This week, members of Congress returned home to their states and districts for the July 4 holiday, a day which commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The document states that we have certain inalienable rights including life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness; yet, more than 8 percent of the workforce lacks one of the tools needed to pursue happiness – a job.
READ MORE from The Pursuit of Happiness Starts with a Good Job
After leaving a longtime janitorial position, Troy -- an Army veteran -- had a hard time finding another job and feared losing everything he had worked toward. He connected with Goodwill and learned valuable employment skills such as how to operate a cash register. He's now been employed with Goodwill for over a year and is happy with the new life he has build for himself.
Regardless of whether you support or oppose the Affordable Care Act / Obamacare/ health care reform or even understand the intricacies of the law and the implications of the Supreme Court’s decision, there is still one fact that remains the same – people need jobs.
READ MORE from Amid Health Care Reform Debate, Let’s Not Forget about Jobs
Regardless of whether you support or oppose the Affordable Care Act / Obamacare/ health care reform or even understand the intricacies of the law and the implications of the Supreme Court’s decision, there is still one fact that remains the same – people need jobs.
READ MORE from Amid Health Care Reform Debate, Let's Not Forget about Jobs
Al immigrated to the United States in 1989 and faced not only family hardships but retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic eye disease that caused him to lose his vision. Even with a graduate degree, he faced struggles finding a job due to his disability. With support from Goodwill, Al wsa connected to a job at a NY law firm and is now independent and self-sufficient.
Kim Kershaw was unemployed and helping her mother recover from several strokes when she realized she'd like to work in the health care field. With support from a Goodwill Columbus scholarship, she trained and passed her nursing test with flying colors and now works for Goodwill taking care of residents in the agency's Residential Services for Developmental Disabilities program.
A recent piece in The New York Times, The Human Disaster of Unemployment, noted that the number of people who have been out of work for longer than six months has increased significantly due to the recession. As the economy slowly recovers from the recession, Goodwill® has a firsthand understanding about the impact that long-term unemployment will have for years on the people, families and communities that our member agencies work to strengthen every day.
READ MORE from Public Programs Leverage Goodwill® to Address Long-Term Unemployment
After growing up in a life of alcohol, drugs and violence, Lonnie found himself incarcerated. During his time in prison, he decided to turn his life around for the better - a decision which eventually led him to Goodwill. Lonnie benefited from employment training programs and is now proud to work as an attendant at one of Goodwill's attended donation centers.
May not only heralds Mother's Day, it's also Older Americans Month -- and a perfect time for Americans to demonstrate how we value the moms, grandmothers and other older adults in our community and in our workforce by funding services that can make a difference in their lives.
READ MORE from Congress: Remember Your Moms as You Consider Funding for Older Workers
For individuals struggling to find work, federally funded employment and social services programs are crucial resources on the road to employment. This week, the U.S. House of Representatives Budget Committee worked to advance legislation that aims to avoid an automatic, across-the-board spending cut scheduled for January.
READ MORE from Proposed Legislation Could Hurt Programs That Help Job Seekers
