Category: The Goodwill Blog

From June 10 to 13, Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids (MI) participated in a youth employment event, Ready Now! for Youth, that gave youth in Kent County employment skills and training to interview for jobs and internships. The collaborative effort brought together Grand Rapids Community College, the Kent Intermediate School District, the Goodwill, the chamber of commerce, Kris Mathis Enterprise and Express Employment.

READ MORE from Grand Rapids Event Prepares Youth for Work, Connects Them with Business Leaders

I’ve been eyeing crochet doilies at my local Goodwill® for many months now, knowing that there must be something easy that can be done to give them a place in my home without them feeling too “granny." Finally, a couple of projects came to mind and seemed to fit the bill.

READ MORE from Decorating with Doilies: Three DIY Projects

It has been 15 years since Congress enacted the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), the nation’s primary job training law. Back then, the U.S. had a budget surplus and the unemployment rate was 4.4 percent. Today, the nation is slowly recovering from the worst recession experienced in a generation and unemployment is stubbornly declining from the peak it reached during that time. Needless to say, the law is long overdue for an update. The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing today to consider how WIA could be improved to better develop a skilled workforce for a competitive economy.

READ MORE from Senate Panel Holds Hearing on Improving Workers’ Skills

Josh from Battle Creek, MI, asks, “I’m the least organized person ever! I have hard time keeping track of what I’m supposed to do, and I’m afraid I’m going to forget something. How can you help?”

READ MORE from Five Steps to Getting Organized at Work

In just four years, the weight of goods donated by Boston University (BU) students during Morgan Memorial Goodwill’s (Boston) Goodwill Not Landfill donation drive has nearly tripled. From April 22 to May 20, the university placed Goodwill bins in 15 locations – including every dorm – so that students could easily give away items they no longer needed as they cleared out their rooms to leave for the summer. The Goodwill also placed bins at the front of its store near campus so students who live off campus could also contribute.

READ MORE from Boston University, Goodwill® Collect More than 90 Tons of Donations

Sebastian, who has Asperger syndrome, had been unemployed for five years and living with his parents before coming to Goodwill. The program helped him get comfortable meeting new people and entering new situations -- to the point where he was able to find a job in December 2012. He now works in a commissary stocking shelves and is happy because of the independence and freedom he's gained.

READ MORE from My Story: Sebastian Pires

It’s nearly Father’s Day and you know what that means--time to buy dad a new tie! Or is it? Trust me, your local Goodwill® store is sure to have a huge selection of ties to pick from. I’ve never stepped foot in a thrift store that didn’t. Some ties are printed with themes that are so hilarious they should really be framed. But don’t be fooled into thinking that’s all you can find for dad there. It’s also full of great gifts for dad that he’ll actually use!

READ MORE from Skip the Tie: Celebrate Father’s Day with Unique Goodwill® Finds

It’s nearly Father’s Day and you know what that means--time to buy dad a new tie! Or is it? Trust me, your local Goodwill® store is sure to have a huge selection of ties to pick from. I’ve never stepped foot in a thrift store that didn’t. Some ties are printed with themes that are so hilarious they should really be framed. But don’t be fooled into thinking that’s all you can find for dad there. It’s also full of great gifts for dad that he’ll actually use!

READ MORE from Skip the Tie: Celebrate Father's Day with Unique Goodwill® Finds

Twice a year, I sit down with my team and we discuss goals, strengths and areas for improvement as part of our company’s performance review process. It is the season for mid-year reviews and Congress should have theirs. As voters, we “hire” these elected officials for the job and as all good supervisors we should be providing feedback often.

READ MORE from Congress' Mid-Year Review Reveals Room for Improvement

Twice a year, I sit down with my team and we discuss goals, strengths and areas for improvement as part of our company’s performance review process. It is the season for mid-year reviews and Congress should have theirs. As voters, we “hire” these elected officials for the job and as all good supervisors we should be providing feedback often.

READ MORE from Congress’ Mid-Year Review Reveals Room for Improvement

Deliah from San Antonio, TX, asks, “Does my school GPA really matter? It seems like most companies just want to see that you received a degree, not what your actual grades were.”

READ MORE from Does GPA Matter in Finding a Job?

As residents of Moore, OK, continue to rebuild following the EF5 tornado that swept through the area on May 20, Goodwill® agencies headquartered in Shreveport, LA; Wichita, KS; and Little Rock, AR, spearheaded relief efforts to generate material and financial donations to people impacted by the storm.

READ MORE from Local Goodwills Host Relief Efforts for Moore, OK, Tornado Victims