Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina, Inc. announced a $10 million donation from author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott – the largest donation received in the organization’s 94-year history. With 10.7 million Americans unemployed and in urgent need of work, this investment will enable Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina to expand its mission to equip people with the skills they need to get back to work and on sustainable career paths. In addition to the gift made to Goodwill of Northwest NC, Scott made similar gifts to 383 other nonprofits, including Goodwill Industries International and 45 other Goodwill organizations.

In Scott’s December 15 announcement, she outlined the rigorous selection process that evaluated 6,490 organizations based on community needs, program outcomes, leadership, and ability to make efficient use of funding. Her team worked to identify organizations supporting communities with high projected food insecurity, high measures of racial inequity, and high local poverty rates. “We do this research and deeper diligence not only to identify organizations with high potential for impact, but also to pave the way for unsolicited and unexpected gifts given with full trust and no strings attached,” Scott said in the post.

“We are humbled by and grateful for MacKenzie Scott’s transformative contribution,” said Art Gibel, CEO of Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina. “This unprecedented investment in our organization is a tremendous vote of confidence in our responsible stewardship of resources, the work that we do, and the impact we have in the communities we serve across our 31-county territory.”

Goodwill’s model for mission delivery is sustainable and proven. Through the sale of donated goods in its 50 stores, Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina funds a variety of community-based services that include job readiness, skills training, youth programs, career coaching, and job placement. Many Goodwill programs are designed to support the needs of specific populations such as veterans, persons with disabilities, displaced professional-level workers, and former offenders.

“This gift from MacKenzie Scott is an investment in all the communities that our Goodwill serves,” said Gibel. “It underscores our organization’s decades-long partnerships with other nonprofits, government entities, and employers who work collaboratively with us and helped build the foundation that made this gift possible.”

With 18 career centers across northwest NC, more than 31,000 people benefitted from Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina’s mission services in 2019, including 4,685 who were placed into employment. With 18 career centers across northwest NC, more than 31,000 people benefitted from Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina’s mission services in 2019, including 4,685 who were placed into employment. In addition, Goodwill’s three affiliate Crosby Scholars Community Partnerships helped more than 20,000 students prepare academically and financially for college enrollment.

Goodwill’s programs and services are provided to the community at no charge for anyone who needs them. To learn more, visit goodwillnwnc.org.