Six years ago, I was a single mother raising two young children while living in a low-income housing community. Determined to support my family, I enrolled in Goodwill’s Certified Nurse Assistant Training Program.
My Story: Tiarra Barrera
Festival Style with Goodwill®
On hot summer days, festival style prevails! That’s because the trend itself was inspired by long days in the sun that necessitated light layers and wide brimmed hats to keep shady and comfortable. Whether you’re actually attending an outdoor concert series this year or just trying to stay cool while looking cool, hop on the boho bandwagon to seamlessly blend summer attire in with summer adventures.
The GOP Platform and Goodwill’s Priorities (Part One)
I watched my first national political convention in 1976. I was in high school at the time, but watching the gavel-to-gavel coverage and listening to speeches and commentary somehow captured my attention. Now it’s 40 years later and with decades of policy and political experience, those speeches come across to me a lot differently, and, for most part, not for the better. Maybe it’s cynicism; maybe it’s knowing that the issues are more complicated than the kind of sound bite, red meat rhetoric solutions you hear at these conventions.
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Good Links for July
Each month, the Social Good Blog highlights news and resources on a specific topic. In July, we are exploring how technology and virtual service programs can assist people on their quest for employment.
Fixer Upper Style: Farmhouse Chic
The HGTV show Fixer Upper has inspired people across the country to embrace DIY home projects from organizing their own “demo day” to repurposing second-hand goods. I love watching designer Joanna roll her eyes at her husband Chip as they stroll through a thrift shop in search of décor elements to punctuate a recently renovated space. Since she creates such beautifully polished rooms, I often find myself asking “What would Joanna do?” when contemplating a furniture move or bland-looking corner in my own home. The answer that usually pops into mind then is: thrift! If it’s good enough for Chip and Jo, then it’s good enough for me.
Make the Disability Vote Count
This week, a national effort is underway to make the disability vote more influential. The American Association of Persons with Disabilities (AAPD) has designated July 11-15 as National Disability Voter Registration Week. Regardless of one’s political affiliation, people with disabilities play an important role in our democracy and should be able to have as great a voice in the political process as anyone else who exercises their Constitutional right to vote.
Three Ways Technology Is Transforming How We Learn and Work
In an ever-disrupted environment and in rapidly innovating industries, nonprofits are challenged to be more proactive and to accelerate adaptation. This accelerating pace of technology innovation is transforming how these organizations deliver mission services to people facing challenges to employment. For the individuals Goodwill® serves, the proliferation of virtual platforms and devices are resulting in more ways to learn, connect and communicate – both within the workplace and on-the-go. Here are three applications of technology we’re watching as we strive to reach more and serve more.
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My Story: Dammond Devon Steen, Jr.
Eventually, raising four kids became too much for my 19-year-old mom, and I landed in foster care. Even then, I did okay in school. I was on track to graduate. But that never happened. I got into a fight at school – with a police officer. I was arrested. If I would have stopped for one second to think about it, I wouldn’t have gone to jail, but I didn’t think. I acted. The result was a year in prison. Adult prison, not 'juvie'.
Express Yourself with Goodwill®
Madonna topped the charts in 1989 with her hit song “Express Yourself” in which she urged her listeners to find a partner in life who is open and honest to create a healthy relationship. Although that was nearly 30 years ago now, the call to communicate our inner workings still resonates within our culture. This message echoes not just in our relationships with others, but throughout the rest of our lives, too, to help us create our own happiness in all aspects. Let me explain how with some help from a few other Goodwill enthusiasts!
Help Someone Earn Financial Freedom by Supporting WIOA
It was two years ago near July 4, that Congress showed a rare form of bi-partisanship and passed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the law that establishes job-training programs and vocational rehabilitation services. The following year, around this time, the agencies responsible for overseeing the law’s enactment released the proposed regulations for implementation. Just prior to the holiday this year, the final rules were made public.
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