A good year for Goodwill

The state and national economy struggled in 2009, but it was a good year for Goodwill of the Heartland.

The Iowa City-based agency helped a record number of people - 1,454 - work toward greater independence through its programs and services. Goodwill programs grew by 5.4 percent, which the agency attributes to strong relationships with area employers and partner agencies, and new services in Clinton, the Quad Cities and Muscatine.

For the first time, Goodwill's east region (Clinton, Muscatine and the Quad Cities) served more individuals (498) than the Cedar Rapids region (477) or the Iowa City region (479). That is notable because the agency began serving clients in the Quad Cities in 2003.

Jeff Nock, president and chief executive officer of Goodwill of the Heartland, credited the agency's staff with focusing on the needs of existing clients and determining how to close the gap on unmet needs in communities.

“While we have great funding partners, we seek to diversify our funding streams and offer new programs,” Nock said. “The retail team continues to operate great stores and seek new opportunities in order to support our mission.”

Nock cited the agency's entrepreneurial spirit that led to the launch of Goodwill Reboot, a recycled computer and accessories business that opened last year in Iowa City.

Goodwill Reboot, 1410 S. First Ave., has become a key revenue source for Goodwill of the Heartland as well as a community recycler and client employer. The organization recycled almost 1.2 million pounds of computers last year, a 41 percent increase over the previous year, and four Goodwill clients are working through the store.

Goodwill also employs clients through its contract manufacturing operation in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. The division completed work for 17 area employers and achieved a 100 percent on-time delivery rating in 2009. The unit's 178 Goodwill clients prepared 1,136 shipments of more than 3.5 million finished products.

Goodwill's store division, with locations in Cedar Rapids, Coralville, Iowa City, Marion, Bettendorf, Clinton, Davenport, Muscatine, Washington and the Illinois Quad Cities, provided training for 471 clients in 2009. The agency also distributed clothing vouchers for more than $75,000 in Eastern Iowa communities that it serves.

Nock called 2009 a “momentum builder” for Goodwill of the Heartland. He said the agency is looking to help even more Iowans.