Feel good about supporting Goodwill of Southern New England

People in our community occasionally receive an email or social media post titled “Think Before You Donate” that contains false information about a number of nonprofits, including Goodwill. This careless, and false information has been making the rounds for years. We know that you want your donations to be used wisely, so Goodwill of Southern New England would like to provide you with the correct information…Goodwill definitely encourages you to “think before you donate” and to research and learn more about the charities you’d like to support. Fact check your sources on  GuideStar.

Stand up to online rumors and get the facts here:

Rumor: Goodwill of Southern New England is a for-profit company.
TRUTH: This is the biggest rumor we hear and it is absolutely not true. Goodwill of Southern New England is an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with roots going back to 1863, right after the civil war, operating as the Irrepressible Society of Rhode Island. Goodwill maintains a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.

Rumor: Several variations of a hoax email called “Think Before You Donate” claim that Mark Curran is the CEO and owner of Goodwill earning 2.3 million dollars a year.
TRUTH: Goodwill of Southern New England does not have a CEO and we are not owned by Mark Curran.
H. Richard Borer Jr. is the President of Goodwill of Southern New England. As a nonprofit, Goodwill is governed by a board of directors made up of volunteers from the communities we serve.

Rumor: You shouldn’t donate to Goodwill of Southern New England because they don’t help anyone.
TRUTH: Goodwill was founded by Edgar J. Helms with the philosophy of “a hand up, not a handout.” This mission is still true today. We don’t just give help to someone once, we believe in teaching people the skills they need to find sustainable success.
Since 2015, we have served over 10,000 individuals in our programs, and assisted participants with obtaining over 3,000 jobs.

Rumor: There’s a viral Facebook rumor that originated back in 2017 claiming that Goodwill wouldn’t give a person (Mr. Muncy) with a disability sweatshirts and work boots.
TRUTH: This story, while largely false, refers to a situation that took place years ago in a Midwest Goodwill store. It has been reposted via social channels by dozens of people claiming to be Mr. Muncy’s parents. The original Facebook posting contained a number of inaccuracies and did not provide important context for the situation. The young man was shopping with his case manager when they inquired about a voucher; however, that voucher program had limitations, as mentioned by the concerned Facebook poster. Specifically, the voucher valued at $50 was for adults over the age of 18 who are in an emergency situation. The young man did receive a voucher for his circumstances and both he and his case manager reported that they appreciated the service offered by the local Goodwill and the support from the person who chose to purchase additional clothing for him.

Rumor: All the good donated items are sold first to Goodwill of Southern New England employees.
TRUTH: Goodwill of Southern New England has a strict policy against employees purchasing items. Our employees are not allowed to shop in the store that they work in. Violations of this policy are not tolerated.

Rumor: Goodwill of Southern New England pockets the money they receive from the sale of the items they get for free.
TRUTH: Approximately 85 cents of every dollar earned supports our mission. The revenue generated from the sales of donated goods helps to fund the programs and services we offer to our clients. The revenue is also used to keep our organization running as a whole. We help individuals with disabilities and other challenges in their lives build brighter futures by enhancing employment, educational, social, and recreational opportunities for them.