By Laura Walling, Senior Director of Government Relations, Goodwill Industries International
As 2021 comes to an end, it’s a good time to reflect on where we’ve been, to celebrate our successes and to plan for the future. We’ve been through a lot this year as a country – an attack on our democracy, a transition in Congress and the Administration, an ongoing pandemic, damage from storms and fires, and social injustices. We’ve been through a lot as a nonprofit sector and as an organization – furloughs, declines in donations, shifts in service delivery and now staffing shortages as we begin to recover. And I know each of us have been through a lot on a personal level.
With a new group of freshman lawmakers, policymakers in the Administration and Hill staff, we had an opportunity to successfully educate more people about the mission of Goodwill® and the work that is being conducted in our lawmakers’ communities. Our work with the #Relief4Charities Coalition saw great success in securing additional relief for nonprofits that have struggled during the pandemic. After what seemed like endless conversations about the need for investments in infrastructure, the bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act became law, including funding for broadband expansion, digital skills training, and energy efficiency support for nonprofits.
And there’s more on the horizon. Because of our continued advocacy, the Build Back Better Act passed by the House includes historic investments in education and workforce development. We hope to see this bill enacted early this year, but it will not advance with our advocates resolving to take action. As you consider your own New Year’s resolution, we encourage you to resolve to lend your voice to support Goodwill and the people we serve.
There are some simple actions you can take to support our efforts today. Here are some resolutions to consider:
- Resolve to find an issue that you’re passionate about and learn about the legislative process. You can start at the local level by attending city council meetings.
- Resolve to build a relationship with your lawmakers. Use our Legislative Action Center to find your lawmakers. Check their websites for their bios and when they are holding events like office hours or town halls in your area.
- Resolve to amplify our advocacy efforts. Respond to our action alerts when asked to contact Members of Congress. Share the alerts via your social media networks and encourage others to take action. Follow us on Twitter @GoodwillCapHill to stay involved.
Thank you for the continued advocacy you conduct on behalf of Goodwill. We look forward to working with you in 2022 and for many years to come.
