Category: The Goodwill Blog

A recent piece in The New York Times, The Human Disaster of Unemployment, noted that the number of people who have been out of work for longer than six months has increased significantly due to the recession. As the economy slowly recovers from the recession, Goodwill® has a firsthand understanding about the impact that long-term unemployment will have for years on the people, families and communities that our member agencies work to strengthen every day.

READ MORE from Public Programs Leverage Goodwill® to Address Long-Term Unemployment

Summer is the classic time for a family car trip. But you don’t want to come home feeling like you need a vacation after your vacation! Use these tips and strategies to help your family head out smoothly and return home refreshed.

READ MORE from Organization Tips to Take the Stress Out of Summer Travel

Elizabeth from Reno, NV, asks, “I am 17 and worked hard to get my first job. What do I need to know to be successful?”

READ MORE from Found Your First Job? Get a Strong Start with These Tips

Families in Kalamazoo, MI, will gain access to increased support as they move towards self-sufficiency, thanks to Goodwill Industries of Southwestern Michigan's (Kalamazoo) Life Guides program. The initiative will offer long-term support by helping these families build social capital, navigate community resources, design and meet goals for their families, and earn incentives while meeting milestones.

READ MORE from Michigan Families Get Support in Moving toward Self-Sufficiency

After growing up in a life of alcohol, drugs and violence, Lonnie found himself incarcerated. During his time in prison, he decided to turn his life around for the better - a decision which eventually led him to Goodwill. Lonnie benefited from employment training programs and is now proud to work as an attendant at one of Goodwill's attended donation centers.

READ MORE from My Story: Lonnie Willis Jr.

As summer approaches, I find myself itching to decorate with twinkle lights! I love the clean and simple look of a string of white lights, and although a lot of people think Christmas when they see these, I think of summer because it is then that I’m looking for every excuse in the world to stay outside among the stars, fireflies and fresh air.

READ MORE from Keep Your Home Bright by Decorating with Christmas Lights

May not only heralds Mother's Day, it's also Older Americans Month -- and a perfect time for Americans to demonstrate how we value the moms, grandmothers and other older adults in our community and in our workforce by funding services that can make a difference in their lives.

READ MORE from Congress: Remember Your Moms as You Consider Funding for Older Workers

“I sometimes notice that my coworkers aren’t doing their jobs, but my manager doesn’t notice. What should I do?” – Ronald from Hoboken, NJ

READ MORE from Help! I Work with Lazy Coworkers and My Boss Doesn’t Notice

This year’s Goodwill Industries® Week, celebrated last week, was one of the most exciting to date. Thirty-six Goodwills across the U.S. and Canada hosted more than 100 on-the-ground career fair events, and for the first time Goodwill Industries International hosted a virtual career fair.

READ MORE from Thousands Attend Goodwill® Career Fairs across the U.S. and Canada

Born with osteogenesis imperfecta, Will faced a childhood of broken bones followed by bone cancer which caused him to lose his left arm. Employers were reluctant to hire him with these disabilities. At Goodwill, Will learned to be more independent and successfully train for call center work with simple accommodations. He looks forward to an impending job interview and entering the workforce.

READ MORE from My Story: Will Place

At Goodwill®, we’re particularly excited about Pinterest since so many of the projects and outfits people are pinning can be easily completed with items that you can find in our stores. Read on to find out about five easy DIY projects we first learned about on Pinterest that you can take on this weekend using items found at Goodwill.

READ MORE from Five Pinterest DIY Projects You Can Complete with Items from Goodwill®

For individuals struggling to find work, federally funded employment and social services programs are crucial resources on the road to employment. This week, the U.S. House of Representatives Budget Committee worked to advance legislation that aims to avoid an automatic, across-the-board spending cut scheduled for January.

READ MORE from Proposed Legislation Could Hurt Programs That Help Job Seekers