Tag: Special Events

Goodwill Southern California (Los Angeles), along with the Department of Veterans Affairs and more than four dozen community partners, held its first Veteran Stand Down on October 10-11, at Los Angeles Historic Park. The event aimed to meet the basic needs of attendees by providing a variety of free services including meals, clothing, haircuts and makeovers, health screenings, VA and Social Security benefits counseling, and referrals to other services such as housing and employment for veterans and their families.

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Goodwill NDEAM Fashion Show 1Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey (Astoria) held its second annual fashion show to kick off National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) on October 1 at the agency’s East Harlem store. Goodwill Suits You 2013 was coordinated in conjunction with the New York City Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities using merchandise selected from local Goodwill stores by six popular fashion bloggers.

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This past weekend students from Ohio State University burned the midnight oil in an effort to encourage Goodwill Columbus (OH) employees to adapt healthy behavior through a mobile app. The development of the app occurred during a 24-hour “Code for Good” challenge sponsored by JPMorgan Chase and Co. “Code for Good” tasks students majoring in computer science, engineering and other related programs to create computer software solutions to the issues of social-service organizations. A total of about 70 students from 11 different colleges participated in the most recent event.

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The Helms College Augusta Campus recently celebrated its first graduating class. Participants completed a culinary education program at the college, which is operated by Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA (Augusta/Macon). A total of 10 students took part in an informal ceremony to recognize their accomplishments on September 19.

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From June 10 to 13, Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids (MI) participated in a youth employment event, Ready Now! for Youth, that gave youth in Kent County employment skills and training to interview for jobs and internships. The collaborative effort brought together Grand Rapids Community College, the Kent Intermediate School District, the Goodwill, the chamber of commerce, Kris Mathis Enterprise and Express Employment.

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Jim Gibbons at Sarnia receptionOn May 5, Canadian singer-songwriter Justin Hines performed a free concert to kick off a year-long 80th anniversary celebration of Goodwill Industries – Essex Kent Lambton (Sarnia, ON). HVM Holdings and Glenn Recycling sponsored the concert, which was held at the Imperial Theatre. On May 6, Jim Gibbons, the president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International, spoke at a breakfast hosted by the Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce.

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Goodwill of North Georgia recently teamed up with fashion blog The2econdFloor.com to hold a Prom Remixed Essay Contest for students at Grayson High School in Loganville, GA. Three students won the contest after writing a 500-word essay about their view on incorporating used and/or repurposed clothing into their personal style.

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Hand holds VHS tapeLast month, Goodwill Industries of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin Counties (CA) launched an ideas-based challenge to find a solution to the growing disposal problem of VHS tapes. As new technologies have increasingly replaced VHS tapes, these former staples of American living rooms are filling up landfills at an alarming rate. The tapes are harmful to the environment and pose a threat to the safety and health of communities as the chemicals coating the tape — toxic ferric oxide, iron oxide and chromium dioxide — seep into groundwater.

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Goodwill of North Georgia (Atlanta) recently held its first Veterans, Service and Leaders Summit, a half-day knowledge-sharing and information-gathering session for about 60 individuals, including representatives from veteran-serving organizations, Georgia elected officials and local veterans. The event aimed to strengthen and increase understanding of the resources that are currently available to veterans and their families, and surface areas where needs are still unmet through the newly created Veteran Leader Corps (VLC).

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While the holidays seem to bring out the kid in people of all ages, the wide-eyed wonder and magic still belong to the little ones this time of year. Sadly, many families lack the financial resources to buy gifts — and sometimes even necessities like winter coats and shoes. Goodwill agencies like those below have stepped in to spread a little joy and warmth to those who need it most.

READ MORE from Goodwill and Donors Brighten the Holiday Through Giving