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VP Leads Austin Goodwill's Successful Electronic Waste Efforts

Christine Banks Honored with 2008 Robert E. and Charlotte Watkins Award for Excellence in Mission Advancement

June 30, 2008

Rockville, MD – As electronic waste began entering the donation stream at Goodwill Industries® of Central Texas (Austin), Vice President Christine Banks sensed an opportunity for a viable, high-tech, occupational skills building program for people with disabilities and others having a hard time finding a job.  Computer Works, a successful computer refurbishing and recycling business, was the result and has earned Banks the 2008 Robert E. and Charlotte Watkins Award for Excellence in Mission Advancement from Goodwill Industries International^®.

Staff at the Austin Goodwill’s 21 stores and 18 attended donation sites carefully pack computers, monitors, printers, peripherals and software in totes that are routed to the free-standing Computer Works location. Items are refurbished and resold, disassembled into component parts for resale, or recycled through audited, approved downstream vendors. Computer Works recycles almost 12 tons of donations every day.

In 2004, Banks turned her vision into a new, separate division: Environmental Business Services. E-commerce, e-book sales, and even a computer museum were located in the new and improved Computer Works store in 2005. Additionally, a partnership was forged with Dell, which links 21 Goodwills around the U.S. with e-waste solutions. More than $1.3 million has been raised through the program since 1997 for the Goodwill’s workforce development services.

Since its inception, this integrated employment setting has trained 107 people with disabilities or barriers, and provided competitive employment for more than 120 people. Over the years, 25 clients have been hired as staff including “Al,” a client with autism who mastered most of the diagnostic and rebuilding operations.

“Christine Banks and the Austin Goodwill are to be commended for their vision in seizing new business opportunities as the world changes around us,” says Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. “Their efforts stand as a model for other ‘green’ efforts throughout the entire Goodwill network.”

Goodwill Industries of Central Texas has helped Goodwill agencies in Houston, San Antonio and Waco develop similar stores and training programs, and has consulted with several other Goodwill agencies interested in this successful business model.

The Robert E. and Charlotte Watkins Award for Mission Advancement Award is given to honor a Goodwill leader (CEO, staff or volunteer) who has made an innovative contribution (service or process) to the advancement of the Goodwill mission.

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