[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 103 (Thursday, June 25, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E976]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CELEBRATING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF GREATER NEW 
                          YORK AND NEW JERSEY

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                      HON. RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 25, 2015

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 100th 
Anniversary of Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New 
Jersey.
  For a whole century, this organization has provided assistance and 
opportunity to a wide host of thankful recipients in the New York and 
northern New Jersey area.
  Founded on February 13, 1915 in a Brooklyn suburb by two clergymen, 
the first Goodwill in New York began the task of providing assistance 
to persons with disabilities and disadvantages so they could achieve a 
level of self-sufficiency. From this humble start, people requesting 
assistance earned a living through the collection and sale of donated 
clothing and other goods. It wasn't long before the success of the 
Brooklyn Goodwill spread to other communities.
  Years later, in 1922, St. Paul's Community House founded its own 
Goodwill in Jersey City, New Jersey. In 1962 the Goodwill in Brooklyn 
merged with its Jersey City cousin to form Goodwill Industries of 
Greater New York and Northern New Jersey Inc.
  The success from that early Brooklyn store is how the organization 
gained its current name. Goodwill Industries International is composed 
of 165 agencies in the United States, Canada, and fourteen affiliates 
abroad. Goodwill's mission is to ``empower individuals with 
disabilities and other barriers to employment to gain independence 
through the power of work,'' and they certainly have acted on that 
directive. In 2014 alone, the organization served 95,000 persons in 
need and connected approximately 8,500 with jobs. Aside from providing 
job services to persons with disabilities, immigrants, and war 
veterans, Goodwill also provides free afterschool programs in a bid to 
assist in the proper education and direction of our nation's young 
people.
  Goodwill has also dedicated their efforts towards assisting those 
afflicted by two major disasters in recent memory. After the events of 
9/11, Goodwill organized an emergency employment initiative to assist 
those whose families had been effected by the terrible events of that 
day, offering over 70 programs aimed at retail training and 
rehabilitation through 42 Goodwill stores across New York and New 
Jersey.
  In the wake of the destruction of Hurricane Sandy, Goodwill gave back 
to the community by organizing the distribution of crucially needed 
donated goods, as well as supporting communities in the afflicted areas 
by partnering with local businesses. Even today, Goodwill continues to 
work with state officials in providing donated goods for those still 
struggling to recover from the storm.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge you and my colleagues to join me in thanking 
Goodwill Industries and congratulating them on their 100th Anniversary.

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