Goodwill began in 1935 as the Society for Crippled Civilians, assisting people with disabilities. In 1938, the Society purchased an old home on George Street in Toronto, turned it into its first retail store. The Society then hired employees with special needs to collect, restore and sell donated goods, providing a “sheltered workshop” for persons with disabilities to access meaningful employment.

In 1976, the Society joined the International Goodwill Federation, which had started in Boston in 1903 with much the same mission as Toronto’s Society for Crippled Civilians. It later changed its name to Goodwill Industries of Toronto and expanded its focus to include all people facing barriers to employment.

What began as a modest cluster of thrift stores operated by a handful of staff has evolved into a network of locations throughout the province operated by a diverse staff of over 750. But our mission remains the same - to create work and training opportunities for those facing barriers to employment.

Goodwill now functions as an independent Canadian charitable agency while sharing information and experience with 205 member organizations around North America.