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Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota

Mission

Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that offers job training and customized career support to eliminate barriers to work and independence. Proceeds from thrift retail, e-commerce, grants and financial contributions fund our nearly 20 customized services that help Minnesotans get equitable access to jobs, create stable careers and advance in the workplace.

Reuse and recycling operations contribute to Minnesota’s environmental sustainability and employ nearly 2,000 people in our community. Shopping and donating items divert over 65 million pounds from local landfills annually and have helped us connect people to jobs since 1919. 

       

      Our mission

      To eliminate barriers to work and independence.

      Our Vision

      A world where everyone experiences the power of work.

      Our services

      We prepare people for work to address labor disparities in Minnesota.

        EQUITY STATEMENT

        Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota believes that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are central to our mission to eliminate barriers to work and independence, and our vision of a world where everyone experiences the power of work. We strive to reflect the communities we serve and strengthen partnerships, while making a solid case for the importance of this work. We will bring diversity, equity and inclusion to the forefront internally and externally and speak out against overt and systemic racism, oppressions and inequities.
         

        • As an employer we will build on employee engagement and inclusion efforts.
        • As a community member we will reflect our service communities and actively learn together.
        • As a service provider we will create equitable opportunities.
        • As an advocate we will influence systems change.

        ADVOCACY

        Every year we make progress in advancing workforce-related public policy, engaging with hundreds of elected officials on public policy objectives. Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota is a member of the MN Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities and the MN Second Chance Coalition. Contact Deanna Smiley Gulliford with questions.

        CERTIFICATIONS & ACCREDITATIONS

        GESMN holds many certifications and accreditations to ensure transparency with donors and the highest level of service to our program participants. Nationally, Goodwill is rated an "A" grade by Charity Watch, and GESMN has earned nearly a dozen 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator, a distinction obtained by only 2% of charities nationwide.

        Americans told the World Value Index that Goodwill is the brand they trust more than any other. The World Value Index is based on a nationally representative, comprehensive survey of 3,000 Americans on perception, awareness and behaviors in response to the purpose and mission of organizations and brands.

        Leadership

        executive team

        Photo of Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Brent Babcock

        Brent Babcock
        Chief Sales &
        Marketing Officer

        Photo of Chief Human Resources and Risk Officer Jinah Chernivec

        Jinah Chernivec
        Chief Human Resources
        & Risk Officer

        Photo of Mary Jones, Chief Philanthropy Officer

        Mary Jones
        Chief Philanthropy Officer

        Photo of Chief Services and Programs & Philanthropy Officer, Shiela Olson

        Sheila Olson
        Chief Services &
        Programs Officer

        Photo of Chief Finance Officer Jeff Uecher

        Jeff Uecker
        Chief Financial Officer

        Photo of President and Chief Executive Officer, Michael Wirth-Davis, D.P.A.

        Michael Wirth-Davis,
        DPA

        President &
        Chief Executive Officer


        Board Members

        Stephanie Albert, JD (’25) Secretary

        EVP, Chief Legal Officer, Stratacor; and President, Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation

        Anthony Bass, MDiv, MBA (’25)

        Senior Executive Director,
        American Cancer Society ‐ Minnesota

        Paulette Baukol (’25)

        CEO,
        INDiGO Solutions

        Lauren Beecham Henry (ex-officio)

        Chair, Goodwill-Easter Seals Foundation

        Jennell Bilek, Pharm D, JD, PhD (’27)

        Equity Partner,
        Carlson Caspers

        Kortney Cartwright ('27) Vice Chair

        District Branch Manager, BCForward

        Marcella De La Torre, EdD (’27)

        Chief Administrative Officer,
        Minneapolis Area REALTORS®

        George Dickson (’26)

        Vice President, Macquarie Group

        Sonjia Erickson ('26)

        Design Director, Product Design & Development, Target Corporation

        Andrew Feikema ('25)

        Senior Vice President/Relationship Manager,
        US Bank Corporate Banking

        Mike Finger, MA ('25) Treasurer

        Founder, ExitOasis.com

        Douglas Guilherme, MBA (’27)

        Vice President Supply Chain US and Canada,
        The Hershey Company

        Jesse Johnson, MPM, MBA (’27)

        Chief of Staff, Food Solutions Americas,
        Cargill

        Karin McCabe (’27)

        McGough Construction (retired)

        Bill McNeill (’27)

        Executive Director-Client Advisor,
        J.P. Morgan Funds

        Jacinta Moss (’27)

        Family Peer Support Specialist, Ramsey County Children's Mental Health Collaborative

        Elizabeth Ortloff (’27)

        SVP, Senior Compliance & Audit Officer,
        EntreBank

        Charla Sheffield, MBA (’25)

        Community Advocate

        Valerie Krzywkowski Snyder, JD ('25)

        Supervising Attorney, Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services

        Sanjay Terakanambi, MS, MBA (’27)

        Technology Strategy Consultant,
        Prerana Technology Strategy Consulting

        Morgan Truscott (’27)

        Executive Director, JP Morgan Private Bank

        Ivan Winship (’25)

        Vice President of Finance and Administration, Minnesota Orchestra

        Michael Wirth-Davis, DPA (ex-officio)

        President & CEO, Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota


        key contacts

        Melissa Becker
        Marketing & Communications Director

        Nick Adams
        Retail Stores Senior Director

        Ann Marie Courchene
        Retail Operations & Logistics Senior Director

        Dan Schultz
        Director of Outlets/Wholesale

        Dr. Keith Brooks
        Sr. Director, Services and Programs

        Deanna Smiley Gulliford
        Public Affairs Director

        Naomi Prabhakar
        Director of Development

        FAQ

         Frequently 
         Asked 
         Questions 

        Shopping FAQ


        FACTS AND MYTHS

        Goodwill is widely known and respected as a nonprofit that funds job training and employment services through the sales of donated items. Because our brand is internationally known and been around for over a decade, sometimes people are misinformed about who we are.

        Next time you see a friend perpetuating these common hoax topics, please share the facts:

         

        • Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota is a registered 501c3 nonprofit organization, not a for-profit company like other thrift stores in our market.
        • “Why do you sell things that you get for free?” Donations stock stores to support our mission, but there are many costs to get that lamp from your trunk onto a shelf.
        • We employ nearly 2,000 people in our community and all employees earns more than the MN minimum wage.
        • Our local retail stores, outlets, e-commerce and aftermarket operations handle over 75 million donated items annually to provide funding for services and programs that eliminate barriers to work and independence.
        • Our commitment to sustainability includes electric car charging stations at 60% of our stores and partnership with 160 Goodwill agencies that collectively divert over 4.5 billion pounds from landfills every year.
        • President & CEO Dr. Michael Wirth-Davis has led the organization for over 30 years. He teaches and volunteers his time speaking to various groups (he doesn’t have a yacht or get paid millions of dollars). His compensation, like all nonprofit CEOs is available in our Form 990.
        • Employment is multi-faceted and looks different for everyone, and not all job seekers have access to the same start line. We are intentional about serving populations deeply impacted by the changing economy and rising costs, who need a little support to build thriving careers and stable families. We also help dozens of employer partners develop a pipeline of trained workers with diverse skills and backgrounds to fill essential roles.

         

        Employer Resources

        ATTENTION EMPLOYERS!

        Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota

        can help connect you to trained workers

        in a variety of high-demand fields

        It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!

        1.

        Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota’s services and programs support thousands of Minnesotans seeking career opportunities and growth each year; we prepare people for work to be your next successful, long-term employee (in the Twin Cities Metro, Mankato, Rochester, St. Cloud and Willmar). We provide people with free customized job support, training programs and resources to help them secure and retain employment.

        2.

        We can help your company build a hiring process that will attract, hire and retain the best talent by refocusing your hiring process on skills and capabilities rather than credentials. Our half-day comprehensive, customized Minnesota Skills-Based Hiring Accelerator workshop helps companies improve retention and increase diversity among their employees.

        3.

        What field are you looking to hire in? Browse these links to find industry information, then complete the interest form to get connected to qualified candidates!

        Contact our employer resources team

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        Thanks for your interest in partnering with our services. Our mission is to eliminate barriers to work and independence, and we connect people to jobs every day. Our staff will be in contact with you.

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        Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the Federal Tax ID: 41-0706171.