Goodwill Industries of Sacramento Valley and Northern Nevada (CA) and Next Move (formerly Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center) recently announced a partnership to help move more families from homelessness and unemployment to stable housing, jobs and self-reliance.
Both organizations believe the real solution to helping people break the cycle of poverty and homelessness includes a comprehensive and coordinated approach that provides short-term housing and employment opportunities. This unique collaboration will position Next Move and Goodwill as regional leaders in delivering services to homeless families.
“Goodwill’s mission footprint in Sacramento will be broadened by its relationship with Next Move,” said Joe Mendez, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Sacramento Valley and Northern Nevada. “Our vocational programs will offer Next Move’s clients opportunities to develop job skills that are portable to other industries. The close mission alignment of our organizations creates a real opportunity to assist Sacramento homeless families move into stable housing situations and employment.”
Sacramento County Supervisor Phil Serna said, “The alliance between these two great organizations is a classic example of the whole representing something greater than the sum of its parts, and our entire community will benefit from that unique synergy.”
In becoming a Goodwill subsidiary, Next Move will continue to focus on moving families experiencing homelessness from instability to housing stability while Goodwill’s vocational programs will offer the nonprofit’s clients opportunities to develop job skills that are portable to other industries. Goodwill will use its network of retail stores and community partnerships to provide vocational education and job search services for the homeless families that Next Move serves within their transitional housing programs.
The Goodwill will also provide financial support of Next Move’s efforts to renovate and expand its family shelter. Additional partners for the family shelter expansion and renovation project include HomeAid Sacramento and USA Properties. When completed, the family shelter will grow from 55 beds to 85 beds for families with children, and includes additional sleeping rooms, a commercial kitchen, dining room, SETA Head Start space, and classrooms.
