When Sarah walked into the Goodwill Outlet on Washington Street in 2019 to apply for a job, she was carrying the weight of her past, the uncertainty of recovery and the urgency of starting over. Newly sober, navigating the impact of criminal history, and living in transitional housing after completing a rehabilitation program, she knew finding employment wouldn’t be easy. She also knew it was necessary. What Sarah couldn’t have known that day was just how deeply that decision would change her life.

If you’re a bargain lover, serious thrifter, upcycler, or treasure hunter, there’s a good chance you’ve at
least heard of Goodwill Outlet Stores: the place you buy by the pound, sort through the big blue bins and conveyor belts, and find surprises you really didn’t know you needed (or wanted). 

Last year was a big year for Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana as we educated, employed and served more individuals than ever before. Since launching our Strategic Plan three years ago, we’ve made significant progress on our objectives and goals, resulting in life-changing impact in our communities.

The staff at Goodwill Commercial Services embraced sweater weather with Holiday Sweater Day.

When you shop and donate at one of Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana’s 75+ retail locations, the proceeds generated support Hoosiers right here in our communities, but have you ever wondered how this process works?

Each year, Goodwill celebrates some of the most extraordinary Hoosiers we serve through a ceremony that honors recipients across seven award categories. Eligible nominees include employees, students, program participants and community partners. When you donate and shop at Goodwill, you're empowering people in your community, like those whose stories you can watch below, so thank you for your support. Together we're changing lives!

June 19, or “Juneteenth” as it’s commonly known, commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved Black residents in Texas learned from Union soldiers that they had been freed by the Emancipation Proclamation more than two years before. 

When most people think of sustainability, they think of recycling trash, using reusable shopping and produce bags or using recyclable materials in their homes. But, buying secondhand and vintage clothing, shoes and other items is also a great way to practice sustainability and reduce the strain on our natural resources. 

Lily Howell began her journey with Goodwill in 2018 when she enrolled in The Excel Center® Clarksville, Goodwill’s high school for adults, and accepted a position as a part-time associate at the Goodwill retail store down the street. She also met her Guide, Chris Wass. Serving our retail employees, students and other program participants, Goodwill Guides work to identify strengths and challenges and help develop paths to success that involve setting career and financial goals.

As I walked through the sliding glass doors of the Goodwill Outlet-North, I was taken aback by all of the movement happening throughout the store Goodwill employees were working hard to rotate the large, blue bins out onto the floor — a process that happens every hour. Customers shopped around the employees, seamlessly moving from bin to bin, as any outlet veteran would. Some shoppers parked up against the outlet walls, protecting full carts as they waited on family members and friends who were still browsing.