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Tuesday, May. 05, 2009

Community helping Goodwill

By Scott J. Shinsato, Mid-Columbia Voices

This week, 174 Goodwill Industries organizations across North America are celebrating National Goodwill Industries week.

Many of them will use the time to tout their success helping individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment receive education, training and employment services.

However, instead of just sharing our successes during the past 12 months, we thought it more appropriate to share just how much you - our donors, shoppers and employers who hire Goodwill graduates - have helped us achieve remarkable results.

Being a community-based human service agency in this economy is not an easy task. We all know funding for human services have been cut because of the state budget deficit.

What this means for organizations like Goodwill is less funding will be available for a growing segment of our population in need of job-training and employment services.

In this situation, you might expect Goodwill to reduce the level of services we provide. But we aren't. Right now, we are carefully examining ways to maintain and grow existing programs and services to meet the needs of our community.

How we are able to do this?

By continuing to focus on the two things we do best - operating an efficient and environmentally sound donated goods program and providing quality education, training and employment services that put people to work.

By no means can Goodwill do this alone. It takes a community.

Edgar J. Helms, a Methodist minister, started Goodwill in South Boston more than 100 years ago. He canvassed Boston's affluent neighborhoods for items people no longer needed.

Helms brought the items back to his church and his impoverished parishioners mended, repaired and sold the items at a very reasonable price.

The money raised was used for wages, and Helms quickly recognized that people earned something more than money. They also earned the dignity and self-respect that comes from having a job.

No longer dependent upon handouts, his workers had more choices, they had greater independence, but most of all, they had pride.

Goodwill Industries of the Columbia operates similarly today. We still collect donated goods from the public, and use them to provide job training to individuals with significant disabilities and other barriers to employment.

In addition to the services we provide at our Community Training Centers and retail stores, our Kennewick office also provides educational workshops, individualized case management and job placement and retention services for people with disabilities, welfare recipients and ex-offenders.

This division of Goodwill focuses on assisting individuals who are job-ready, but still require guidance and support in preparing a résumé, interview preparation and making a good first impression.

When an individual is ready to go to work, our employment specialists begin marketing the skills and abilities of the candidate to local businesses.

The advantages of hiring through Goodwill are many. Goodwill pre-screens applicants to ensure the individuals we send to an interview are ready to work. Applicants possess the necessary skills to perform the duties of the job and are motivated with the desire to do their best.

Last, but certainly not least, when you hire an individual through Goodwill, you also have access to a committed staff who are ready to work with the employer to ensure that the placement works for the business and the program graduate.

In 2008, Goodwill Industries of the Columbia enrolled 1,143 people for our services, served 129 people with disabilities, placed 273 people into community work site for job-skills training and placed 174 individuals into community employment.

When you make a donation to Goodwill, you are giving much more than just items you no longer need. You are giving hope to someone.

When you donate to Goodwill, you're supporting an environmentally friendly enterprise that reduces waste going to our landfills and keeps perfectly useable goods in a consumer-driven marketplace.

When you shop Goodwill, you are making more than a purchase. You are making an investment in a business whose sole purpose is to enhance the lives of people and improve our community.

When you shop Goodwill, lives are changed through the integrated training which takes place in our stores.

When you employ someone through Goodwill, you are hiring more than a person who wants to work. You are hiring someone eager to gain the sense of accomplishment, belonging and pride that comes from having a job.

When you hire from Goodwill, you're also receiving the support and care of an organization committed to the success of your business and your new employee.

As we celebrate National Goodwill Industries Week, we want you to feel proud of the services Goodwill provides and the lives we help change with your help.

Your continued support is making our community a better place for all of us.

* Scott J. Shinsato is associate executive director of Goodwill Industries of the Columbia.

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