Success Stories

Happy Earth Day! Did you know in 2023 Goodwill Industries of the Greater Chattanooga Area diverted 9,140,521 pounds of materials from landfills? We make every effort to sell, repurpose, or recycle donations locally, with multiple retail channels (including retail stores, outlet stores, and e-commerce) to keep donated goods in circulation and out of landfills.  To learn more about our impact visit https://www.goodwillchatt.org/annual-impact-report . #goodwillchatt

Dalton’s Goodwill store, Donation Xpress Center, and Goodwill Opportunity Center are now open!

Thank you, Blue Cross Blue Shield, for inviting us to participate in the annual BCBS Earth Day event! Goodwill employees Calvin, Pan, Reba, and Adrain received 475 pounds of donated items. BCBS employees not only helped to divert these items from local landfills, but they also participated in our mission to help people transform potential into opportunity.

We were so excited to see that the Tilghman family visited our store in Manchester! Brooke’s husband, Todd Tilghman, is the Winner of Season 18 of The Voice. Brooke’s post said, “My FAVORITE family photo shoot evaaaa! Considering 95% of our wardrobe and house stuff is thrifted from Goodwill, I thought it was quite appropriate.”  Thank you, Tilghman family, for supporting our mission to help people transform potential into opportunity!

Goodwill Industries of the Greater Chattanooga Area will celebrated the grand opening of our store in Dalton with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, April 11. Whitfield County residents joined us for the grand opening event which included a ribbon cutting, an appearance by Goodwill’s Smiling G mascot, as well as giveaways and door prizes throughout the day. Check out our NEW Opportunity Center where career coaching and community resources will be available!

Goodwill Industries of the Greater Chattanooga Area will celebrate the grand opening of its store in LaFayette with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, March 7 at 8:30 a.m. The store will open at 9 a.m. The 111 Mize Street location includes a Goodwill retail store and a Donation Xpress center. This will be the 17th retail store location for Goodwill Industries of the Greater Chattanooga Area. The local non-profit invites Walker County residents and those in surrounding communities to join them for the grand opening event which will include a ribbon cutting, an appearance by Goodwill’s Smiling G mascot, as well as giveaways and door prizes throughout the day as supplies last. The store’s hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Goodwill accepts donations during regular store hours. Goodwill Industries of the Greater Chattanooga Area employs over 350 individuals, many of whom have barriers to employment. “We are thrilled to reopen our LaFayette store,” said Gena Weldon, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of the Greater Chattanooga Area. “We are committed to serving Walker County and the other 22 counties in our service area. When people shop or donate to Goodwill, they are changing lives by helping to provide job training and employment opportunities for our most vulnerable citizens.” Those interested in learning about Goodwill can find more information at goodwillchatt.org.

After a battle with drug addiction and abuse, which eventually led to prison, Destiny refused to lose hope. She seized every opportunity for growth and transformation, emerging from her incarceration with a newfound sense of purpose. During her probation period, Destiny found solace and stability in her work at Goodwill. “Goodwill has definitely kept me on a straighter path,” she explained. Starting as a sales associate, Destiny progressed in her role, demonstrating her dedication and passion for helping others. “This is the first job I've found where I have a place where I can help people. I love the people I’ve met.” Today, Destiny serves as the assistant manager of the Hixson location, a testament to her resilience and unwavering commitment to personal growth. With her associate's degree already in hand and her bachelor's degree on the horizon, Destiny is excited to continue making a difference in the lives of others at Goodwill. Goodwill Industries of the Greater Chattanooga Area is committed to helping individuals reenter the workforce and learn new skills to better position themselves for future employment opportunities. #SecondChanceMonth is supported by the National Reentry Resource Center (NRRC), established by the Second Chance Act, which works to improve outcomes for people experiencing justice involvement nationwide. Visit goodwillchatt.org or call 423-525-8979 to learn more.

Each year in April, the U.S. Department of Justice celebrates Second Chance Month, recognizing the importance of helping individuals, communities, and agencies across the U.S. that support the safe and successful reentry of the millions of people released from incarceration each year. Second Chance Month highlights the many opportunities for service providers to build meaningful second chances for our returning community members. Goodwill Industries of the Greater Chattanooga Area is committed to helping those individuals reenter the workforce and learn new skills to better position themselves for future employment opportunities. Second Chance Month is supported by the National Reentry Resource Center (NRRC), established by the Second Chance Act, which works to improve outcomes for people experiencing justice involvement nationwide. #secondchancemonth #goodwillchatt

Transforming Potential into Opportunity: Solara’s Story Solara Sain, Vice President of Retail Operations, Goodwill Industries of the Greater Chattanooga Area During the Bosnian war in the early 1990s, many Bosnian citizens sought safety. Thankfully, Solara Sain and her husband, Dusan, were granted the opportunity to move to the U.S. through a Lutheran Church refugee program. With an English vocabulary of just 200 words, Solara courageously began building a new life. Solara was eager to work, so she stopped in a Goodwill store to inquire about a job. She was placed in a sales associate position, and after just one year, she was promoted to assistant store manager. She was later promoted to store manager and then to the position of Regional Director of Donor Services. From there, Solara served other Goodwill organizations as a Vice President of Donated Goods Retail and then as a Chief Operating Officer. Solara is now the Vice President of Retail Operations for Goodwill Industries of the Greater Chattanooga Area. Solara’s story is just one of many stories about how Goodwill helps people transform their potential into opportunity. We are thankful to have Solara here at our Goodwill! (excerpts from Refugee to “C” Suite, Goodwill Dallas)