Goodwill Meets Historic Demand During Economic Uncertainty
July 9, 2009
Rockville, MD. – In the midst of a global economic crisis, a record-breaking 1.5 million people in North America benefited from Goodwill® job training programs and employment placement services in 2008, a nearly 40 percent increase over 2007. Through its network of 166 independent, local agencies in communities throughout the United States and Canada, Goodwill also helped to place more than 172,000 people in jobs — strengthening local communities and assisting families in achieving economic independence.
”Today, more than ever, people, and the communities we live in, need the job training and support services that Goodwill offers,” said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International®. “Financial skills strengthening, services for youth and families, job training and employment are opportunities that allow people from all backgrounds and walks of life to feel successful, valuable and dignified. Goodwill is a leader in providing innovative solutions that are customized to meet the specific needs of communities across North America.“
Goodwill trains people for careers in fields such as financial services, computer programming, health care, and others. These programs are funded through the sale of donated clothes and other household items at more than 2,300 Goodwill retail stores in the U.S. and Canada and online at shopgoodwill.com, the first and only Internet nonprofit auction site. Community-based Goodwill agencies also build revenues and create jobs by contracting with businesses and government to provide a wide range of commercial services, including packaging and assembly, food service preparation, document imaging and shredding, groundskeeping and administrative support.
“Every 42 seconds of every business day last year, Goodwill placed someone in a good job,” said Gibbons. “By donating and shopping at Goodwill, you are playing a vital role in fulfilling our mission of helping people go to work.”
