Goodwill is one of the best-known names in American secondhand retail, yet many people assume it is a government office. It is not. Across the United States, Goodwill stores, donation centers and career services are run by independent nonprofit organizations. Our database holds 7,092 Goodwill listings covering every state. This page explains who actually runs each location, which public bodies still affect how it operates, and how to pick the right state page. That way you reach the correct store, donation door or job-training office the first time.

Who Runs Goodwill in the United States: Independent Nonprofits, Not Agencies

Goodwill Industries International, headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, is the network's membership organization. It licenses the name and sets shared standards, but it does not run your neighborhood store. Each local Goodwill is its own 501(c)(3) charity with its own board, its own territory and its own chief executive. That is why Goodwill Akron in Summit County, Ohio, can follow different hours, donation rules and programs than Goodwill Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County, California, even though the blue logo looks identical.

The model dates to 1902, when Rev. Edgar J. Helms began collecting used household goods in Boston, repairing them and hiring people who needed work. The same idea still drives the business. Donated items are sold in stores and online, and the revenue helps pay for job training, résumé help and placement services. Some local Goodwills also hold public contracts to deliver workforce programs. That brings government money in without making them government offices.

In practice, no federal, state or county department staffs a Goodwill counter. If you need a license, a permit, a benefits application or a court form, you want a different office. If you want to drop off donations, shop or ask about training, Goodwill is the right place.

Which Government Bodies Still Matter for Goodwill Across the United States

Government does not run Goodwill, but several levels of it set the ground rules. Knowing who handles what saves time when you have a tax question, a complaint or a zoning concern.

Federal level. The Internal Revenue Service recognizes Goodwill organizations as tax-exempt charities and sets the rules for deducting donated goods. For noncash gifts, you need a receipt from the charity, and total claims above $500 call for IRS Form 8283. The U.S. Department of Labor funds workforce programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and some Goodwills work alongside local American Job Centers.

State level. Charities generally register with a state office, often the attorney general or the secretary of state, depending on the state. State revenue departments decide how sales tax applies to store purchases. State vocational rehabilitation agencies sometimes contract with a local Goodwill for training and employment services.

County and city level. Local governments handle zoning, building permits and signage for stores and donation sheds. Local workforce development boards, which often cover one or several counties, steer federal job-training dollars. City or county code enforcement and sanitation offices respond when items are dumped outside a closed donation door.

That split explains why a complaint about a dumping pile behind a store in Abilene, in Taylor County, Texas, usually goes to a local code office. A question about a tax receipt goes to the IRS or your tax preparer.

How Rules, Services and Fees Differ From State to State

Goodwill does not charge you to donate or to walk through a store. Money changes hands at the register, and that is where state law shows up first.

Sales tax. Rates are set by states and local governments. Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon have no statewide sales tax. A purchase at Goodwill Albany on Pacific Boulevard Southeast, in Linn County, Oregon, adds none at the state level. A shopper at Goodwill Apex in Wake County, North Carolina, pays the combined state and county rate. Always check the receipt rather than assuming the rate you know from another state.

What gets accepted. Federal safety rules on items such as cribs, and state recycling laws on mattresses and electronics, change what a given location will take. A donation center in Florida may accept something that a store in Indiana turns away. Each local Goodwill also sets its own limits on bulky furniture and appliances.

What each site offers. Some addresses are retail-only stores. Others share a building with a career center or a donation drive-through. Goodwill Apollo Beach, at 252 Harbor Village Lane in Hillsborough County, and Goodwill Ames, at 3718 Lincoln Way in Story County, may offer different services and hours, even though both carry the same name.

Receipts and values. Staff can hand you a receipt that describes what you gave, but they do not appraise it. You decide the fair market value and keep your own records.

Choosing the Right State Page for Goodwill in the United States

Start with the state where the store physically sits, not where the organization is headquartered. Some local Goodwills serve several counties, and a few cross state lines. California leads our database with 750 listings, so Goodwill in California is best searched by county. Texas follows with 582, and the Goodwill in Texas page covers places like Abilene and its Taylor County store at 3133 South 14th Street. Florida has 575 listings on its Goodwill in Florida page, and Ohio has 409 on Goodwill in Ohio.

Town names repeat across the country, so check the county. There is a Goodwill Aberdeen at 1103 East Wishkah Street in Grays Harbor County, Washington. There is another at 913 Old Philadelphia Road in Harford County, Maryland. Goodwill Albany in Linn County, Oregon, is not the same as the Goodwill listed as Colonie at 1 Fuller Road, Albany, in Albany County, New York.

Once you find the listing, confirm it by phone. Goodwill Akron, for example, lists 330-724-2389. A short call confirms hours, accepted items and whether a career center is on site.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Goodwill in the United States

  • Treating Goodwill as a government office and bringing permit, benefits or court paperwork.
  • Driving to a same-named town in the wrong state because the county was not checked.
  • Arriving at closing time with a full car, since donation hours can end earlier than store hours.
  • Leaving without asking for a donation receipt, which you need to support a tax deduction.
  • Bringing broken, stained or recalled items that the location cannot accept.
  • Showing up for job training without calling first to ask about orientation times and eligibility.

A two-minute call before you leave home avoids most of these problems.

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Matching Goodwill Listings in the United States to Your Town

Before you drive anywhere, match three details: the town, the county and the state. Goodwill Abingdon at 15811 Porterfield Highway sits in Washington County, which belongs under Goodwill in Virginia and not under any other state's Washington County. Goodwill Acworth at 6110 Cedarcrest Road is in Cobb County, so it falls under Goodwill in Georgia. Goodwill Allentown on Lehigh Street is in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.

Next, call the listed number. Goodwill Anderson in Madison County, Indiana, lists 765-642-9141, and Goodwill Aiken on Whiskey Road lists 803-644-4601. Ask three things: whether donations are accepted today, which items they refuse, and whether the building has a career services office. Hours posted online can lag behind holiday changes, so a short call prevents a wasted trip.

Frequently Asked Questions About Goodwill in the United States

No. Goodwill is a network of independent nonprofit charities, not a federal, state, county or city office. Goodwill Industries International in Rockville, Maryland, licenses the name and sets shared standards, while each local organization has its own board and leadership. Government still touches the work indirectly: the IRS grants tax-exempt status, states oversee charity registration and sales tax, and local governments handle zoning and permits. Some Goodwills also deliver public workforce programs under contract. For licenses, benefits, vehicle titles or court matters, contact the relevant government office instead of a store.

Start with the store manager, then ask for the executive office of that local Goodwill, since each one answers to its own board. If the issue involves how a charity handles money or solicitations, many states accept complaints through the attorney general's charity division or the secretary of state. The office differs by state, so check your state's official website. Trash left outside a closed donation door is usually a matter for city or county code enforcement or sanitation. Keep dates, photos and receipts, because specifics get faster results than general complaints.

Usually yes, if you ask. Staff typically hand over a receipt showing the date and a general description of what you gave, but they do not put a dollar value on it. You estimate fair market value yourself. To deduct the gift, you must itemize on your federal return. Noncash gifts totaling more than $500 require IRS Form 8283, and very large or high-value gifts bring stricter appraisal rules. IRS Publication 526 explains the details. Photograph your items and keep the receipt with your tax records.

Donating is free, and browsing a store costs nothing. Career services such as résumé help, interview practice and computer skills classes are generally offered at no charge to participants, because retail sales, grants and public contracts cover the cost. Some programs have eligibility rules set by their funder, such as age, income or veteran status, and those vary by location. Call your local Goodwill, such as the Goodwill Akron listing at 330-724-2389, and ask what applies to the specific program you want.

Our database lists 750 Goodwill locations in California, 582 in Texas and 575 in Florida, followed by Ohio with 409 and Virginia with 352. Those counts likely reflect large populations, many suburbs and a dense network of stores and donation sites. They say nothing about service quality. A state with fewer listings is not necessarily underserved, since one local Goodwill may run many stores across a wide territory. In a large state, narrow your search by county first, such as Los Angeles County for Goodwill Agoura Hills, then by town.

For donations, bring clean, working items in bags or boxes, and plan to ask for a receipt. Skip anything broken, heavily stained or recalled. Call first about large pieces like furniture, mattresses, appliances and electronics, since acceptance varies by location and by state recycling rules. For job training or career services, bring a photo ID and, if you have one, a current résumé. Some funded programs also ask for proof of address, income or work authorization. Programs differ, so confirm the list with staff before you go.

Use the county and street address, not just the town name. Goodwill Aberdeen at 1103 East Wishkah Street is in Grays Harbor County, Washington, while another Goodwill Aberdeen at 913 Old Philadelphia Road is in Harford County, Maryland. Likewise, Goodwill Albany at 1605 Pacific Boulevard Southeast is in Linn County, Oregon, and the Goodwill listed as Colonie at 1 Fuller Road, Albany, sits in Albany County, New York. Open the state page first, then match the county and phone number to confirm you have the right store.