Honoring 75 Faces of Goodwill and Looking Forward to a Future of Empowerment
FORT WORTH, TEXAS (October 30, 2024) – Goodwill North Central Texas marked its 75th anniversary with a special event on Thursday, October 24, 2024 at the Fort Worth Club, celebrating decades of life-changing impact and community service. The event brought together more than 300 guests, including City and County Leaders and Congressional Representatives, as well as former board members, staff, and longstanding community partners, to honor the organization’s legacy of providing education, training and job placement to individuals with barriers to employment.
Founded in October 1949 as the 100th Goodwill organization in the United States, Goodwill North Central Texas was established by a group of Fort Worth businessmen, led by Everton O. Dibb, with a startup fund of $10,000 and the support of Amon Carter. What began with providing employment opportunities for 53 individuals with disabilities in its first year has evolved into an organization that, in 2023 alone, served nearly 12,000 people, including veterans, at-risk youth, and those experiencing homelessness or reentering society after incarceration.
Goodwill’s history of service to the North Texas community is one of innovation and growth. From launching educational programs in 1961 to opening a state-of-the-art headquarters on Campus Drive in 2001, the organization has continuously expanded its reach to offer 27 education, training, and job placement programs across 18 counties. Partnerships with local nonprofits, businesses, and community leaders have been essential to Goodwill’s ongoing success.
“This anniversary is not only a tribute to our history but a testament to the enduring power of collaboration and community support,” said David Cox, President and CEO of Goodwill North Central Texas. “The lives we have helped transform over the last 75 years are a reflection of the incredible partnerships that make our mission possible. We look forward to building on this legacy, transforming thousands more lives through the Power of Work in the years to come.”
Three standout honorees received top recognition, the President’s Award, for their dedication to Goodwill’s mission:
- Bernard Kern, former Executive Director (1988-1999), was celebrated for his visionary leadership, which transformed Goodwill North Central Texas through expansions, a successful $6 million capital campaign and the acquisition of a 17-acre property for a regional warehouse and program campus.
- Kelly Allen Gray, former Fort Worth City Council member and current Executive Director of the AIDS Outreach Center, was honored for her leadership of key fundraising initiatives, including Project Goodwill and the Virtual Bike Ride during the pandemic, as well as her ongoing work connecting Goodwill’s services to vulnerable communities.
- Hadley Woerner, Tarrant Region President of Frost Bank, was recognized for over 20 years of dedication to Goodwill. Frost Bank’s financial support, particularly as a longstanding sponsor of the Goodwill Classic, has helped foster impactful community partnerships and increased financial resources for Goodwill’s programs.
The evening featured powerful testimonials from Goodwill’s President’s Award winners, as they shared their personal stories of transformation through Goodwill’s programs. Tarrant County Commissioner Roy Charles Brooks and Fort Worth City Council Member Jeanette Martinez presented proclamations commemorating the organization’s profound impact on the community since its founding in 1949.
For more information on the event and a full list of honorees, please visit www.goodwillnorthcentraltexas.org/75.
About Goodwill North Central Texas
Goodwill is more than a thrift store. The largest employer of people with disabilities in the world, Goodwill provides education, training and job placement and believes that it’s worth celebrating!
Goodwill North Central Texas is based in Fort Worth and serves 18 counties in the region. The nonprofit’s 26 area retail locations provide revenue through the sale of donated goods to support Goodwill’s mission to CREATE lives of independence and BUILD a stronger local community. Education, training and job placement programs for individuals with disabilities, the formerly incarcerated, at-risk youth, our veterans and people experiencing homelessness are guided by the organization’s vision of a North Central Texas where every person has the opportunity for maximum independence and abundant living. For more information, please visit www.GoodwillNorthCentralTexas.org.
###
