Category: Advocate

Today more than 100 Goodwill advocates including organization Presidents and CEO, mission leaders, communication professionals, volunteer board members and more, will meet with hundreds of lawmakers and staff to discuss investments in America’s workers, changes to the workforce development system, and the impact of tax policies on nonprofits.  They will be educating Congress about the role that Goodwill plays in their community. 

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By Laura Walling, Vice President of Government Affairs, Goodwill Industries International On Wednesday, April 19, Goodwill leaders, employees, board members and program participants from across the United States will travel to Capitol Hill to advocate for the issues that matter most to local Goodwill organizations and the people they serve. For those who are unable

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Goodwill® believes that helping people who are involved with the criminal justice system find and retain high-quality jobs is essential to reducing recidivism, strengthening families, and empowering communities. More than 600,000 individuals are released from state and federal prisons every year. Most incarcerated people will return to their communities at some point, and many will confront barriers to employment, education, housing, and other basic needs.

READ MORE from Providing a Second Chance for Success in April

Recently, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education held a Public Witness Day hearing to hear testimony from representatives of stakeholder groups on federal funding to support education, health care, workforce development, and social services  in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 appropriations bill.

READ MORE from Goodwill Promotes Federal Funding Priorities with Lawmakers

The youth workforce is often hardest hit during challenging economic times as many young people struggle to compete for employment opportunities. A 2022 report from Measure of America found that more than 4 million youth and young adults ages 16-24 are disconnected from school and the workforce.

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The administration released its FY24 budget proposal with additional details to be announced next week. The proposal contains several increases to programs of importance to Goodwill and the people we serve.

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The need for more charitable giving is not going away. From national disasters to social problems to economic hardship and workforce shortages and the need for more job training services, America is facing unprecedented challenges that nonprofit services can help to address.

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The bipartisan Jumpstart Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act of 2023 (H.R. 793/S. 161) was recently reintroduced in the House and Senate. If enacted, federal Pell Grant eligibility would be expanded to high-quality, short-term job training programs.

READ MORE from Ask Congress to Support the JOBS Act

Access to continued education and training beyond high school has become essential to achieving a rewarding career with family-sustaining wages for most Americans. However, the continuing crisis of college affordability and debt has created a high barrier to enrollment and completion in traditional higher education for many low-income students from underserved communities.

READ MORE from Career and Technical Education Offers a Pathway to Good Jobs

President Biden delivered his State of the Union remarks before Congress on February 7th.  Among the special guests invited to attend the speech was Marquise McGill, who works as a Senate custodian through Goodwill of Greater Washington’s participation in the AbilityOne program.

READ MORE from 2023 State of the Union Recap

All young people can benefit from the support and guidance offered by a nurturing mentor. For opportunity youth and youth from underserved populations in particular, strong mentoring relationships can help foster positive life and social skills, bolster self-esteem, improve academic achievement, and promote leadership development.

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After a rocky start, the new Congress is underway. The House has a newly elected Speaker and is solidifying committee assignments, while the Senate convened briefly to be officially sworn in and will return on January 23.

READ MORE from Overview of the 118th Congress