by Laura Walling, Senior Director of Government Relations, Goodwill Industries International
For more than 60 years, local Goodwill organizations have celebrated Goodwill Week during the first full week of May to raise awareness of our critical mission of getting people who have lost jobs back to work. Your support is essential to this work. When you donate, shop, volunteer or advocate in support of Goodwill, you are helping us provide people with the training and support they need to find jobs, advance in their careers and thrive.
This Goodwill Week, Goodwill Industries International and our partners are committing to empower one million job seekers to access sustainable careers by 2025. The Rising TogetherTM coalition aims to drive an equitable economic recovery beginning with providing everyone with the skills and supports they need to access good jobs.
Goodwill and its partners are providing resources to address the widening skills gap and the negative impact of the economic downturn brought on by the pandemic. The Rising Together™ coalition will provide a combination of holistic workforce services and supports, as well as build and expand upon programs that address the inequities and systemic barriers facing workers in our society the most.
Joining Goodwill are Fortune 50 companies and global philanthropic and business leaders, including the Anthem Foundation, Coursera, Google, Indeed and Lyft. These powerhouse brands are on the frontlines of America’s workforce, hiring thousands of new employees each year. The coalition will use its combined hiring strength to support the needs of job seekers — from providing essential transportation and broadband access to offering training opportunities and job search skills — at this urgent moment.
Rising Together™ jump-starts a vision for a future where there is a pathway to opportunity that is accessible by all. To view Goodwill and its partners’ commitments to an equitable recovery and to hear from the coalition’s executives, visit Goodwill.org/Rising-Together.
Government officials are also critical partners in achieving an equitable economic recovery as lawmakers create policies that can provide incentives for employers to hire, support workers in gaining new skills, and help for individuals and families in meeting their basic needs so they can focus on their careers. As advocates, we’ll continue to rely on you to help us carry these messages to Congress and the administration. Be sure to register for GII’s Legislative Action Center and follow us on Twitter @GoodwillCapHill to stay engaged.
