Blog

Evergreen Goodwill’s expansion in the early 1960s brought about progress and celebration. In 1964, the Seattle Lane Street headquarters and flagship store underwent significant expansion that provided more work and retail space. This development enabled Evergreen Goodwill to offer job training and employment opportunities to over 1,100 individuals with disabilities that year. But the impact didn’t stop there. In 1963, Evergreen Goodwill became the inspiration for a passionate social worker who studied the organization for six months.

Throughout the early 20th century, much of Evergreen Goodwill’s fundraising and outreach work was done by the Women’s Auxiliary, founded in 1924. Key responsibilities of the Women’s Auxiliary were the placement of Goodwill bags in homes and organization of fundraisers. Women’s’ groups were an important social institution from the 1920s through the 1960s.

The era also marked a turning point in Evergreen Goodwill’s business practices, driven by technological advancements and environmental policies. A former Executive Director, Frances Taylor Trantum, acknowledged that the value of many things had changed due to economic expansion. “Many things that used to be of considerable value are now of almost no value at all,” said Trantum, according to a 1968 article published by the Seattle Daily Times. This prompted Evergreen Goodwill to find new strategies to fund their Job Training and Education programs and services.

Discover the vibrant history of Evergreen Goodwill