Country’s First-Ever ReHouse Project a Model of Affordable Green Building in Villa Heights

The unique renovation of a vacant home by Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont and Habitat Charlotte will be open to the public just hours after a VIP ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for 10:00am on Saturday February 18^th.

In what is believed to be the first such project of its kind in the country, the two nonprofits joined forces to transform a foreclosed home in the Villa Heights community into a model of energy efficiency in the affordable housing sector.

Aptly named the Goodwill/Habitat ReHouse, the house has been rehabbed, remade and repurposed for a Habitat Charlotte family in waiting.

The home was donated to Habitat last year by the City of Charlotte. When Goodwill sought on-the-job training for students in their recently launched Construction Services program, the house afforded the right opportunity. As presenting sponsor, Lowe’s Companies awarded a significant grant to provide energy-saving building materials, and Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas joined the effort as supporting sponsors.

Stephanie Thornton, Habitat Charlotte homeowner-in-process, will purchase the house with a no-interest mortgage, and is expected to move in with her daughter this spring when her sweat equity requirements are completed.

Who: City of Charlotte leadership, Lowe’s, Duke Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas, Villa Heights Community Organization will join Habitat and Goodwill officials

What: ReHouse ribbon cutting and Open House

When: Saturday, Feb. 17, at 10:00am

Where: 2420 Barry Street, in Charlotte’s Villa Heights community

Visuals: Photo opportunities of City and business leaders, volunteers, and future homeowner family

For more information, visit www.rehousecharlotte.com

Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont is pleased to announce the grand opening of its newest location in Ballantyne on Saturday, Jan. 28. The new retail store and donation center, located at 16025 Lancaster Highway, is the organization’s 21^st store in this region.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 8:30 a.m., followed by music, giveaways and other festivities from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Doors will open to the public at 9:00 a.m. and shoppers will have a chance every hour to win a $250 US Airways gift card.

Goodwill mascot Smiling G will join the Charlotte Checkers’ mascot “Chubby” and the Checkmates to welcome shoppers, pose for fan photos and give away tickets to future Checkers games. Radio stations Kiss 95.1, K104.7, Lite 102.9, Praise 100.9, My 92.7, and the new 103.7 will each be on-hand throughout the day to help provide entertainment and interview shoppers about the new location.

The Ballantyne Goodwill Center will employ 20-25 people and generate approximately $500,000 in wages and sales taxes paid per year. Normal store hours for will be Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Sunday from 12:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.

Proceeds from the sale of donated items at Goodwill’s retail stores fund the organization’s job training and employment programs that assist thousands in the Southern Piedmont region each year. Ninety cents of every dollar spent at Goodwill assist with funding these programs.

Volunteer tax professionals will be available to help through Goodwill's VITA site

Organization is serving as one of five local VITA sites

Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, in partnership with the Internal Revenue Service and the Family Financial Literacy Coalition (FFLC), will open its doors next Tuesday to provide Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) for those who qualify.

The organization will operate the VITA site at its Career Development Center at 2122 Freedom Drive in Charlotte during the 2011 tax season, which ends on April 17. The site will be open by appointment only each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and each Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for walk-ins.

“Tax season can be difficult to navigate, not only for the more than 44,000 people in Mecklenburg County who are unemployed, but also for their families,” said Jaslyn Roberts, manager of family strengthening at Goodwill. “Serving as a VITA site allows Goodwill to bring together community resources to help taxpayers understand how to make the best financial decisions, which will affect their careers, families and futures.”

Goodwill encourages taxpayers to ask about the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which provides tax breaks for some working families who earn up to $50,000 and can provide refunds up to $5,751. The IRS estimates that nearly 25 percent of eligible workers do not claim the EITC each year because they lack awareness of the program, cannot afford costly tax preparation fees or fear they will lose public benefits by filing. For more information about the EITC, click here.

To better educate local taxpayers about the EITC and community resources that are available, Goodwill is also hosting two special events at its Freedom Dr. location:

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Awareness Day
Saturday, Jan. 28 (9 a.m. until 1 p.m.)
Open to all taxpayers, EITC Awareness Day is sponsored by Community Link and will feature education and resources from Goodwill, Wells Fargo, Piedmont Natural Gas and Fifth Third Bank

Veterans Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Appreciation Day
Saturday, Feb. 4 (9 a.m. until 1 p.m.)
Open to veterans (former service members) and their families, this day will include information and resources specific to veterans. Sponsored by Community Link, Veterans EITC Appreciation Day will include participation by Goodwill’s Operation Independence program, The Benefit Bank, and Veteran Services of Mecklenburg Co.

To schedule an appointment for Goodwill’s VITA site, or to see if you qualify for free tax preparation, please call (704) 761-VITA (8482).

Please bring the following items with you:
• Photo ID
• Social Security cards and birth dates for you, your spouse and your dependents (if you file a joint return with your spouse, both of you must be present to sign)
• Wage and earning statements from all employers or income sources for 2011
• Total amounts of itemized deductions (charitable contributions, donations, etc.)
• Bank documents if you would like direct deposit

For more information on VITA sites in our area, visit Community Link.

For many Charlotte-area residents, the gift of employment would be the greatest gift of all this holiday season. The latest unemployment figures from the N.C. Department of Commerce show that the Charlotte metropolitan region’s unemployment rate continues to hover above 10 percent. Job training and employment programs offered through Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont are more critical than ever for local job seekers who have been searching for employment for months or even years.

Every donation makes a difference for local individuals who need employment. Ninety cents out of every dollar spent at one of Goodwill’s 20 local retail stores goes to help fund these important employment programs, which are offered free of charge to local job seekers.

“Whether they recognize it or not, Goodwill donors and shoppers are making an investment in our local community,” said Holly Cooper, director of marketing and communications for Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont. “These supporters have made 2011 a better year for more than 15,000 individuals in our area who have taken advantage of job training, career services and other community-based Goodwill programs.”

Donated goods and financial contributions made by the end of the year are eligible for a 2011 tax deduction. Donors interested in claiming tax deductions should keep itemized lists of their donations. The Internal Revenue Service allows a deduction for each item, but the donor determines each item’s value.

Goodwill’s Donation Center attendants will provide all donors with a receipt for their tax records. If donors are unsure whether a particular item qualifies for a tax deduction, they should consider whether they would give it to a relative or friend. If the answer is yes, then the item is most likely in good condition and is appropriate to donate. For guidelines or to calculate the impact of a donation, click here.

Goodwill graduates show off their certificates

On Friday, November 18, friends and family gathered at the Carole Hoefener Center in Charlotte to celebrate the graduation of 76 participants from our Occupational Skills Training (OST) programs. With certifications in Banking & Customer Service, Hospitality & Tourism, and Construction & Green Jobs, these graduates are now better prepared to face a tough job market. In fact, several graduates have already been offered jobs and are beginning a new career path.

Class speaker Rashad Jones painted a picture of the hope that he had received at Goodwill. He said of his instructor, “Mr. Thomas had only known me for only a couple of hours, and he was already cheering me on. I was some accustomed to negative responses in life, but the responses were positive at Goodwill.”

Click here to check out more photos from our graduation ceremony and reception.

Class speaker Angelica Hurtado with her family

Representing the Banking & Customer Service class, speaker Angelica Hurtado said, “We found not only great teachers here; they are friends and people who really care and bring us all their knowledge, making us work very hard to improve our skills. They worked with us one by one. I leave this place full of love and gratitude, confident and stronger than ever.”

Congratulations to all of our graduates!

Operation Independence Program participants walk in the recent Veteran's Day parade in Charlotte

Operation Independence prepares for influx of veterans in second year

This Veteran’s Day, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont is honoring military veterans by marking the one-year anniversary of its Operation Independence program, aimed at helping military veterans transition into civilian employment.

During the past year, Operation Independence, in partnership with Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC), has helped more than 160 military veterans and military family members through comprehensive training and services, such as technology skills training, career counseling and job placement. The program is funded by Microsoft Corporation through an Elevate America veterans initiative grant, which included $2 million in cash and up to $6 million in software to provide local veterans and their families with a comprehensive set of services to help them transition into civilian careers.

However, the program’s impact has reached far beyond our region.

Last month, the Operation Independence team was chosen as one of six veteran services programs nationwide to join Microsoft Corporation in a roundtable discussion with U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Richard Burr in Washington, D.C. The event brought together veterans, nonprofit organizations and veteran services organizations to discuss challenges veterans face when they return to the civilian workforce, and how the public and private sectors can better work together to serve those veterans.

Nicholas Riggins, vocational evaluator for Operation Independence, represented the program as he shared his personal story of transitioning from the military as a veteran as well as the struggles of veterans that he works with on a daily basis.

The program is preparing for an influx of veterans within the next few months. “We’re focusing on deepening relationships with veteran programs on college campuses and with local employers who want to hire veterans,” Riggins said. “We’re also going to be offering more advanced computer training and certifications through our partnership with Microsoft, so that our veterans will be better prepared for civilian positions at the management level.”

To learn more about Goodwill’s Operation Independence program, please click here.

Goodwill CEO Michael Elder (right) with Bank of America Market President Charles Bowman

This week, Bank of America awarded Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont with a $200,000 grant to recognize the organization’s work and contributions to the Charlotte community.

Since 2004, Bank of America’s the Neighborhood Excellence Initiative has awarded more than $150 million in support of strengthening the communities it serves. The company honored Goodwill along with the Men’s Shelter of Charlotte at a dinner on Tuesday, Nov.8 at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art.

During his acceptance speech, Goodwill’s President and CEO Michael Elder thanked Bank of America for its long-term support of many area nonprofit organizations, especially Goodwill. “The support of Bank of America allows us to continue our mission of assisting thousands of people annually, helping them turn their lives around and work toward long-term employment.”

Parris Friday, a Goodwill program graduate, was in attendance to celebrate the honor and was recognized by Michael Elder as an example of Goodwill’s mission, Changing Lives Through the Power of Work.

The evening also honored local heroes such as Dale Beatty, a wounded veteran and co-founder of Purple Heart Homes; Janine Davis, executive director of Girl Talk Foundation, Marilyn Furman and Kathy Izard who have donated funds to Charlotte Center of Urban Ministry and Elijah Watson founder of STARS Math & English Academy.

Bank of America also recognized students who demonstrated passion and efforts to better their communities through paid internship programs with local nonprofit organizations. Our future leaders included William Barry, Ryan Carter, Andrew McDonald, Samatha Singer and Olivia Stinson (niece of LaRita Barber, Vice President of Community Engagement at Goodwill).

Thank you to Bank of America and congratulations to all of the honorees. We look forward to continuing to serve the Charlotte community for years to come!

Click here to read an article about the award in the Charlotte Observer.

Renovated, Retrofitted, Recycled and Repurposed = First-Ever ReHouse Project

In what is believed to be the first such project of its kind in the country, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, Habitat Charlotte and Lowe’s Companies, Inc. are collaborating to transform a vacant home in the Villa Heights community into a model of energy efficiency.

The partnership began when the City of Charlotte donated a foreclosed home to Habitat. Goodwill reached out to Habitat to explore on-the-job training opportunities for students in their Construction Services program, and the house provided a good fit. Lowe’s stepped
forward to provide a $40,000 grant to supply energy-saving building materials.

With help from volunteers in Charlotte for the 2011 Energy Star Products Partner meeting, a crew will begin work Sunday, Nov. 6. Volunteers will also distribute weatherization kits and educate neighboring residents about ways to make their homes more energy efficient.

Slated for completion late January 2012, the Goodwill/Habitat ReHouse will offer educational tours to demonstrate practical, affordable ways to reduce home energy costs.

When finished, the house will be sold to a qualifying Habitat for Humanity family.

Who: Habitat Charlotte, Goodwill, Lowe’s and Energy Star Partners

What: ReHouse Remake Event

When: Sunday, Nov. 6, from 2 until 4 p.m.

Where: 2420 Barry Street, in Charlotte’s Villa Heights community

Visuals: 2 p.m. Welcome by Habitat, Goodwill spokespersons

2:30 p.m. Photo opportunity of volunteers working on the house

On Saturday, October 28, Wells Fargo announced five Community Partner grants as part of it’s Community Celebration in uptown Charlotte.

Our CEO, Michael Elder, got to take a ride on the Wells Fargo Wagon along with four other nonprofit executives and Mayor Anthony Foxx.

During the conversion from Wachovia, Wells Fargo asked customers to vote for the nonprofit of their choice to receive a cash donation from the company, and Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont was one of five nonprofits that was chosen to receive a donation!

More than 25,000 Wells Fargo customers voted, and the final announcement was made on stage at the grand opening of the Wells Fargo History Museum.

Wells Fargo’s Community Affairs Manager Jay Everett spoke about the organization’s impact on the local community, and then awarded Goodwill with a generous $9,000 donation.

Thank you, Wells Fargo!

Gloria

More than 50 million people in the U.S. report having a disability. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for those with a disability is more than 16%, almost twice the rate for those with no disability.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness month, and one Charlotte company is leading the way when it comes to hiring people with disabilities.

Chartwells, a member of Charlotte-based Compass Group North America, provides dining services for UNC Charlotte as well as 230 other higher education establishments across the country. The organization has been working with Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont since 2008, and has hired more than 35 individuals with disabilities with the help of the organization’s Vocational Coaching Services program.

One of those individuals is Gloria, who because of a mild learning disability had a hard time maintaining a job for years. However, after working with a Goodwill Vocational Coaching specialist, she has now been a respected and high-performing employee of Chartwells for more than 2 years. “When I interviewed, I felt like I was at home,” she said. “It wasn’t five minutes later that my job coach called me to tell me I had the job.” Gloria is tasked with keeping everything in the dining area clean, and UNCC students enjoy her company. “They call me Mama Glo, and I know that they appreciate what I do for them,” she said.

According to Danita Dorsey, who directs the Crown Commons dining facility at UNCC, the benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities have far outweighed any concerns. They are well-prepared and trained for the job because of the one-on-one attention they receive from Goodwill’s job coaches. “These employees show up for work on time, they work hard and they have a positive attitude,” Dorsey said. “The partnership with Goodwill is key, because they know our business and they help us put the right people in the right jobs.”

“People with disabilities generally have above average records of job performance and dependability,” said Michael Elder, President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont. “Diversity in the workplace includes people with disabilities, and we commend companies like Chartwells who are leading the way in employing a diverse workforce.”

To learn more about Goodwill’s Vocational Coaching services, please click here or call 704-372-3434.