Christopher Carlson

The mission of Goodwill Industries-Suncoast is to help people achieve their full potential through the dignity and power of work. We achieve this mission through job training, employment, and personal growth opportunities for people with disabilities and other barriers to employment. Through Goodwill, people experience the self-respect derived from earning a paycheck. The sale of donated and new goods at Goodwill stores enables us to offer a variety of employment and training services, promote self-sufficiency, and contribute to community conservation through recycling. Goodwill-Suncoast provides services to people in 10 counties – Pinellas, Pasco, Hillsborough, Polk, Hernando, Marion, Citrus, Sumter, Levy and Highlands counties. Goodwill-Suncoast was founded in October 1954 in downtown St. Petersburg. We began by assisting a handful of people with disabilities to gain work skills and paychecks. Now we help thousands of people overcome a variety of barriers to employment through employment programs, five subsidized apartment buildings, work activities centers for adults with developmental disabilities, as well as rehabilitative community corrections facilities. To support these services, Goodwill-Suncoast operates 15 retail stores and three outlet stores.