Goodwill organization

1. Goodwill organization

2. About Us • Our Mission Goodwill Industries International enhances the dignity and quality of life of individuals, families and communities by eliminating barriers to opportunity and helping people in need reach their fullest potential through the power of work. • Our Vision Every person has the opportunity to achieve his/her fullest potential and participate in and contribute to all aspects of life.

3. Environmental Impact • For nearly 110 years, Goodwill® has been an entrepreneurial leader, environmental pioneer and social innovator of the “reduce, reuse, repurpose” practice. • Goodwill diverts more than two billion pounds of clothing and household goods every year from landfills by recovering the value in people’s unwanted material goods. In the process, we create job-training opportunities as well as entry-level and skilled green-collar jobs for people in need of work.

4. Goodwill For You • Goodwill® services are designed to meet the diverse needs of youth, seniors, veterans and military families, immigrants, and people with disabilities, criminal backgrounds and other specialized needs. • We are committed to helping you earn a living and improve your life. A career can enable you to achieve your dreams. • So that you have what you need to start your career, we begin by understanding your goals and building on your strengths. • Immigrants We help you become part of the community through language and cultural awareness classes. • People with criminal backgrounds We help you reintegrate into society and become a contributing member in your local community. • People with disabilities We help you live independently, get a job, and advance your career by providing access to support services, specialized training and assistive technology. • Seniors We coordinate job readiness programs and supportive services to help you live independently, pursue your employment goals and gain economic security. • Veterans and Military Families We help you and your military spouse find employment, health services and skills for entering or reentering the workplace. • Youth We prepare you for a successful educational and financial future.

5. Success Stories • I had major back surgery, where I had a disc taken out of my back. They took two bone grafts out of my hip. I was on full disability for about eight years. The doctors had said I would never work again, and I gave up on things, started doing drugs and ended up going to prison. • In prison, I worked out every day. I started benching 350. When I got out of prison, I wanted to go back to work and get off disability. I went to rehab, and they sent me to MERS Goodwill to help me find a job that would be suitable. I could have gone back to construction, but how long was it going to take before I injured myself again? All I knew was construction — that was all I did most of my life. • I went through MERS Goodwill and they actually taught me how to write a résumé. They helped me get my teeth fixed, because when I was injured I broke most of my teeth, and drug addiction didn’t do me any good either. I didn’t have a good smile, so you would have never seen me smile. Today I can smile, and that’s a good thing. • I was debating about going back to school or going to work, and we decided that going back to work would probably be the best thing. I got a job at the Kitchen Incorporated, which is a homeless shelter. For the past year, I’ve been the night manager at the homeless shelter taking care of families and showing people that you can actually change your life if you want to. • I don’t have any problem telling anyone where I’ve been, because I’ve been through a lot in my life. From drug addiction to being in prison to being on the wrong side of the law and not caring about what happened to me to today, I am a stronger individual, have positive energy, and want to be able to give people hope. I want to show that if I can do it, they can too. • Through MERS Goodwill, I’ve been able to turn my life around and start over in a new way of life. Now, I’m ready to go back to school and be a social worker, and be someone different.

6. Success Stories • When I came to Goodwill Industries of Colorado Springs, I was unemployed, homeless and had a young child who lived with his father. I really didn’t have any work experience and had some negative things on my background. My goal was to find someplace to help me become a positive and active member in society. • I first started out as a client with a work experience program with Goodwill Industries®. I’ve attended several classes, and one that I found very helpful was a résumé writing class. • Goodwill Industries has always noticed my strengths and moved me into the appropriate positions. I have been with Goodwill® for almost eight years. Currently, I am the field supervisor for Goodwill at Home, an in-home care program offering non-medical care to adults. I have earned credentials as a certified instructor on several different topics. • During the past eight years, I have worked with and met some of the most outstanding people. I have purchased two vehicles and I am in the process of buying a home, all thanks to a lot of hard work and my Goodwill family.