Rumors
Today there is so much fake news on the internet. Unfortunately, there are a few vicious rumors about Goodwill. Here’s the truth:
Goodwill is a nonprofit run by a volunteer board of directors
The biggest rumor we hear says that Goodwill is a for-profit business that doesn’t help people and only exists to make millions for a CEO named Mark Curran … well, that’s total nonsense. Goodwill Northern New England is a 501c3 nonprofit. When you donate or shop our stores, we put that money into our programs. Goodwill NNE is run by a volunteer board of directors. Our CEO is Tripp Harrison who lives in Maine and does not make millions. Goodwill Industries International is a nonprofit run by a volunteer board of directors. Their CEO is Steven Preston. Mark Curran is not the CEO or owner of Goodwill … no one by that name has ever worked for Goodwill … he doesn’t exist. No one owns Goodwill. Our CEO, Tripp Harrison, addresses common rumors in the video below.
If you want more info about this rumor and the truth, read more here.
Goodwill pays people with disabilities more than minimum wage
There’s a rumor about “14C sub-minimum wage.” That rumor says Goodwill NNE pays people with disabilities pennies per hour … but that’s not true. That’s against our values and what we stand for. *Every* Goodwill NNE employee makes more than minimum wage regardless of ability.
We have more information on this subject here.
Ryan Muncy never came in a Goodwill NNE store
There’s a viral Facebook rumor from a man who said Goodwill wouldn’t give a person with a disability sweatshirts and work boots. This incident didn’t happen in Maine, New Hampshire or Vermont. Goodwill NNE is an independent nonprofit and we have programs specially designed to help people (of any ability) into stability.
Your donations and purchases help fund important programs in addition to grant funding
Goodwill NNE accepts federal or state funding to help people get jobs, or serve people with disabilities, but those grants do not cover all the costs of Goodwill NNE’s programs. This year alone we’ve spent more than $1,200,000 of Goodwill dollars to make sure our programs are staffed, safe, and effective. Many grants (federal, state and local) require a “match” of some funding from nonprofit partners, like us. We rely on shoppers and donors to support us, so we can serve our community.
We’re here to stop fake news
Heard something else whacky about Goodwill? Send us a note or give us a call: Info@GoodwillNNE.org or 207-774-6323. We’re happy to talk about anything and everything we do. Once you know more about us, we’re sure you’ll be even more proud to shop or donate to Goodwill NNE.
14C Special Minimum Wage Certificate and Employee Wages at Goodwill Northern New England
Our integrity revolves around how closely we adhere to our fundamental belief in the value of every human being and the ‘place’ where we live – the environment and the economy that brings structure to our communities.
14C Special Wage Certificate and Goodwill Northern New England
All Goodwill NNE employees make more than minimum wage. There are businesses (both nonprofit and for-profit) that use the Special Minimum Wage Certificate, or 14C, a federal program that allows employers to pay people with disabilities less than minimum wage based on their productivity performing a specific task or job. At Goodwill NNE we believe this program is outdated and wrong. What’s more, it has been our policy and practice, since 1996, to require that all positions meet or exceed minimum wage. This policy is based on our core belief in the value of each and every person and that each of us contributes to building vibrant and thriving communities.
Employee Wages
At Goodwill of Northern New England, all employees earn more than minimum wage. Further, through our workforce services, as we connect people with barriers to jobs in the marketplace, we ensure that they, too, are paid competitive wages, never less than the established minimum wage. We work together to ensure that our world is one we all want to have – one in which people can not only live a full life for themselves, but contribute to a healthy community for us all.
This practice is core to our principles – and is essential to the well-being of our employees and the communities where we all live.
There are 163 local, autonomous Goodwill agencies that tailor job training programs to meet the needs of local communities and employ people with disabilities or other challenges to finding employment including those who lack education or job experience.
Is Mark Curran CEO and Owner of Goodwill Industries? No.
Mark Curran is not the CEO and Owner of Goodwill.
Tripp Harrison is the President & CEO of Goodwill Northern New England and reports to a volunteer Board of Directors.
Several variations of an email called Think before you donate claim Mark Curran as the CEO and Owner of Goodwill Industries (he isn’t). One surfaced recently claiming Goodwill is a for-profit store and the owner, Mark Curran, makes an annual salary of 2.3 million (he doesn’t, because he doesn’t exist). Mark Curran has never owned Goodwill or worked for Goodwill Industries.
Goodwill Industries of Northern New England is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit that operates in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont providing a variety of services that connect people to market place employment, reaching nearly 50,000 people annually.
