Goodwill Northern Michigan

What Goodwill Northern Michigan does

Goodwill Northern Michigan is a community-supported 501c3 social enterprise headquartered in Traverse City, Michigan, operating across a 19-county service area from Wexford to Cheboygan. Founded in 1972 as Asgard Enterprises and rebranded under the Goodwill banner in 1986, the organization runs a hybrid model that combines retail thrift operations with mission-driven housing, food, and homelessness programs. It serves vulnerable individuals and families experiencing homelessness or food insecurity, while also providing affordable retail to budget-conscious consumers in Northern Michigan.

The organization's core operations span nine thrift stores plus an outlet store ($1.69/lb pricing) and online ecommerce channels (Shopgoodwill.com, Amazon, eBay), which collectively generate the unrestricted revenue that funds its programs. Programmatic offerings include the 120-bed Goodwill Inn emergency shelter, the Patriot Place transitional housing community for Veterans, the 36-unit Carson Square permanent supportive housing facility, Food Rescue (distributing 2.6 million pounds of food annually), Good Partner Vouchers (over $600,000 disbursed in 2025 through 50+ partner agencies), and ancillary services such as Street Outreach, Welcome Home Baskets, and Basic Needs distribution. Technology stack is conventional and operationally focused (Squarespace website, Shopgoodwill.com platform, Paylocity HR, Twilio communications, Virtuous donation processing, VOMO volunteer management) with no proprietary technology or AI capabilities disclosed.

Revenue mechanics rely on retail markup of donated goods, philanthropic contributions (including a $5M MacKenzie Scott grant in December 2020), voucher-funded client assistance, and in-kind donation flows. Distribution combines physical retail (regional), online marketplaces (global reach on collectibles), and a regional partner-agency referral network. The organization does not disclose annual revenue but employs 101–250 staff, processes roughly 6.8 million pounds of donated goods annually, and serves over 1,500 individuals experiencing homelessness per year. Pricing includes senior and military discounts and a 10% donation coupon incentive.

Name

Goodwill Northern Michigan

Legal name

Goodwill Northern Michigan

Website

https://goodwillnmi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Goodwill Northern Michigan is a 501c3 social enterprise operating nine thrift stores and online resale channels that fund emergency shelter, veteran and permanent supportive housing, food rescue, and a 50+ agency voucher network across a 19-county Northern Michigan service region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Social Services

NAICS

Temporary Shelters (624221), Community Housing Services (62422), Community Food Services (62421), Used Merchandise Retailers (459510)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores (5700)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Donation, Resale & Disposal Coordination (HSAFAAAK)

Keywords

• Thrift retail operations
• Nonprofit social services
• Emergency housing shelter
• Food rescue distribution
• Community donation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Traverse City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Thrift Store Sales: Revenue from nine thrift stores selling donated clothing, housewares, furniture, and other items. Also includes an outlet store selling items by the pound.
2. Online Ecommerce: Online auction sales through Shopgoodwill.com, plus sales on Amazon and Ebay marketplaces. Items include jewelry, collectibles, art, antiques, clothing, games, books.
3. Philanthropic Donations: Financial donations from individuals and organizations to support housing and food security programs. Tax-deductible 501c3 nonprofit.
4. Good Partner Vouchers: Store vouchers provided to partner social service agencies who distribute to clients in need. Over $600,000 in vouchers provided in 2025.
5. Donated Items: Community donations of used goods that are sold in stores or online to generate revenue for community programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Operates nine thrift retail stores plus online ecommerce (Shopgoodwill.com, Amazon, eBay) selling donated clothing, housewares, furniture, collectibles, and books, with all proceeds funding community programs. Provides emergency shelter (Goodwill Inn, 120 beds), transitional housing for veterans (Patriot Place), permanent supportive housing (Carson Square, 36 units), food rescue distribution (2.6 million pounds annually), and a Good Partner Voucher program through 50+ social service agencies serving a 19-county region of Northern Michigan.

Product overview

Goodwill Northern Michigan is a community-supported social enterprise operating nine thrift stores plus an online ecommerce platform, which collectively fund its housing and food security programs. The core portfolio consists of retail operations (thrift stores and online sales), food programs (Food Rescue distributing millions of pounds annually, Good Meals making thousands of meals weekly, and Healthy Harvest connecting local farms to pantries), and housing services (Goodwill Inn emergency shelter with 120 beds, Patriot Place transitional housing for Veterans, Carson Square permanent supportive housing, Street Outreach, Welcome Home Baskets, and Basic Needs assistance). The organization also provides Good Partner Vouchers distributed through 50+ partner agencies, and coordinates donation pickup services via ReSupply and vehicle donations via CARS. All programs serve a 19-county region from Wexford to Cheboygan in Northern Michigan.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Shopgoodwill.com (Northern Michigan): Online ecommerce auction platform for thrift items including jewelry, collectibles, art, antiques, clothing, games, and books, operating at shopgoodwill.com/northernmichigan.
• Goodwill Inn
• Patriot Place
• Carson Square
• Food Rescue
• Welcome Home Baskets
• Basic Needs
• Good Meals
• Healthy Harvest
• Good Partner Vouchers
• Keystone Village
• Brookside Commons

Products and services

• Thrift Retail Stores Nine retail thrift stores across Northern Michigan in Acme, Alpena, Cadillac, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Gaylord, Grayling, Petoskey, and Traverse City selling donated clothing, accessories, housewares, toys, sporting goods, books, and collectibles. Proceeds fund the organization's housing and food security programs.
• Outlet Store (By-the-Pound) Outlet store located behind the Traverse City store selling clothes, accessories, and household items by the pound at $1.69/lb for value-driven bulk thrift purchases.
• Online Ecommerce Store Online auction platform selling jewelry, collectibles, art, antiques, clothing, games, and books through Shopgoodwill.com. Also sells books, CDs, DVDs, and video games through Amazon and eBay marketplace stores with local pickup available in Traverse City.
• Donation Centers Nine drive-thru donation centers accepting used items including clothing, footwear, accessories, toys, sporting goods, books, housewares, small appliances, and electronics. Donors receive a 10% off coupon valid for a single purchase.
• Donation Pickup Service Home donation pickup service operated through partnership with veteran-owned ReSupply, offering convenient pickups typically within 48 hours. Capable of retrieving items from anywhere in the home including items requiring disassembly. ReSupply charges for pickup services and transports items to Goodwill donation centers.
• Vehicle Donation Program Vehicle donation program accepting cars, trucks, trailers, boats, RVs, motorcycles, campers, off-road vehicles, planes, heavy equipment, and farm machinery. Processed through CARS for free pickup.
• Goodwill Inn Emergency Shelter Year-round 120-bed emergency homeless shelter including 11 family suites, providing safe supportive shelter with food and basic needs while supporting guests in finding permanent housing solutions. Achieves a 40% positive destination rate versus 19% statewide average.
• Patriot Place Veterans Housing Transitional housing community specifically for Veterans experiencing homelessness, providing on-site supports including benefits access, health and legal assistance, document acquisition, employment support, and permanent housing placement in partnership with the Veterans Administration.
• Carson Square Permanent Supportive Housing 36-unit permanent supportive housing community providing affordable housing combined with intensive coordinated services to help individuals and families experiencing homelessness and domestic violence survivors maintain long-term housing success.
• Food Rescue Program Program that collects soon-to-expire fresh healthy food and distributes it to food pantries and community meal sites on the same day at no cost. Delivers 2.6 million pounds of food annually, providing enough for 8,500 meals per day across a five-county region.
• Good Meals Program Program that produces thousands of meals per week for the emergency food system, supporting food distribution throughout the five-county region.
• Healthy Harvest Farm-to-Pantry Program that gets food from local farms to the shelves of area food pantries, supplementing the rescued food supply with fresh local produce.
• Good Partner Voucher Program Program providing store vouchers to over 50 social service organizations across the 19-county service area, enabling them to distribute emergency assistance to families and individuals in crisis for clothing and housewares. Over $600,000 in vouchers provided in 2025 and over $1.4 million distributed since 2013.
• Street Outreach Program reaching out to people experiencing unsheltered homelessness, offering resources and connecting them to housing solutions through the Coalition to End Homelessness.
• Basic Needs Program Coalition initiative providing warm clothing, healthcare items, and essential supplies including tarps, tents, sleeping bags, food, and other survival items to neighbors experiencing unsheltered homelessness.
• Welcome Home Baskets Program providing essential household items worth approximately $50 to people moving from homelessness into new homes, supporting long-term housing stability.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.6 million pounds of food delivered to food pantries annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• MSHDA (Michigan State Housing Development Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Partnership with MSHDA to expand housing access for people experiencing homelessness. Carson Square built in 2016 with MSHDA partnership, adding 36 permanent supportive housing units.
• Goodwill Industries InternationalcoreOthersMember of Goodwill Industries International, one of 150+ independent member organizations. One of 10 Goodwill organizations in Michigan, one of 157 worldwide.
• Northwest Michigan Coalition to End HomelessnesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvest in and collaborate with the Coalition to reduce homelessness. Joint partners include NMCAA, NMSH, and many organizations including Safe Harbor, Traverse Health Clinic, Women's Resource Center, and others.
• Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency (NMCAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Coalition to End Homelessness and housing support programs
• Northwest Michigan Supportive Housing (NMSH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Coalition to End Homelessness and supportive housing programs
• Veterans AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Veterans Administration on housing solutions for Patriot Place, transitional housing community for Veterans
• ReSupplysupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVeteran-owned home pickup service partner for Northern Michigan region. Offers convenient home pickups typically within 48 hours. ReSupply charges for pickup services and transports items to Goodwill donation centers.
• CARS (Charitable Adult Rides & Services)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVehicle donation partner for scheduling free vehicle pick-ups. Accepts cars, trucks, trailers, boats, RVs, motorcycles, campers, and most motorized vehicles.
• Shopgoodwill.comcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline auction platform powered by Goodwill Industries International for selling donated items including jewelry, collectibles, art, antiques, clothing, games, and books
• AmazonsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMarketplace for selling books, CDs, DVDs and video games from Goodwill Northern Michigan
• EbaysupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMarketplace for selling books, CDs, DVDs and video games from Goodwill Northern Michigan
• VOMOsupportingTechnology or IntegrationVolunteer management platform for volunteer signups and opportunity management
• PaylocitysupportingTechnology or IntegrationJob application platform for recruiting
• TwiliosupportingTechnology or IntegrationCommunications platform involved in job application communications
• VirtuoussupportingTechnology or IntegrationDonation processing platform for secure online donations
• 2-1-1supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral service connecting people to local resources including vouchers and other community needs
• Northwest Food CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity collaboration for food distribution efforts, connecting food pantries and community meal sites

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Savers / Value Village: For-profit thrift retail chain that purchases donated goods from nonprofits. Major competitor for secondhand inventory and shopper attention in the broader used-goods retail market.
• Catholic Charities of Michigan: Larger statewide nonprofit providing housing, food, and emergency assistance across Michigan. Comparable in mission scope and overlapping service regions for vulnerable populations.

Regional players

• Father Fred Foundation: Traverse City-based nonprofit providing food, housing, and emergency assistance to Northern Michigan residents. Operates food pantry, emergency shelter, and thrift operations comparable in scope and geography.
• Feeding America West Michigan: Regional food bank distributing millions of pounds of food through pantries across West and Northern Michigan. Directly comparable on Food Rescue scale and food distribution mission, with overlap in Northwest Michigan service area.
• Safe Harbor of Grand Traverse: Northern Michigan nonprofit providing emergency shelter, housing, and support services. Coalition to End Homelessness partner offering overlapping homeless services in the same regional footprint.

Direct peers

• Salvation Army (Michigan): Comparable thrift retail + housing + food security nonprofit model operating family stores and emergency shelters. Overlaps significantly with Goodwill Northern Michigan on the combined resale-plus-social-services structure.
• Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids: Another Michigan-based Goodwill organization operating thrift retail and community programs in a similar regional model. Directly comparable as a sister Goodwill serving a Michigan geographic market with the same dual social-enterprise structure.
• Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency (NMCAA): Direct Coalition to End Homelessness partner operating housing assistance programs across Northern Michigan. Comparable in mission (homelessness/housing insecurity) and operates Good Partner voucher distribution for Goodwill.
• Habitat for Humanity ReStores (Michigan): Operates thrift/furniture resale stores whose revenue funds housing programs for those in need. Comparable in using donated goods retail to underwrite housing-focused mission work.

Emerging players

• ThredUp: Online resale platform for secondhand clothing and household goods. Increasingly competes for both donation inventory and budget-conscious shopper spend versus traditional thrift stores.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Goodwillnmi
• Facebookfacebook.com/Goodwillnmi

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Goodwill Northern Michigan