While the holidays seem to bring out the kid in people of all ages, the wide-eyed wonder and magic still belong to the little ones this time of year. Sadly, many families lack the financial resources to buy gifts — and sometimes even necessities like winter coats and shoes. Goodwill agencies like those below have stepped in to spread a little joy and warmth to those who need it most.
READ MORE from Goodwill and Donors Brighten the Holiday Through Giving
Life threw Remy a curve ball and she found herself an unemployed single mother. "I felt like a statistic," she says. With support from Goodwill, she made the job connection she needed to find successful employment working with people with disabilities.
As you’ve probably learned by now, Christmas can get pricey – and quick. I’d be lying if I said I got everything under my tree this year at thrift stores, but I definitely tried hard to get as much as I could there. And while it’s easy to rush to the biggest box store and mindlessly fill a cart with stuff shipped here from thousands of miles away, thrifting for loved ones involves a little more patience, a little more time – but definitely not as much money or waste. When you buy a perfect something for someone special at a Goodwill, you’re really doing a world of good. Soon we’ll all watch loved ones unwrap their treasures. And when they hold it up and gush about how much they love it, tell them proudly where you got it!
READ MORE from Have Yourself a Thrifty Little Christmas – and a Thrifty New Year
We hope this blog serves as a way to educate and inform Goodwill® shoppers, donors, program participants and staff among others, about the hot topics affecting our agency and the people we serve. In the new year, we hope to continue to be a valuable resource to our stakeholders, garner more grassroots support, and advance Goodwill Industries’ legislative agenda. We would love to learn more about the types of information you would like to see on this page and how you feel you can be an effective advocate. Please take our short survey to give us your feedback.
READ MORE from Goodwill® Advocates: What’s Important to You in 2013?
We hope this blog serves as a way to educate and inform Goodwill® shoppers, donors, program participants and staff among others, about the hot topics affecting our agency and the people we serve. In the new year, we hope to continue to be a valuable resource to our stakeholders, garner more grassroots support, and advance Goodwill Industries’ legislative agenda. We would love to learn more about the types of information you would like to see on this page and how you feel you can be an effective advocate. Please take our short survey to give us your feedback.
READ MORE from Goodwill® Advocates: What's Important to You in 2013?
As we progress into the final few frenzied days of shopping and preparing for the holidays, let's keep in mind the lesson of the little tree. Less is more. Fewer toys, more time spent playing together with them. Less stuff, more experiences. Less spending money, more spending time.
Goodwill employee holds supportive sign for troops.This year, employees at Goodwill Industries of Greater Nebraska (Grand Island) are sending gifts to 25 U.S. Marines stationed in Afghanistan. A few years ago, Goodwill employees opted to forgo the office gift exchange in favor of providing gifts for others in need. Since then, more and more Goodwill employees and program participants are getting involved. This year’s decision to send gifts to Marines has become one of the Grand Island Goodwill’s biggest efforts yet to help people outside of the local community.
READ MORE from Greater Nebraska Goodwill Sends Holiday Gifts to Marines in Afghanistan
Through numerous life and health challenges, Goodwill has been a constant in Joy's life. She says, "I can feel myself smiling, laughing and healing, and I truly feel cared about. This place is my therapy."
With the election a fading memory, Congressional leaders and the president are finally engaged in serious negotiations about a deficit reduction deal. While questions about whether such a deal will be achieved and what it may look like makes terrific political theater for political junkies, it’s important to remember that, over the course of several years, many factors have led to this decisive moment in our history. All the while, as it has been since 1902, Goodwill® has been on the front lines helping people to overcome their employment challenges.
READ MORE from Fiscal Cliff Negotiations Hold a Range of Implications for Goodwill®
Andy from Columbia, MO, “All of my coworkers are loud and outgoing. I’m pretty shy and feel overshadowed by them. I like my job and I’m good at it, but feel like my team values these kinds of people more than they do how I am. What should I do?”
READ MORE from Introverted? Check Out These Tips for Career Success
Young child hangs from monkey bars.Children at the Gordon Smith Child Development Center, a project of Goodwill Easter Seals of the Gulf Coast (Mobile, AL) will soon have a brand new playground to enjoy. In November, children at the center enjoyed a “design day” as they put crayon to paper to design their dream playgrounds. With a significant investment from the PNC Foundation, volunteers and organizers from KaBOOM! will help make these drawings a reality. Elements from the children’s drawings will be incorporated into the final design for the new community playground, scheduled to be constructed in January.
READ MORE from Dream Playground to Become Reality for Gulf Coast Goodwill Children
Daniel Owens was recovering from a relapse of his bipolar illness and living in debt when he came to Goodwill in Medford, OR. There, he connected with training and financial stability programs that helped him return to the workforce, and gained the support to start his own video production company.
