Our History

Goodwill Omaha Beginnings
1933 - 1952

“Not charity, but a chance.” These were the words the Nebraska Goodwill was founded upon in 1933, under the guidance of the Mississippi Valley Goodwill of St. Louis, Missouri. When Rev. C.V. Graham became the first executive director, this became his mission. How could he give those who needed help in the Omaha community a chance to succeed? No doubt, Graham must have looked to the wisdom of Rev. Edgar James Helms who said, “The best help is the help that helps a man to help himself by helping someone else.”


Rev. C.V. Graham (right) assisting with shoe repair.

So Graham put tools in the hands of those in the community who could not meet strenuous industrial labor demands because of physical or social handicaps. Goodwill enabled them to become self-supporting members of the community. As Goodwill grew out of one headquarters after another, the mission never wavered. “Not charity, but a chance.” The words were part of the first logo used, displayed proudly above the headquarters at the old Heinz Pickle Factory in 1938.

In 1941, when Graham was succeeded by R.W. Deems, he passed along this mission. Goodwill entered into new areas such as paper recycling and even a Goodwill laundry. The organization turned to the Boy Scouts in 1949 for help collecting donations, and
the first annual “Good Turn for Goodwill” drive was held.

Goodwill is extremely proud of its humble beginnings. Through the ups and downs, Goodwill Industries, Inc., Serving Eastern Nebraska and Southwest Iowa, has always stayed true to its mission of giving people a chance. By being mindful of Goodwill’s roots the agency is able to move forward into the future with confidence that after 76 years, Goodwill will continue to offer everyone who enters its doors the chance to succeed.
“Not Charity, But a Chance.”


Not Charity But a Chance Logo

The Golden Years
1953 - 1972

Some of the best years in Goodwill’s history occurred during the time when LeLand Whipp was executive director. It was during this period that Goodwill received the Mayor’s
Commission for Employment of the Handicapped Employer of the Year. It also won several Goodwill national awards including a special award to Whipp for his services as a national director of the Goodwill Council of Executives.

Goodwill was headquartered at the old Heinz Pickle Factory on North 16th Street, and moved to a brand new building at 41st and Pacific Streets in 1960. Goodwill had outgrown the old factory, and Leland was successful in securing $400,000 from the Eugene Eppley Foundation and $800,000 in Federal Hill Burton funds to build the new 63,000 square-foot headquarters. The building was designed by the well-known architectural firm of John Latenser and Sons, the same firm that decades earlier designed Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, the JL Brandeis building in downtown Omaha and the Douglas County Courthouse. The structure was built by Lueder Construction of Omaha, which had also built the Omaha Home for Boys and the Immanuel Medical Center.

Goodwill staff and programs grew exponentially when the new location opened. The building included laundry and dry cleaning facilities, upholstery and furniture repair shop, appliance and toy repair operations, and a printing plant, to name but a few. Douglas County welfare clients were hired to work in these areas.

Goodwill also secured a large sub-assembly contract with Western Electric in 1971, which provided work and training opportunities for at least 90 participants.


The old Heinze Pickle Factory - One of Goodwill's very
first retail stores located at 16th & Cuming.


Decline and Recovery
1972 - 1986

Most mature organizations experience many years of growth and prosperity
interspersed with periods of challenge and struggle. It was no different with Goodwill. Many factors contributed to periodic financial emergencies – even near bankruptcy – from the early 1970s through the mid-1980s. Some of these factors included entering into risky partnerships, unprofitable repair and refurbishing operations and the reduction in subcontract work with area manufacturers. Several downturns in the national economy occurred, including recessions and periods of high unemployment and high inflation.

The lowest point came in 1981 when every store closed except Pacific Street. All but 15 employees were terminated – a total workforce reduction of 85 employees in two years. On the darkest of these dark days, not a single Goodwill truck was in working order. Goodwill’s survival was day-to-day. A few generous, optimistic and supportive board members, with technical assistance from Goodwill’s national office and local corporate donors, helped keep Goodwill afloat during these challenging years.

After a period of gradual stabilization, Goodwill opened a second store in 1982, south of Center Street on 84th, a location which still operates today. In 1983, Goodwill jump started its vocational training programs and served over 150 clients with disabilities that year. Executive Director Jim Dreiling, who moved to Omaha in 1981 after serving as the CEO for the Grand Island Goodwill since 1977, continued to rebuild the organization. The current chief executive, Frank McGree, took Dreiling’s place in late 1986, after serving as the director for the Pasco, Washington Goodwill.


Goodwill's West Center retail store located at 84th Street Sorth of Center.

Commitment to Service
1987 - 2000

The ‘90s were really the start of the modern-day era for Goodwill. With a new mission statement that allowed Goodwill to serve people with any significant barrier to employment – not just a disability – the agency spent the better part of the next 15 years reaching out to mothers on welfare.

The Project Resolve and Employment First programs served so many individuals on public assistance that the agency set records for persons served and placed year after year. The organization basically doubled in size between ’93 and ’02. To accommodate this growth, Goodwill raised $1.8 million to do a complete renovation of its 41st Street Headquarters in 1994. New classrooms and office spaces allowed us to start skill training programs in computer programming and office computing, as well as intensive vocational rehabilitation services for people with traumatic brain injury.

In the late ‘90s, Goodwill reached out into the community for its first FriendRaiser and Goodwill Golf Classic. Younkers became an important community partner for securing high quality donations, and our 144th Street store became the first Goodwill location to reach a million dollars in sales in a single year.

Finally, our service contracts with the Department of Defense and the General Services Administration really began to blossom, allowing Goodwill to move hundreds of people with disabilities from traditional sheltered workshop settings to integrated worksites at government facilities, providing significant increases in wages and benefits.

One of the more exciting times was hosting Goodwill’s Delegate Assembly – the agency’s international convention – in 1998. About 600 people converged on Omaha during a rare June heat wave. The highlight was a surprise Wild West Show staged in nearly 100-degree heat at the Lauritzen Gardens. The original production featured wagons, horses, pyrotechnics, cowboys in white hats and villains in black. Best of all, Goodwill International President Fred Grandy and Omaha CEO Frank McGree rode in tall and confident with their white hats, boots and spurs to save the day – doing some fancy riding and rope tricks to corral the villainous “for profit’ thrift store operators.


Long time employee Custodian Rocky

Unparalleled Success
2000 - 2009

The new millennium ushered in unprecedented growth and achievement, which continues to this day. Seemingly every year the agency sets the bar ever higher – with new performance records in terms of people served, retail revenues generated, material donations secured, and new jobs created – especially jobs for people with disabilities.
Our services continued to expand – including very large contracts with the State of Nebraska to provide employment services and case management to persons on welfare. At its peak, thousands of unemployed welfare recipients were pouring through our doors to get help finding work.

Goodwill would be unable to serve so many people without the continued growth and profitability of its donated goods program. In 2003, Goodwill partnered with the architectural firm of RDG Schutte Wilscam Birge and Kiewit Construction to design and build the prototype Goodwill store. The first ones were built in Papillion and Council Bluffs, followed over the next few years with nearly identical facilities in Bellevue, Fremont, Southwest Omaha at 180th and Q Streets, Northwest Omaha at 156th and Ruggles, and West Central Omaha at 108th and Blondo. Our architects have won regional and national awards for the design of these buildings.

As Goodwill entered into its 76th year in 2009, the agency had 500 people on its payroll. It managed multiple service contracts with the federal government, providing jobs for about nearly 800 people with significant disabilities. It was serving hundreds of low-income youth, helping them obtain the training and education needed to rise out of poverty. It had embarked on an ambitious campaign to raise money to secure a new facility that would be better equipped to handle the multitude of growing programs and services.


Goodwill's current headquarters located at 41st & Pacific.

For more information call 402-341-4609 or email goodwilly@goodwillomaha.org.