This week, Goodwill® advocates from around the country will visit Capitol Hill and meet with hundreds of lawmakers to advocate for federal investments in programs that leverage Goodwill and benefit the people we serve, and increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities. You can help bolster the success of their visits and help strengthen Goodwill’s public policy influence.
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The start of 2015 provides an opportunity for us to strongly declare what changes we will make and how we will start anew. The same holds true for Congress. This year marks the beginning of a new session and 58 new lawmakers looking to resolve to make changes.
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On November 20, the Mobile County Recycling Center opened its doors to the public in Alabama. This project will provide residents with an attractive facility at which they can drop off their recyclable material. Goodwill Easter Seals of the Gulf Coast (Mobile) will operate and manage the facility with between four to eight staff and many volunteers.
Goodwill Industries of Grand Rapids (MI) is celebrating its seventh year of hosting Leadership Goodwill, formerly known as Young Leaders. The program has evolved from previous years to develop future leaders as advocates for Goodwill and to cultivate a pool of young professionals from which the agency can draw future board members. Leadership Goodwill accepts applications
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David learned more than he bargained for when he volunteered at his local Goodwill making phone calls. He quickly started to realize the impact he was having on those in his community. After only six weeks he had gained an an understanding and perspective that would change his life.
What began as a volunteer program at Goodwill Industries of Central Arizona (Phoenix) to teach computer skills courses has expanded into a widespread volunteer program that meets critical needs throughout the region’s retail stores and career centers, allowing the Central Arizona Goodwill to offer more extensive services to an increasing number of people.The volunteer program has helped meet staffing needs at Goodwill an in keeping with its mission of putting people to work, Goodwill looks to hire many of the volunteers.
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Hispanics now comprise 15 percent of the total U.S. labor force, and by 2020 that number is expected to rise to 19 percent. Despite this, many of these Hispanic workers and job seekers are not reaching their full potential. To better serve this population, a private grant in 2010 enabled Goodwill Industries International to establish Buena Vida (Good Life), a program designed to provide education and employment services for job seekers in the Hispanic community. Through this grant, Goodwill agencies are developing their Hispanic services in surrounding communities in partnership with community organizations and institutions.
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A cadre of more than 300 volunteers dedicated 25,000 hours in 2012 to spreading the mission of Goodwill Industries-Manasota (Sarasota, FL). Ambassadors from the program routinely speak with service clubs, faith-based organizations, professional associations, youth groups and others to build awareness of Goodwill’s programs and services, as well as Goodwill’s contribution to the community.
READ MORE from Goodwill® Advances Mission in Florida with Support from Volunteers
A couple years ago, Goodwill Industries International instituted a program to help low-income individuals gain financial stability thanks to a grant from the Charles Schwab Foundation. In 2010, as part of this Schwab grant, Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana (Indianapolis) partnered with the Indianapolis Charles Schwab office to pilot the volunteer-based financial education program, Good Assets. Local Charles Schwab employees, as well as Goodwill® staff, teach financial education in a group setting. They also serve as financial coaches, meeting one-on-one with participants to advise on financial needs and goals. A financial coach’s roles include facilitating realistic goals, enhancing accountability and providing opportunities for practice so that participants can ultimately develop their own financial goals.
READ MORE from Volunteer-Based Financial Literacy Program Empowers Goodwill® Employees
An increasing number of Americans are using the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday to honor Dr. King’s legacy by volunteering in their communities. The holiday takes place on January 21, 2013, this year, the same day as U.S. President Barack Obama’s second inauguration. Volunteers are using this day as ‘a day on, not a day off’ to address the needs in their communities and help create solutions to social problems. Local Goodwill® agencies are engaging volunteers on this day for a number of community service projects.
READ MORE from Goodwills to Engage Volunteers During Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
