Goodwill Columbus, formally Goodwill Industries of Central Ohio, has served central Ohio since 1939, turning donated goods into free job training and placement for people facing barriers to work. It serves Franklin and Madison counties, with revenue of about $59.7 million in 2024, and is one of Ohio's largest job providers for people with employment barriers. Ryan Burgess serves as president and CEO. Website goodwillcolumbus.org.
Goodwill runs a social enterprise: people donate used clothing and household goods, Goodwill sells them in its thrift stores, and the proceeds fund free job training and placement. Donating and shopping are the main ways the public supports the mission.
Goodwill Columbus has operated in central Ohio since 1939 and is one of Ohio's largest job providers for people with employment barriers, both training people and employing them directly.
A distinctive feature of Goodwill Columbus is that its job-training programs and credentials are free and open to the public, regardless of work experience. Training covers in-demand fields such as STNA (nurse aide), medical billing and coding, information technology, and hospitality and healthcare.
Specific programs include AMP, which helps young adults ages 18 to 24 launch careers with a dedicated coach; Roads2Work commercial driver training; digital-skills and CompTIA IT courses; and Project SEARCH, a workplace-readiness program for people with disabilities run with state and county partners.
Goodwill Columbus serves Franklin and Madison counties, centered on the fast-growing Columbus metro. It operates retail stores throughout the region, with recent expansions including a store in Westerville, and its revenue was about $59.7 million in 2024.
Ryan Burgess serves as president and CEO, leading both the retail operations and the free training programs they fund.
Goodwill accepts clean, gently used clothing, shoes, accessories, housewares, books, and many household items; check the donation guidelines before a large drop-off. Donations go to stores and donation centers across central Ohio.
Donations are tax-deductible, and donors should keep a receipt and an itemized list for their records. For a full breakdown, see our guide on what Goodwill accepts.
Goodwill Columbus is a 501(c)(3) organization, tax-exempt since 1952, and revenue from its stores funds its free training programs. Its EIN for tax-deductible cash gifts is 31-4379448.
Because the training is free to participants, store proceeds effectively subsidize workforce credentials for central Ohio residents.
Both Goodwill and the Salvation Army run thrift stores funded by donated goods, but Goodwill focuses on job training and placement, with Goodwill Columbus offering free public training and credentials. The Salvation Army funds recovery and broad social services.
For donated clothing and housewares in central Ohio, either is a strong option; if your priority is free workforce training, Goodwill Columbus is distinctive.
Last updated June 2026. Goodwill Columbus (Goodwill Industries of Central Ohio) CEO (Ryan Burgess), founding (1939), 2024 revenue (~$59.7 million), Franklin and Madison county service area, and free public training programs (AMP, Project SEARCH, Roads2Work, STNA, IT) from Goodwill Columbus (goodwillcolumbus.org) and ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer; EIN 31-4379448 from Charity Navigator. We are not affiliated with Goodwill Columbus and receive no compensation for this listing. Spotted an error? [email protected]