Welfare Reform

Goodwill supports long-term solutions that help individuals move out of poverty.

Since 1996, Goodwill collectively has provided more than one million TANF recipients with employment services, such as job training, soft skills training and job search assistance. With extensive experience in serving TANF clients, Goodwill is uniquely qualified to help address successful program development and service delivery and on guiding strategic policy enhancements.

Goodwill supports long-term solutions that help people move toward self-sufficiency. At Goodwill, career counselors seek to develop inidvidualized career plans for TANF recipients,  with a goal of helping people find jobs and advance in their careers. Goodwill also weighs other needs of TANF recipients, such as childcare and transportation, which can impact a person's ability to continue working.

Goodwill encourages Congress to:

* Give more flexibility to states in designing welfare-to-work programs that help prepare those with the greatest barriers to work for jobs

* Emphasize education and training

* Extend the current limit on vocational training from 12 months to 24 months

* Double the number of allowable months that recipients can spend in training and educational activities, from three to six months

* Increase funding for childcare, housing, food stamps and other work supports

* Maintain overall funding levels for TANF programs with adjustments for cost increases over time

* Respect all family structures and aim for self-reliance and upward mobility