Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont

Before 2012 completely disappears from our view, I thought it would be valuable to reflect on some of the things that we, as an organization and community, should celebrate, some of the challenges that we face and the opportunities that give us cause for hope.

When it comes to accomplishments and celebrations, the list is long and commendable. Highlights from last year include the opening of two new stores, dramatic growth of our GoodWork Staffing enterprise and achieving another three-year independent accreditation of our workforce development services. But what stands out most to me are the hundreds of individuals who came to Goodwill seeking the opportunity to better both themselves and the conditions of their families by gaining the skills and the confidence that would lead to new employment opportunities.

I celebrate that last year we took another major step toward greater mission impact by providing intensive career development services to more than 6,000 individuals, marking an increase of 68% over the prior year. I am extraordinarily proud of the fact that while unemployment continues to plague many of our friends and neighbors, we set a new record by providing more than one million hours of employment for individuals with barriers through our Goodwill business enterprises.

The fire that destroyed the contents of our South Boulevard store last February was a challenge to our operations and to our spirits. Like all critical junctures in life, our true character was seen in how we responded to this adversity. Together our team members and the community rallied around our organization to affirm that ill will is not stronger than Goodwill.

The challenges that our community faced last year remain many of the same facing us today. Within our community too many suffer from unemployment, too many from poverty, too many lack sufficient education, too many have untreated medical or mental health issues, and too many are homeless. These challenges will require that same determination by Goodwill and by the community to reject despair and turn our eyes and energy toward creating solutions.

Despite these challenges, many things I saw last year continue to give me hope. The development of a new strategic vision for this organization—one that says we cannot be satisfied with simply getting someone a job if it does not lead to family-sustaining employment–gives me great hope that we are on the right course to increase our mission impact. That hope is reinforced by the amazing contributions I saw last year by our team members and our volunteers to truly live out our mission of Changing Lives Through the Power of Work. I have no illusion that pursuing family-sustaining employment for the people we serve will be an easy road, but I am absolutely convinced it is the right vision and the right road for us to travel in 2013 and beyond.

In the years to come we will look back on 2012 and say that it was a defining moment for this organization because we took to heart the words of our founder Dr. J. Edgar Helms: “Friends of Goodwill, be dissatisfied with your work until every person in your community has an opportunity to develop to their fullest usefulness and enjoy a maximum of abundant living.”

- By Michael Elder

Larry first came to Goodwill in January 1987 as a participant in the Organizational Employment Services program. At that time, most participants with intellectual, emotional or physical disabilities came to Goodwill for “sheltered” long-term activities, rather than classroom-based transitional training, and had little expectation of finding self-sustaining work in the community.

Larry proved himself to be an exception to the rule. After completing Organizational Employment Services, he worked for several years with the maintenance and building services team, where his strong work ethic and positive attitude consistently shone through. Larry eventually transitioned to permanent full-time employment and today is a valuable member of the facilities team.

This December, Larry was honored for 25 years of employment at Goodwill at the 4th Annual Holiday Awards Recognition Banquet hosted by Vocational Services. One of the qualities that set Larry apart from other former clients is his commitment to helping others achieve success. Over the years, through his involvement with people with disabilities, Larry learned basic sign language skills. Using both his communication skills and job experience, he actively supports Employment Skills Training clients by serving as a peer mentor and trainer for participants interested in learning light janitorial and cleaning skills.

Today all clients entering the Employment Skills Training program expect to transition to Coaching Services, get a job and integrate into their community. Thanks to mentors like Larry, our EST graduates leave Goodwill with the necessary skills, training and confidence necessary to achieve these goals.

- By Diane Weekley