Goodwill Industries International (GII) has designated local organizations in Wilimington, DE; New Orleans, LA; and Long Beach, CA, as its 2017 Centers of Excellence. These Goodwill® organizations were selected for their hard work and strong impact across all three strategic mission priority areas: career navigation, financial wellness, and inclusion and equitable access.
The mission leaders at these local Goodwill organizations have affirmed these mission priority areas because of their importance to career preparation beyond the first job, family financial security to interrupt generational poverty, and inclusive practices to ensure diverse communities achieve equitable outcomes.
The 2017 recipients are:
Goodwill Industries of Delaware and Delaware County (Wilmington). The Wilmington Goodwill is recognized for its GOODworks program, a work-based learning experience offering career exploration activities, interest inventories, and an introduction to the retail and customer service fields. The goal of this program is to provide students with disabilities, ages 14 to 21, an opportunity to transition to meaningful employment after graduation.
Goodwill, Serving the People of Southern Los Angeles County (Long Beach, CA). The Long Beach Goodwill is recognized for a number of programs and services it provides to the community. In 2015, the Goodwill began tracking economic self-sufficiency through federal and local data measurement, which it uses a measure to best serve the community. Since then, more than 7,500 people have been assisted by a program or service at the Goodwill.
Goodwill Industries of Southeast Louisiana (New Orleans). The New Orleans Goodwill is recognized for its Charter School Contract Services Initiative, which helps address issues surrounding poverty, high employment turnover and low retention rates for adults in service industries, including janitorial, custodial, and grounds maintenance. Through its partnerships with local charter schools, Goodwill Industries of Southeast Louisiana is able to find employment opportunities for individuals and provide high-level educational services to students and teachers in the community.
"Goodwill knows that as communities benefit, families are strengthened," said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. "Goodwill programs are helping families along the road of self-sufficiency and improving quality of life. We commend each of these local Goodwill organizations for their exemplary work across our strategic mission areas."
All three organizations were recognized as Centers of Excellence at Goodwill's Spring Conference in Sarasota, FL. In recognition of their achievement and three-year designation, each Goodwill organization will receive a $2,500 award and a plaque recognizing its exemplary work.
ABOUT GOODWILL INDUSTRIES INTERNATIONAL:
Goodwill Industries International (GII) is a network of 162 community-based, autonomous organizations in the United States and Canada with a presence in 12 other countries. GII is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that is recognized by GuideStar with its Platinum Seal of Approval, the organization's highest rating for charities. GII was also ranked by enso as the #1 brand doing the most good in the world for two consecutive years, and was the only nonprofit brand rated in Forbes' 20 most inspiring companies for three consecutive years. Local Goodwill organizations are innovative and sustainable social enterprises that create job training programs, employment placement and other community-based programs by selling donated clothing and household items in more than 3,200 stores collectively and online at www.shopgoodwill.com®. Local Goodwill organizations build revenues and create jobs by contracting with commercial, state, government and non-government organizations to provide a wide range of business services, including manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, packaging, assembly, food preparation, document management, groundskeeping and administrative. Last year, local Goodwill organizations collectively placed more than 288,000 people in employment in the United States and Canada. In addition, more than 65 million people used computers and mobile devices to access Goodwill education, training, mentoring and online learning services to strengthen their skills, and more than 2 million people received in person services. To learn more, visit goodwill.org
For more information or to find a Goodwill location near you, use the online locator at Goodwill.org or call (800) GOODWILL. Follow us on Twitter: @GoodwillIntl and @GoodwillCapHill, and find us on Facebook: GoodwillIntl
