Goodwill Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas Launches Program to Support Individuals with Criminal Backgrounds

Goodwill Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas (Kansas City) conducted a community assessment in the spring and fall of 2016 and found that more than 19,000 individuals were rejoining their local community after some time of incarceration. Following the workforce survey, the local Goodwill® launched the GoodPATH initiative to help individuals with criminal backgrounds re-enter the workforce by working in Goodwill retail stores. The St. Joseph Goodwill store will pilot the new program by providing jobs in store production, the donation bay area and at the register assisting customers. They will also provide job training and job placement services.

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Handling the Interview Question: “What’s Been Your Biggest Accomplishment?”

Some interview questions make you squirm. Others, you should welcome. Today I’ll tackle one you should welcome. Most employers will ask about your accomplishments. Your challenge now becomes two-fold. First, what sort of accomplishment should you bring up? Second, how much detail should you provide?

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Summer Breeze Room Divider DIY

Let’s just call this the year I finally build the bedroom of my dreams! For spring, I fixed up the nook of our room where the bed resides (it felt so good!), but there’s one other thing that has always bugged me about this space and summer has finally brought its solution.

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Goodwill® Celebrates the 4th of July

The 4th of July has long been one of my favorite holidays. As I sit around with my friends and family eating all the hamburgers and hot dogs humanly possible it’s difficult to not appreciate the country we call home. Over 242 years our founding parents gathered together to establish a new country and a new system of government. Rather than being governed by a royal family like those in Europe, this new nation would be ruled by the people. The founding fathers and mothers, many in their early 20s and 30s, understood the importance of allowing the people to voice their opinion and to have their say about the individuals and laws that would govern their new nation.

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Ask for the Job and Keep Control

I’m occasionally asked about when to follow up after an interview, particularly if nothing definitive was indicated as the interview wound down. Let’s have a closer look at a strategy for ending your interview. I call it, “Ask for the job and keep control.”

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Vintage Americana for Independence Day

Happy birthday to our dear ol’ U.S.A.! This year I’ve been eyeing weathered and worn decor and clothing choices that remind me of our country’s history. One thing that I love about shopping at Goodwill is the surprise of stumbling upon items from eras past. It’s entirely possible that I could find something over a hundred years old while thrifting and the magic of that drives my curiosity. Although the finds we’re looking at today aren’t actually that old, it’s still fun to take a quick walk down memory lane with these Americana-inspired pieces.

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Celebrating the Class of 2018

It’s graduation season, a rite of passage for students around the country. In my own family, my five year old niece graduated from pre-school, my eighteen year old cousin graduated from high school, and my thirty nine year old brother graduated from his plumbing apprenticeship program. Within the Goodwill® network, hundreds of graduates are exiting the Excel Center, an alternative adult high school started by Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana, Inc. in Indianapolis, Indiana and now replicated in around the country.

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My Story: Jason Norris

When I was young, my parents were plagued by addiction and I had to live with my grandparents. I was 17 years old and was working for my grandfather’s landscaping company until I became a father. Unfortunately, I acted immaturely and decided to supplement my income with drug dealing. From 1999 to 2008, I was

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Fun in the Sun: 3 DIY Projects to Kick Off Your Summer!

Now that summer is officially here, it’s the perfect time to get out, enjoy the weather and let your creativity sizzle in the sunshine! To help you get started, here is  a list of summery ideas that are sure to inspire you. DIY Bee & Butterfly Bath Craft a sipping station for your flying neighborhood pollinators with a

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Should I Take a Job Through A Staffing Agency?

My job seeking clients ask lots of questions about recruiting firms and staffing agencies. In future blogs I’ll explain some of their differences and help you try to identify firms better positioned to help you. Today I’ll cover the specific question about whether you should accept a position through an agency. I hope to provide some background so you can make a more informed decision.

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Simple Summer Top DIY

Summer is such a fun time for fashion. You can get playful with your style by including cute patterns, textures, and colors in the clothing and accessories you wear and somehow it seems really natural. I’ve been especially loving all of the bell sleeves and fun trim ideas that I’m seeing in boutique stores these days (or, let’s be honest…in online stores), but I realized that the things I love most about these pieces are the embellishments. And, thankfully, those are super easy to add to Goodwill shirts for a fraction of the price. So why not do it myself? With summer style on my mind, I quickly went out thrifting for supplies!

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The Value of Advocating for our Values

When Reverend Edgar Helms founded what became Goodwill Industries® at the turn of the century, many of the families he served in south Boston were immigrants. For decades, many local Goodwill organizations have supported immigrants as they integrate into their new communities.

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