What Goodwill Industries of Michiana does

Goodwill Industries of Michiana, Inc. is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization headquartered in South Bend, Indiana, operating over 20 retail thrift store and donation center locations across Northern Indiana, Southwest Michigan, and Southeast Chicagoland. The organization runs a vertically integrated model in which retail thrift sales of donated goods fund a suite of free community programs, including The Excel Center (adult high school diploma program with four locations), The Academy (vocational training in automotive, construction, and manufacturing), Career Connections (job placement services operating six career centers), and targeted programs for veterans, justice-impacted individuals, people with disabilities, out-of-school youth, and first-time parents. Revenue is generated through thrift store sales, e-commerce channels (shopgoodwill.com, Amazon Books), donations, contract labor through Industrial Services, and a value-added CraftED department that repurposes donated goods into branded upcycled products.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit social enterprise: revenue is earned primarily from retail thrift operations and supplemented by donations, contracts, and program-specific funding streams, while services to clients are provided at no cost. Distribution is multi-channel — physical retail storefronts, donation centers, service centers, Excel Center academies, online marketplace listings, and a Good Points loyalty program — with partner referrals from VA, WIOA, county governments, and community organizations driving client intake. Employer partnerships with Ford, Gurley Leep Kia, Koontz-Wagner Electrical Services, and others provide placement pathways for Academy graduates, supported by industry certifications (ASE, NCCER CORE, OSHA-10, Hunter Alignment, SP/2 Safety) and college credit agreements with Indiana Tech and Ivy Tech. The organization is led by President/CEO Debie Coble and governed by an independent board of directors.

Name

Goodwill Industries of Michiana

Legal name

Goodwill Industries of Michiana, Inc.

Website

https://goodwill-ni.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Goodwill Industries of Michiana is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating 20+ thrift stores across Northern Indiana, Southwest Michigan, and Southeast Chicagoland, funding free adult education, vocational training, and career services through retail sales, donations, and contract labor.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Social Services

NAICS

Used Merchandise Retailers (459510), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (458110)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores (5700)

akta.pro primary industry

Donation, Resale & Textile Recycling Coordination (HSAFABAI)

Keywords

• Thrift retail
• Adult education
• Workforce development
• Vocational training
• Nonprofit social services

Headquarters

HQ city

South Bend

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales: Sale of donated goods through retail stores and e-commerce platforms. Revenue funds mission services including education, job training, and community programs.
2. Financial Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations to support community programs and services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Goodwill Industries of Michiana sells donated goods through a network of more than 20 thrift stores and an online storefront to fund free community programs. Its core offerings span retail thrift, adult high school education (The Excel Center), vocational and industry-certified job training (The Academy), career placement services, vocational rehabilitation, veteran support, in-home nurse visits for first-time parents, and contract labor services for businesses.

Product overview

Goodwill Industries of Michiana operates a network of over 20 retail thrift stores across Northern Indiana, Southwest Michigan, and Southeast Chicagoland, which fund an integrated suite of community and employment programs. The product portfolio centers on Retail Services as the primary revenue driver, supporting four interconnected program pillars: Career Services (Career Connections, Second Chance, Ability First, Youth Services), Education Services (The Excel Center adult diploma program and The Academy vocational training), Community Services (Veteran Services, Nurse-Family Partnership, Padua Michiana), and Industrial Services (contract labor for businesses). Supplementary offerings include Good Points Rewards loyalty program, Goodwill CraftEd repurposed goods, and Goodwill Online e-commerce.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Excel Center: Adult high school diploma program offering Core 40 education, flexible scheduling, childcare, and transportation assistance with locations in Elkhart, Gary, Hammond, and South Bend.
• The Academy
• CraftED
• Good Points

Products and services

• Retail Services (Thrift Stores) Sells donated goods including clothing, furniture, electronics, and household items through more than 20 thrift store locations across Northern Indiana, Southwest Michigan, and Southeast Chicagoland. Revenue from these sales funds the organization's free community programs.
• The Excel Center Adult high school diploma program offering a Core 40 education, college credits, and industry-recognized certifications at four locations (Elkhart, Gary, Hammond, South Bend). Features flexible scheduling, free childcare through Kids Excel, and transportation assistance for adult learners.
• The Academy Free vocational and technical training program offering courses in automotive, construction, and assembly line manufacturing. Provides certifications including ASE, NCCER CORE, OSHA-10, Hunter Alignment, and SP/2 Safety, with guaranteed job interviews and credit transfer opportunities via Ivy Tech and Indiana Tech.
• Career Connections Personalized job search assistance including resume development, cover letter writing, interview preparation, computer access, job listings, and workshops. Operates six Career Centers across Lake, St. Joseph, Elkhart, and Kosciusko Counties.
• Ability First Vocational rehabilitation program partnering with employers to provide job placement for people with disabilities, offering hands-on job tryouts and person-centered employment solutions.
• Second Chance Employment program for individuals impacted by the justice system, offering soft skills training, job readiness classes, application assistance, and retention support in LaPorte, Elkhart, and St. Joseph Counties.
• Youth Services Career guidance and skills training for young adults ages 16-24 under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), operating in Lake, LaPorte, and Porter Counties.
• Veteran Services Connects veterans with VA and community services, including discount information, health care enrollment, housing assistance, and annual Stand Down events in LaPorte, Elkhart, St. Joseph, and Kosciusko Counties.
• Nurse-Family Partnership In-home nursing support for first-time parents starting early in pregnancy and continuing until the child's second birthday, serving 15 counties across Indiana including Cass, Elkhart, Fulton, Jasper, Kosciusko, La Porte, Lake, Marshall, Miami, Newton, Porter, Pulaski, Starke, St. Joseph, and Wabash.
• Padua Michiana Free case management and guidance program helping families rise above poverty through addressing housing, employment, education, and healthcare challenges.
• Industrial Services Project-based off-site labor support for businesses, including assembly, sorting, inspecting, wrapping, and fulfillment services. Also sells wiping cloths in cotton and cotton-blend varieties.
• Goodwill CraftEd Department that creates high-quality products by repurposing donated goods, including sheds and outdoor structures, Good Glass (tumbled sea glass from recycled donations), woodworking items, and granite products from donated stone.
• Good Points Rewards Free loyalty program offering 50% off discounts on select days, earning 1 point per penny spent, with $5 coupons issued at 20,000 points. Excludes gift cards, online items, and monetary donations.
• Goodwill Online (shopgoodwill.com and Amazon Books) Online shopping platform for unique and upscale finds through shopgoodwill.com/southbend, plus Amazon books program for resale of donated books.

Named customers3 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gurley LeepcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAutomotive employer partner providing guaranteed interviews and apprenticeship opportunities for Academy graduates. Ashton Scott, an Academy graduate, was placed in an apprenticeship at Gurley Leep Kia.
• FordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManufacturing employer that hired Academy graduate Isaiah following completion of the line manufacturing certification program.
• ASE (National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence)coreTechnology or IntegrationProvides entry-level ASE certifications for automotive program graduates at the Academy.
• Indiana TechminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction program graduates earn 15 Crosswalk Credits via Indiana Tech.
• Ivy TechminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssembly Line Manufacturing program graduates earn 6 Crosswalk Credits via Ivy Tech.
• Nurse-Family Partnership National Service OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides the Nurse-Family Partnership program model for first-time parents in 16 counties.
• Padua MichianacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree guidance and resources to families working to rise above poverty, addressing challenges related to housing, employment, education, and healthcare.
• HighScopeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly childhood curriculum provider used in Kids Excel free drop-in childcare at Excel Center locations.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Savers / Value Village: For-profit thrift retail chain operating Value Village and Savers stores with a for-profit model that purchases donated goods from nonprofits. Competes directly for thrift shoppers and shapes the economics of the secondhand donation supply chain.
• Goodwill Industries International: National umbrella for the 150+ independent Goodwill agencies in North America, including Goodwill of Michiana. Comparable as the parent brand/trade body governing similar thrift-funded mission programs, though its role is coordination and advocacy rather than direct retail/service delivery.

Emerging players

• Dress for Success: Nonprofit providing professional attire, career development tools, and job placement support — a partial functional overlap with Goodwill's career services and workforce apparel pathway, though much narrower in scope.
• thredUP: Online resale platform for secondhand apparel with take-back and consignment programs. Competes with traditional thrift stores for both buyer mindshare and donor inventory, particularly in higher-quality clothing.
• Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing tuition-free IT and tech workforce training with employer partnerships. Comparable as a workforce-development nonprofit funded by employer demand, though specializing in tech rather than the trades Goodwill Academy covers.
• Year Up: National nonprofit workforce-development program for young adults ages 18-30 combining skills training, mentorship, and corporate internships. Comparable as a youth-focused workforce intermediary with strong employer placement relationships.

Direct peers

• Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana: Sister Goodwill agency covering a similar Indiana footprint with retail stores, Excel Center locations, and workforce programs. Directly comparable in mission structure, revenue model, and program mix to Goodwill of Michiana.
• The Salvation Army: Faith-based nonprofit operating thrift stores, workforce development, addiction recovery, veterans' services, and family programs — the closest direct functional analog to Goodwill's integrated retail-plus-mission model.
• Goodwill of Greater Grand Rapids: Neighboring Goodwill agency serving West Michigan with retail stores, workforce development, and community programs. Highly comparable in regional scope and program structure to Goodwill of Michiana's Michigan service area.

Others

• United Way: National nonprofit network funding community health, education, and financial stability programs. Comparable as a community-services funding and convening organization with overlapping program areas (workforce, family support), though operating via grantmaking rather than direct service.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GoodwillNI
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GoodwillNI/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/GoodwillNI
• Instagraminstagram.com/goodwill_ni
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/goodwill-industries-michiana

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

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 Industries of Michiana