In the 1970s, Seattle experienced population and economic growth, which brought increased diversity to the region. Prior to this time, there weren’t many organizations dedicated to helping people with disabilities. As time went on, more and more services become available, and Evergreen Goodwill chose to focus on assisting individuals facing economic and educational challenges.

Similar to the present day, Evergreen Goodwill provided free classes that aimed to equip students with the necessary skills needed in a wide range of jobs in different sectors. Popular classes included cashiering, graphic arts, electronics assembly, and bank telling. We also offered guidance for General Education (GED) exams, resume writing, interview preparation and English classes for non-native speakers—much like we still do today.

Also during this time, we made a significant change in our donation collection method. We replaced our well-known trucks with “attended donation stations”. These steel containers were placed throughout the area. The transition helped conserve fuel and save money for the organization.

In 1973, Evergreen Goodwill celebrated our 50- year anniversary, and in honor of this milestone, the then-Washington state Governor Dan Evans designated March 1st as “Goodwill Industries Day”.

Explore more about our 100 years of community impact