New Study Highlights Goodwill’s $638M Economic Impact in SC

Goodwill Industries, a national nonprofit founded in 1902, strives to advance equitable access to education, job training, and employment through a network of locally governed affiliates.

In South Carolina, this mission is advanced through two regional affiliates.

Palmetto Goodwill serves 18 counties across the Lowcountry and eastern South Carolina, while Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina serves 16 counties across much of central and western South Carolina.

Both organizations operate a network of retail stores, donation centers, and workforce service programs that generate revenue to support job training, career placement, education assistance, and wrap-around services for individuals facing employment challenges.

In addition to meeting the needs of these local communities, these activities also generate a significant economic footprint within each service region, according to findings of an economic impact study conducted by the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business.

The day-to-day business operations of each Goodwill affiliate generates jobs and incomes for local residents, which increases demand through new spending activity at local businesses on a variety of goods and services.

Moreover, by providing employment services that offer job training and connections to employers, these affiliates help individuals to enter or re-enter the workforce, which leads to higher earnings and reduced reliance on public assistance that generate additional economic benefits.

Palmetto Goodwill and Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina served more than 23,000 individuals through various job training, career placement, education assistance, and other community services in 2024 alone, and has served nearly 250,000 individuals since 2017.

This includes more than 10,000 individuals successfully placed directly into employment in 2024 with average starting wages of approximately $16/hour and 36 hours of work per week.

The total estimated economic impact of Palmetto Goodwill and Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina is $638.4 million annually. This represents the total value of all goods and services associated (either directly or indirectly) with the economic activities of both organizations.

This impact also corresponds to approximately 15,000 jobs in the combined 34-county service region that wouldn’t exist otherwise.

The specific economic impact of Palmetto Goodwill on its 18-county service region is $309.8 million, which corresponds to 6,157 jobs and $214.5 million in labor income for local residents.

In a similar fashion, the total estimated impact of Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina on its 16-county service region is estimated to be $328.6 million, which corresponds to 8,780 jobs and $311.3 million in labor income.