Good News

Goodwill of the Finger Lakes is grateful for all the volunteers who joined us for United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes’ Day of Caring. Alesco Advisors' team worked hard in our Outdoor Mobility Training Area and at the Goodwill Learning Academy.  A special thanks to Chase's Greenhouse, Lighthouse Gardens & Arbor Farms Maple Syrup for their donations of plants!

We had memorable day celebrating the heart of Goodwill of the Finger Lakes – its people! Today we celebrated milestone anniversaries and employees who have made exceptional contributions to our organization. Thanks to the crew for living our values each and every day. Here’s to these outstanding team members and many more milestones ahead!⁠

Congratulations to Jennifer Lake, Goodwill of the Finger Lakes' president & CEO, was honored this past weekend at New York State Assembly Member Jen Lunsford's tea as a 2025 New York State Woman of Distinction. As a 2025 NYS Woman of Distinction, Jen was one of 10 extraordinary women who were recognized for making our communities stronger.

Goodwill of the Finger Lakes established its first retail location in Ithaca, New York, this spring, for sustainable shopping and a convenient donation center to keep gently used items in circulation. The new 15,000-square-foot thrift store occupies the former Ollie’s Bargain Outlet at 723 South Meadow St. and doors opened to the public at 9 a.m. Friday, April 25, following a ribbon-cutting…

Are you spring cleaning? Goodwill of the Finger Lakes was featured on News 8 WROC to talk about how easy it is to donate to Goodwill! When you donate to Goodwill, you are supporting community programs such as 211 Lifeline, 988, the Goodwill Learning Academy, and workforce development opportunities. Even if unsure of whether you should donate, you should still do so as unusable items can still be…

Goodwill of the Finger Lakes is proud to be part of the solution when it comes to reducing textile waste. In this NBC News segment, our President and CEO Jennifer Lake shares how Goodwill of the Finger Lakes is partnering with European innovator Reju to give clothing new life - pushing sustainable fashion forward. Thank you to NBC News for spotlighting this important work, and to Jen and our…

See 13WHAM News Clip Goodwill of the Finger Lakes cut the ribbon today on its relocated Greece thrift store at The Mall at Greece Ridge. The grand opening follows Goodwill’s announcement from earlier this month that it would move its Greece store at 3654 Dewey Avenue to the larger location at 140 Greece Ridge Center Drive. The 34,000-square-foot store occupies the former Ruby-Gordon retail…

Jennifer Lake, Goodwill of the Finger Lakes President & CEO has been Named to the Rochester Business Journal's Power 100, a list of significant power players who make a big impact in the Rochester region. Read an interview done with Jennifer in the Rochester Business Journal.

2/11 is National 211 day! Today we celebrate the incredible impact of our 211/LIFE LINE program. Whether there's a need to find food, clothing or shelter, 211 is here for our community - 24/7, every day of the year. Our compassionate counselors provide free and confidential support to guide individuals through tough times and connect them with vital community resources.We're proud to serve our…

Deborah Turner, Director of Crisis and Information Services at Goodwill of the Finger Lakes was Featured in Finger Lakes Times to talk about About National 211 Day coming up on February 11th. Deb talked with the Times about herself, her role with 211/LIFE LINE and the importance of the program to the Finger Lakes region. See the Full Article Here

On February 6th, Jennifer Lake, President & CEO of Goodwill of the Finger Lakes (GFL), appeared on the Untangling Circularity Podcast for the episode: Diverse + Successful Circular Partnerships - With Raymond Randall (WM) + Jennifer Lake (Goodwill of the Finger Lakes) + Patrik Frisk ( Reju) She and others spoke about their incredibly dynamic collaboration working to reduce textile waste.…

Jennifer Lake, Goodwill of the Finger Lakes President & CEO, has been selected as a finalist for the 2025 ATHENA International Award®! This recognition honors her remarkable leadership, dedication to community service, and commitment to advancing women in business. Jen’s vision and the collective achievements of Goodwill of the Finger Lakes continue to inspire positive change in our…

Goodwill of the Finger Lakes is pleased to appoint Sarah M. O’Brien to its leadership team as director of development and marketing. She brings to the position more than 20 years of experience in corporate and nonprofit communications, fundraising and community relations. As director of development and marketing, O’Brien will oversee the planning, execution and evaluation of marketing and…

Jen Lake, President & CEO of Goodwill of the Finger Lakes (GFL), is making a remarkable impact in the realm of sustainability. This year alone, her commitment kept 27.6 million pounds of useful items in circulation, repurposing for a second life. GFL, a nonprofit social enterprise with an annual budget exceeding $57 million, is dedicated to elevating people, community and planet for a good today…

Goodwill of the Finger Lakes is proud to be certified by Great Place to Work for the first time. This year, 75% of employees said Goodwill of the Finger Lakes is a great place to work, compared to 57% of employees at the average U.S. company. ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Goodwill of the Finger Lakes is proud to be certified by Great Place to Work for the first time. The prestigious award is based…

Proceeds directly support Goodwill’s community programs: 211/ LIFE LINE, Good Neighbor and Goodwill Vision Services  ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Goodwill of the Finger Lakes and Smola Consulting hosted the 2024 Goodwill Gala on Saturday, March 9 at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Rochester. The event, themed “Elevating Community. Empowering Connections,” raised more than $225,435 to…

On Saturday, February 24th, a panel of impressive young adults who are legally blind, and three valuable community partners, came together at Goodwill Vision Enterprises (GVE) to talk about experiencing high school, preparing for college, and going to work. The five young adults on the panel, Abbie, Aidan, Braiden, Brenna, and Jade discussed their experiences along with two consultants from the…

We are thrilled to announce that Kevin Lynch, President & CEO of National Industries for the Blind (NIB), will be receiving the prestigious Dr. Gwen Sterns Visionary Award at this year's Goodwill Gala! Kevin Lynch is president and chief executive officer of National Industries for the Blind (NIB), the nation’s leading employment resource for people who are blind. Since joining NIB in…

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. April Aycock, the Monroe County Office of Mental Health Director and President/CEO of Awareness Counseling Services, will be the distinguished recipient of the Good Neighbor Award at our 2024 Goodwill Gala. Dr. April Aycock is the Monroe County Office of Mental Health Director and president/ CEO of Awareness Counseling Services with over 10 years of combined…

This past Monday, November 6th, Goodwill of the Finger Lakes held a luncheon to celebrate Emily Mitchell as the New York State Preferred Source Program (NYSPSP) for People Who Are Blind Employee of the Year Nominee. The luncheon also honored National Industries for the Blind (NIB) Peter J. Salmon Nominee Jose Rodriguez and NIB Milton J. Samuelson Nominee Terry Tracy. Jose Rodriguez was nominated…

Holland joined the organization last month with 20+ years of experience. Goodwill of the Finger Lakes has welcomed Janice M. Holland to its leadership team as Chief People Officer. Holland will provide strategic human capital vision, leadership and change management that aligns with the organization’s strategic business and people operations. She will oversee all areas of the human resources…