Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries
Serving Greater Cincinnati

History Timeline

1916

Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries started by Methodist minister Dr. Richard Scully

1918

Introduced the Goodwill Bag to encourage donated goods

1948

First formal rehabilitation skills training program initiated

1951

First United Clothing Drive

1957

Goodwill opens new Woodlawn complex

1959

First deposit boxes (collection centers) placed on location

1965

Comprehensive rehabilitation services offered

1979

Implemented supported employment programs

1988

Partnership with the Hamilton County Board of Mental Retardation and Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation

1990

J.M. Foundation Award for innovation and excellence

1993

Goodwill initiates Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program to serve local veterans

1999

First deposit boxes (collection centers) placed on location

Goodwill receives $28,848 grant form the Greater Cincinnati Foundation for Homeless Opportunities Program

Goodwill institutes Special Gifts campaign to build new production facility and renovate corporate complex

2000

Goodwill receives $197,574 grant form the U.S. Department of Labor for its Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program

Miss America, Heather French and U.S. Secretary of Labor, Alexis Herman visit Goodwill Industries

2001

Launch of Goodwill Golf Outing- single annual fund-raiser for Ohio Valley Goodwill

First deposit boxes (collection centers) placed on location

Goodwill opens 82,000 square foot production facility Launch of Goodwill Auto Auction

2002

Goodwill receives Thomas H. Kidd award of excellence from the Hamilton County Board of MRDD

New workforce development center opens

2003

Goodwill re-opens newly renovated 24,000 square foot Tri-County store

Ohio Valley Service Guild celebrates 70th Anniversary

Goodwill Industries selected as Organization of the Year by South Western Ohio Rehabilitation Organization (SWORA)

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awards Goodwill with two grants totallying $873,936 to assist homeless disabled persons to find permanent housing and to receive training and employment assistance

Launch of Consumer Advisory Council (CAC) at Ohio Valley Goodwill- an advocacy group designed to empower individuals to speak up for people with disabilities

2004

Launch of new Center for Advocacy, Recreation and Education (CARE) program

Launch of Goodwill involvement with annual Flying Pig Marathon and team training event

Grand Opening of Bellevue store

HVRP Grants Director, Charlie Blythe receives “Unsung Hero” award from National Coalition for Homeless Veterans

Launch of Community Ambassadors Resource Alliance (CARA) with Hamilton County DD Services

Goodwill Receives three-year accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)

Goodwill receives two grants from the U.S. Department of Labor totaling $594,440 to serve 355 veterans in the Greater Cincinnati Area

Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries dedicates completely renovated facility on November 5th, 2004

2005

Grand Re-Opening of Florence retail store

Goodwill Industries International “Volunteer of the Year” award to James Armour, Board Chairman

2006

Center for Advocacy, Recreation and Education (CARE) program receives HCDDS “Award of Excellence”

90th Anniversary of Service to the Greater Cincinnati community

2007

HCDDS Award for “Outstanding Achievement” to Leslie McCurley, Asst. Director of DD Services

SWORA Award for “Rehabilitation Practitioner of the Year,” to Nancy VanderWoude

Goodwill Receives three-year accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)

Opening of Blue Ash Donation Center

CARF 3-year accredation

2008

Grand Opening of Fairfield, Mason and Florence store as well as Butler County Goodwill Vocational Center

Goodwill Industries International “Kenneth K. King Management” Award to Joseph S. Byrum, President and CEO

Grand Opening of Westwood Goodwill Vocational Center and Donation Center

Opening of Finneytown Donation Center

2009

SWORA “Tomko Award for Outstanding Achievement” for Joseph S. Byrum, President and CEO

Cincinnati Business Courier, “CFO of the Year” Award for Doug Ostholthoff, VP Administrative Services

Best of Cincinnati Award from CityBeat Magazine for Goodwill stores

Opening of Attended Donation Centers in Colerain and Landen

Better Business Bureau- A+ Rating

Launch of partnership with annual Thanksgiving Day Race

Westwood store grand opening in Cheviot

What Matters Most Fashion Show in support of Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities Services, in partnership with CARA

2010

Grand Opening of Lebanon store and Warren County Goodwill Vocational Center

Grand Opening of Mt. Washington and Montgomery Boutiques

Grand Opening of Eastside Goodwill Vocational Services Center

Goodwill Receives three-year accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)

2011

“Unsung Hero” Award, National Coalition for Homeless Veterans for John Briggs, HVRP “

Agency Provider of the Year” to Ohio Valley Goodwill from the Butler County Board of Developmental Disabilities

2012

Medical Mutual Pillar Award for Community Service for Joseph S. Byrum, President and CEO, “Nonprofit Executive Director of the Year.”

Best of Cincinnati Award from CityBeat Magazine for Goodwill stores

Grand Opening of new Attended Donation Centers in Aurora and Alexandria

SSVF Grant Award- Veterans Services

2013

“Business Partner of the Year Award” for Ohio Valley Goodwill from Clermont County Board of DD

Goodwill Receives three-year accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). This represents the 4th consecutive perfect survey outcome with no recommendations placing the organization in the top 3% of organizations nationally

Renewal of SSVF Grant Award for Veterans Services

2014

“Excellence in Re-Use Award” Award for Ohio Valley Goodwill from Hamilton County Recycling and Solid Waste District

Medical Mutual Pillar Award for Community Service for Dennis Barron, “Non-Profit Board Executive of the Year,” OVGI Board of Directors

Best of Cincinnati Award from CityBeat Magazine for Goodwill stores

Launch of partnership with Queen Bee Marathon

Launch of Earth Day Electronic Donation Drive

Renewal of SSVF Grant Award- Veterans Services

2015

Launch of partnership with Oxford “ShareFest” Community Donation Drive

Renewal of SSVF Grant Award- Veterans Services

Opening of Attended Donation Centers in West Chester and Warsaw-Cleves

Earth Day Donation Drive

Major sponsor of 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act Celebration

2016

100th Anniversary Celebration! Ohio Valley Goodwill celebrates 100 years of serving people with disabilities and our nation’s veterans

Grand Opening of new Goodwill stores in Oxford, West Chester and Northern Kentucky- projected

100 Years of Goodwill Fashion with MC Sheree Paolello, News Anchor WLWT

2017

Opening of new Outlet Store- Feb 2017

PigAbilities in partnership with CARA and Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon

ShareFest Donation Drive with city of Oxford and Miami University

Queen Bee Fashion Show Sponsor and Photo Booth

C-Suite Awards-CFO of the Year- Doug Ostholthoff, Cincinnati Business Courier

$400K grant from DOL for HVRP

2018

Launch of Facebook Live weekly broadcasts

OAGI Statehouse Legislative Day

1st Year Title Sponsor for PigAbilities with Flying Pig Marathon

Visit to Washington DC with ACCSES- Meetings with Senator Sherrod Brown, and Congressman Brad Wenstrup

CARE Team visit to Senator Portman’s office

Award recognition from Warren County Board of DD

Visit by Congressman Steve Chabot Grand

Opening of new Hamilton Store

2019

JD Robins Distinguished Career Award -Joe Byrum

6th consecutive perfect CARF Survey outcome

CARE 15th Anniversary Celebration and Open House

Sharefest Donation Drive with city of Oxford and Miami U- 165K collected

ADA30 Celebration Sponsor

2019 Provider of the Year, Clermont DD

2019 HCDDS Levy Campaign Support- Historic Approval!

2020

May 2020 Closure and Re-Opening of all Business Lines due to COVID-19

Launch of Celebrate You campaign May 12th

Viral Post on OVGI Facebook platform resulted in more than a 1M views worldwide and increased followers by more than 500%

Wells Fargo High Impact Grant presented to HVRP

Grand Opening of Lawrenceburg Indiana store

2021

Gold Sponsor of 1st-ever Virtual Transition Boot Camp

Ohio Success Award in recognition of Employment Services team and response to COVID-19

June – 2021 Community Inclusion Award to OVGI Employment Services Team from Butler DD

2022

Record-Setting Athlete Participation in PigAbilities event in partnership with Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon

Community Impact Award from Butler County Board of Developmental Disabilities

Ohio Success Award from Ohio Business Magazine

Best Workplace in Ohio award winner from Ohio Business Magazine

Ohio Valley Goodwill Receives 2022 CARF Accreditation

President and CEO announces retirement after 45 years of service

New President and CEO Mark Hiemstra will take office January 1, 2023.

2023

Mark Hiemstra begins his tenure as President and CEO of Ohio Valley Goodwill on January 1st, 2023.

Visit by Congressman Greg Landsman to Ohio Valley Goodwill.

Celebration of the 90th Anniversary of the Goodwill Service Guild.