
Our stores and so much more - Changing the Lives of Those We Serve
More than 100 years ago Edgar J. Helms, who grew up in Iowa, introduced the philosophy of “a hand up, not charity.” For 50 years, Goodwill of the Heartland has honored that creed in southeastern Iowa and western Illinois. We empower people to:
- Find a job
- Get job training and career advice
- Learn about good careers and how to advance in them
- Build functional life skills
- Work toward greater levels of independence
Mission, Vision & Values
Our Mission
We help people reach their full potential through education, training and the power of work.

Our Vision
Our founder, Edgar J. Helms, said that we should be dissatisfied with our work until every person in our community “has an
opportunity to develop to his fullest usefulness and enjoy the maximum of abundant living.” We accomplish this vision by
living our values, being involved and invested in our communities and identifying and responding to emerging needs.

Our Values
At Goodwill of the Heartland, we are committed to supporting people we serve by respecting and empowering them in all our interactions. We are further committed to meeting the needs of our customers by providing products and services of the highest quality. The following “PRIDE” values support and sustain this commitment:
- Pursuit of excellence
- Respect for individuals
- Integrity
- Dedication to mission
- Empowerment

Our Standards
Goodwill of the Heartland is committed to the highest level of quality, accountability and transparency in all we do. That’s why we are fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and are members of The Iowa Association of Community Providers. We proudly display their seals in recognition of our compliance with their high standards.
Goodwill of the Heartland is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, religion, age, physical or mental disability, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, genetic information, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, veteran status, political beliefs, reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity or other protected categories.

Our History
Dr. Edgar J. Helms, a native Iowan, founded the national Goodwill movement in Boston in 1902 to assist people in developing abilities, increasing self respect and attaining economic independence.
Locally Goodwill was founded in 1965 as Goodwill Industries of Southeast Iowa following work by the Iowa City Kiwanis Club, the Association for Retarded Citizens (now known as the ARC) and Col. Brooks Booker. Fifty years later Goodwill of the Heartland works under that same spirit of partnership, with a focus toward enhancing opportunities for those facing barriers to independence.
Learn More about Goodwill of the Heartland’s History

Our Commitment to Transparency
At Goodwill of the Heartland, maintaining the public trust in our work as a charitable organization is a top priority. For this reason, you’ll find key documents that detail: Who our decision makers are, our Annual Report, the Goodwill of the Heartland Annual Audit and our IRS Goodwill Public Inspection 990 formsfor the past three years.
In addition, we offer our Strategic Plan for your review, detailing our goals for the next three years.
If you have any questions about any of these documents, feel free to contact us.
Senior Leadership

Pat Airy
President and CEO

Tamera Erb
Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer

Rich Eckstein
CIO

Jason Toms
Vice President
Retail Operations

Jessica Schamberger
Vice President
Operations

Carmen Heck
Vice President
Mission Services

Kristina Bridges
Vice President
Human Resources
Board Of Directors

Lisa Shileny
Hills Bank and Trust Co.
(Chair)

Jodi Schafer
Cornell College
(Vice-Chair)

Julie Banker
(Secretary)

Todd Helle
Terry Lockridge & Dunn Inc.
(Treasurer)

Keith Carter, MD, FACS
Professor of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Department of Ophthalmology University of Iowa

Frank A. Ditri

Gabriel Hansen
Stuart Spencer

Daniel Hardin
Attorney/Partner

Scott Hauser
Strategies Solutions, Inc.

Grady Hugunin

Desiree Kilburg
Bradley & Riley PC

Nick Lindsley
Neumann Monson Architects

Colin Mahoney
Rockwell Collins

David Murray
Nelson Electric Co.

Gary Sims
MidWestOne Bank
