MERS Goodwill, based in St. Louis, is one of the largest nonprofits in Missouri. It was formed in 2001 by the merger of MERS, the Metropolitan Employment and Rehabilitation Services, with Goodwill, combining vocational counseling and job placement with the Goodwill retail model. The organization runs stores in cities across Missouri and reports revenue of about $172 million. Mark Arens serves as CEO. Website mersgoodwill.org.
Goodwill runs a social enterprise: people donate used clothing and household goods, Goodwill sells them in its thrift stores, and the proceeds fund job training and placement. Donating and shopping are the main ways the public supports the mission.
MERS Goodwill is distinctive because of its origins. MERS, the Metropolitan Employment and Rehabilitation Services, was a vocational rehabilitation agency that merged with Goodwill in 2001, so the organization pairs deep vocational counseling expertise with the Goodwill retail model.
With revenue of about $172 million, MERS Goodwill is one of the largest nonprofits in the state. It operates stores in cities across Missouri, including St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, Columbia, Cape Girardeau, Poplar Bluff, and the St. Louis suburbs, with a strategic goal of reaching 50 retail locations and serving people across 50 counties.
That statewide footprint lets a single Goodwill serve communities well beyond the St. Louis metro where it is headquartered.
The heart of MERS Goodwill is vocational counseling and job placement for people with disabilities and other barriers to employment. Its programs help people set goals, build skills, and find and keep work, with support that reflects the rehabilitation roots of the MERS side of the organization.
Programs include paid youth job-training partnerships with local schools and on-site work experience. Mark Arens, who started at MERS in 1997 as a vocational counselor, serves as CEO.
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 across Missouri.
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.
MERS Goodwill is a 501(c)(3) organization, and revenue from its stores funds its vocational programs rather than shareholder profit. Its EIN for tax-deductible cash gifts is 43-0652657.
Because the organization combines retail revenue with a strong vocational-rehabilitation mission, store proceeds support counseling and placement services across the state.
Both Goodwill and the Salvation Army run thrift stores funded by donated goods, but Goodwill focuses on job placement and vocational services while the Salvation Army funds recovery and broad social services. For donated clothing and housewares in Missouri, either is a strong option.
If your priority is vocational counseling and employment for people with disabilities, MERS Goodwill is distinctive thanks to its rehabilitation roots; for goods better suited to direct distribution, a local shelter or reuse nonprofit may fit better.
Last updated June 2026. MERS Goodwill CEO (Mark Arens), formation (2001 merger of MERS and Goodwill), revenue (~$172 million), statewide Missouri locations, and St. Louis base from MERS Goodwill (mersgoodwill.org) and ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (EIN 43-0652657). We are not affiliated with MERS Goodwill and receive no compensation for this listing. Spotted an error? [email protected]
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