Category: The Goodwill Blog

November 15 is America Recycles Day, the only nationally recognized day dedicated to promoting and celebrating recycling in the United States. If you're still in the market for the perfect holiday cards to send your friends and family this year, Goodwill Industries of Northern Michigan’s Paperworks Studio's recycled cards give you the opportunity to celebrate the season while affirming your commitment to the environment and the power of work.

READ MORE from Celebrate America Recycles Day with Goodwill’s Holiday Cards

November 15 is America Recycles Day, the only nationally recognized day dedicated to promoting and celebrating recycling in the United States. If you're still in the market for the perfect holiday cards to send your friends and family this year, Goodwill Industries of Northern Michigan’s Paperworks Studio's recycled cards give you the opportunity to celebrate the season while affirming your commitment to the environment and the power of work.

READ MORE from Celebrate America Recycles Day with Goodwill's Holiday Cards

Before coming to Goodwill ,Traci was in an abusive relationship with her children's father and spent time in prison for helping him distribute drugs. She transitioned to a halfway house after prison, and learned about Goodwill's training programs from a co-worker. Through employment with Goodwill and support from her colleagues, Traci began building a steady life and career, and now plans to become an advocate for the rights of women and children.

READ MORE from My Story: Traci McMartin

Lorie Marrero,CPO®, creator of the Clutter Diet® and spokesperson for Goodwill Industries International shares why activating gratitude should be at the heart of your holiday celebrations and how Goodwill's Donate Movement can help you give back to people in need this season.

READ MORE from Give Thanks This Holiday Season with Help from Goodwill®

Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont launched Operation Independence in November 2010 with a generous grant from the Microsoft Corporation. The grant enabled the agency to develop a state-of-the-art computer lab and hire two full-time specialists — a vocational evaluator at the Goodwill’s facilities and a counselor at Central Piedmont Community College.

READ MORE from NC Goodwill® Helps Military Families Build Support Systems

Houston Goodwill® launched its Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program six years ago, and quickly learned that groups of veterans had different needs. The agency now serves females who are homeless, individuals who have recently left the military and those who have been incarcerated.

READ MORE from Texas Goodwill® Expands Veteran Services to Accommodate Needs

The Atlanta Goodwill® relies on its community partners to fully meet the needs of veterans. While Goodwill’s expertise is employment services, other local organizations, including the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, provide health care, housing assistance and more. Each week, the Goodwill hosts a roundtable, during which veterans can learn about available services.

READ MORE from Community Partners Collaborate to Secure Success for Veterans

On November 16, 2011, Goodwill will release its new white paper "From Deployment to Employment: Goodwill’s Call to Action on Supporting Military Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families" at a briefing on Capitol Hill. Meanwhile, as Veterans Day approaches, policymakers have been unveiling proposals that aim to support veterans who are struggling to find civilian jobs.

READ MORE from Goodwill®, Policymakers Make Veterans Employment a Priority

Lisa from Ft. Knox, KY, asks "My spouse is in the military. We move around every one to three years, and it is tough getting a job, much less advancing my career. What resources are available to help me?”

READ MORE from Job Resources to Help Military Families Succeed

In what is believed to be the first such project of its kind in the country, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, Habitat Charlotte and Lowe’s Companies, Inc., are collaborating to transform a vacant home in Charlotte's Villa Heights community into a model of energy efficiency.

READ MORE from Goodwill® Goes Green for Affordable Housing in Charlotte

Jerry is a Vietnam with more than 20 years of service in the Marine Corps and Army National Guard. After retiring from service in 1995, he was unable to find work due to physical ailments. The VA suggested he find a training program to get back into a routine, which led him to Goodwill Industries of KYOWVA. There, staff helped create a customized curriculum for Jerry that taught him how to use a computer, the Internet and a digital camera. He now uses these skills in his everyday life and is thankful for the training he received.

READ MORE from My Story: Jerry Jackson

Action is needed to prevent Congress from drastically cutting funding for job training programs that support Goodwill’s efforts to help people with employment challenges in your community to find jobs and advance in careers. Send a letter to your members of Congress and ask them to support the Senate version of the FY 2012 spending bill that funds the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education.

READ MORE from Stand with Goodwill® in Supporting Funding for Job Training Programs