FEB 24, 2015 PROGRAM:
Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota: Approaching a Century of Service
For nearly a century Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota has been serving the people of Minnesota, beginning in 1919 when the state’s first “Goodwill Bargain Store” provided work opportunities for people with low income in Saint Paul. Throughout its history, its services have evolved to meet the changing needs of participants and community.
During the Depression, Goodwill established Trades Training programs and offered housing to workers. At the same time, Easter Seals began providing services to Minnesota children with disabilities. In the 1940s, Goodwill and Easter Seals established new training programs and a vocational rehabilitation center for World War II veterans with disabilities. During the 1960s, they opened their first suburban and rural Goodwill stores, and expanded on-the-job training programs. In 1984, Goodwill and Easter Seals merged in Minnesota. The new organization, Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota, continued offering services and retail stores throughout the Twin Cities area, and expanded its presence in Greater Minnesota. In the 1990s, the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act and new legislation requiring individuals receiving public assistance to seek work substantially increased the need for its employment and training programs. Today, Goodwill-Easter Seals is recognized locally and nationally as a leader and innovator in workforce development.
Dr. Michael Wirth-Davis serves as President and CEO of Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota. He began his tenure November 1990. He has over 35 years of experience in a variety of nonprofit and community leadership positions. Current board memberships and affiliations include Goodwill International’s Board of Directors, the Charities Review Council Board of Directors, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce’s Education and Workforce Development Committee, and the Itasca Project Task Force. He is co-founder and co-chair of the Minnesota Employment Services Consortium. Since 1981 he has served as a national surveyor for the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). Dr. Wirth-Davis is adjunct faculty for the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs and for Hamline University’s School of Business Graduate Program in Nonprofit Management. He holds a Doctoral degree in Public Administration and Management from Hamline University.