Goodwill has significant economic impact in Montgomery County

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee annually generates wages and salaries of more than $14 million and business revenues of nearly $23 million in Montgomery County while placing hundreds of people into jobs.

These are among the findings of a new study by the Business and Economic Research Center at Middle Tennessee State University, which shows that every dollar spent by Goodwill creates an additional $3.30 in benefits to the region. Total economic impact of the not-for-profit is approaching a half-billion dollars across the 48 counties it serves.

Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee President and CEO Matthew Bourlakas joined the author of the economic impact assessment, Murat Arik, director of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, in releasing the results at Goodwill’s Nashville headquarters Wednesday.

“This study validates what we have long suspected — that Goodwill is much more than a non-profit and social enterprise. It’s an economic engine that propels businesses and communities forward while giving a hand up, rather than a handout, to those individuals who need it most,” Bourlakas said.

The 58-year-old organization serves half of Tennessee’s counties in a territory stretching from Cookeville to Union City. It is one of five independently operated Goodwills in the state.

The local Goodwill provides free training and employment opportunities for people struggling to find and keep jobs for a wide variety of reasons, such as disabilities, criminal records or lack of computer skills, and to others simply wanting to advance their careers. This mission is funded through the sale of donated goods in Goodwill’s retail stores.

In 2014, the agency helped 9,558 people find jobs. The vast majority went to work with other employers in Middle and West Tennessee. The effect of those job placements — including salaries earned by formerly unemployed people, the impact of their spending and resulting sales taxes collected by the state — are included in MTSU’s calculations, along with Goodwill’s direct hires and salaries.