goodwill Industries of Denver and Discover Goodwill of Southern & Western Colorado have finalized a merger between the two organizations. Discover Goodwill®, based in Colorado Springs, and Goodwill Industries of Denver will maintain their current administrative offices, retail stores, donation centers and other localized programs that together serve more than 100,000 individuals throughout Colorado each year. Both organizational boards approved the merger, and with the Goodwill Industries International Board of Directors approval of the consolidation of territory, the two organizations will combine operations effective immediately.
Operating as one organization will allow both regions to leverage their collective expertise in community programming to expand Goodwill’s mission of employment placement and job training across the state and help even more Coloradans with disadvantages achieve greater independence. The combined organization will now serve all 64 counties in Colorado with localized career development programming, 43 retail stores, four outlets, 12 stand-alone donation centers, employing more than 2,700 workers.
The Co-Chairs for the combined Board of Directors strongly support the merger and are looking forward to what it means for the people of Colorado.
“This is an exciting step for Goodwill and great news for the communities we serve,” said Co-Chair Phil DeVries. “This decision will help us impact more lives of Coloradans who truly need our services and ultimately provide an improved shopping experience for Goodwill patrons and supporters across the state.”
“The primary motivation for this merger is to help more people,” said Co-Chair Dan May. “We’ve been serving people in Colorado for 100 years. We believe that combining our resources makes good business sense and will create even more opportunities for those we serve for the next 100 years to come.”
Karla Grazier, president and CEO of Discover Goodwill and interim president and CEO of Goodwill Denver since September 2018, will lead the combined organization.
“This merger makes sense on so many levels,” said Grazier. “We will be stronger together and will create a better Goodwill for all of Colorado. We’ve already initiated improvements and renovations at several stores. Thanks to our combined resources and continued emphasis on customer satisfaction, our customers can look forward to even more improvements very soon.”
Moving forward as one organization will result in more efficient processes and stewardship of the donations entrusted to Goodwill by the community. For example, the organizations have already combined e-commerce operations—now processing all Colorado-based online auction items listed on shopgoodwill.com® from one location.
Goodwill’s impact in Colorado began in 1918 as Goodwill Industries of Denver. In 1956, the organization established a branch in Colorado Springs, which became autonomous in 1961. Since then, the two organizations have maintained a close relationship with a long history of collaboration, and the idea of combining operations has been discussed on occasion. Those conversations became more serious in June 2018, and the initial reaction from both boards of directors was favorable.
With one combined organization in Colorado, there are now 159 independent Goodwill organizations in the U.S. and Canada with service territories defined by Goodwill Industries International.
About Goodwill Industries of Denver
Goodwill Industries of Denver provides career development resources for tens of thousands of Coloradans with barriers to employment. Goodwill’s community programs facilitate job preparation and skills training for disadvantaged youth, struggling families and individuals with developmental challenges. Through its thrift retail operations, donations, corporate partnerships and recycling processes, Goodwill is focused on people and the planet. With a four-star rating on Charity Navigator, Goodwill works to ensure individuals in our community have access to career pathways that allow them to live to their fullest potential. Goodwill Industries of Denver began its legacy of community impact in the Mile High City in 1918. Visit www.goodwilldenver.org to learn more.
About Discover Goodwill of Southern & Western Colorado
Discover Goodwill provides life-transforming programs and services to tens of thousands of individuals with disadvantages each year—including military veterans, seniors, youth, and individuals with developmental and economic challenges. Discover Goodwill dedicates nearly 90 percent of its annual budget to community-based programs across 47 Colorado counties. Discover Goodwill has received GuideStar’s Platinum rating—their highest nonprofit ranking—reflecting the organization’s strong commitment to accountability and transparency. Learn more at www.discovermygoodwill.org.
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