We have officially hit mid-November – Veterans Day was commemorated this week and as I write, the newly elected lawmakers have come to Washington while votes from the mid-term election are still being counted or re-counted in 11 house and senate races. The freshman class of elected officials is in D.C. to begin congressional orientation, and includes 16 veterans among the 150 veterans who ran. Among the many firsts in the 116th Congress are four women veterans, which may bring the women’s military service caucus to its highest ever at around six women.
Category: Advocate
Divided We Stand – But We Don’t Have to Fall
Because I’m a policy wonk and I’m competitive, I entered an election challenge being run by Politico. I looked at polls, did my research, and made my projections on a number of races in the House and Senate.
On Tuesday, November 6th, Get Out and Vote
“I am a VOTER.” These were the words on my shirt when I wrote this blog. While I originally wore the shirt on Halloween, I plan to wear it again on Tuesday, November 6th when I go to the voting booth with a potentially historic number of my fellow Americans to vote in the mid-term election. In fact,
The People Have Spoken: Advocates Weigh in on GII’s Public Policy Agenda
We recently asked for you, our public advocates, to weigh in via a survey as the Goodwill Industries International (GII) Government Relations team crafts GII’s public policy agenda for the next Congress. The people have spoken. When asked to identify the top three policy issues of importance, labor issues (wages, paid sick leave, paid family leave, etc.) received the most number of responses. These issues impact local Goodwill organizations as both an employer where increases in operational expenses may impact the ability to provide mission services, but also as a provider of job-training and job placement services.
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A Different Type of Financial Planning
October is National Financial Planning Month. One on hand it’s another “thing of the month,” and on the other, why not check on how individuals and families are planning for their future, saving for retirement, building generational economic security?
Tell Us What You Think! Lend Your Voice to the Goodwill Industries International Public Policy Agenda
As we look ahead to a new Congress which will convene in January, the Goodwill Industries International (GII) government relations team is proactively working on our public policy agenda for the 116th Congress. While the party that ultimately controls the House and Senate may determine how much weight is given to a particular issue or how we will advocate around an issue, the issue itself is still important.
Goodwill® Celebrates Workers with Disabilities
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). NDEAM celebrates the contributions of workers with disabilities and educates about the value of a workforce inclusive of their skills and talents. This year's theme—"America's Workforce: Empowering All" —aligns with Goodwill's defining mission of providing all workers, including those with disabilities, with job placement and training services.
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Celebrate Older Workers
Last year local Goodwill® organizations collectively provided job-training and employment services to more than 235,000 older workers – age 55 and over. As the saying goes, “Age is nothing but a number” and the wealth of knowledge and experience that these individuals bring to an employer is an asset.
Goodwill® Celebrates National Voter Registration Day
Goodwill Industries International joins with the broader nonprofit community to recognize and participate in National Voter Registration Day (NVRD). NVRD is the day recognized to help our fellow citizens prepare to engage in the political process, specifically by helping them register to vote.
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Recognizing the Economic Impact of Workforce Development
Workforce Development Professionals Month, held in September of each year, honors workforce development organizations, professionals, and partnerships that play a vital role in the U.S. economy. It was created by the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals to recognize the hardworking people who serve job seekers and employers by developing potential and connecting people with employers in their communities. If you live in the U.S., within 10 miles of your home is a Goodwill organization working to make your community stronger via workforce development opportunities that help people learn, earn, plan, and achieve their dreams.
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The September Sprint in Congress
Labor Day marks the end of summer – a time when kids go back to school, public pools close, vacations cease, and Congress goes back in session after a long recess. While the Senate did remain in session over much of August, not everyone showed up for votes and they made little progress on approving
Local Goodwill® Organizations Host Lawmakers
With Labor Day next week it’s hard to believe that summer is already coming to an end. This summer many local Goodwill organizations have taken advantage of the August congressional recess to engage with their elected officials by having them visit their locations to see firsthand the work and services they provide in their communities.
