Little Rock Goodwill’s Public Policy Efforts Lauded at Annual Advocacy Event
ROCKVILLE, MD – Goodwill Industries of Arkansas (Little Rock, AR) has been honored with a 2012 Advocacy Leader Award from Goodwill Industries International.
The award recognizes a Goodwill agency that has demonstrated leadership and commitment to advancing Goodwill’s advocacy and policy efforts to further its mission of helping people secure employment and build stronger communities. The agency is also recognized for enhancing relationships with federal and state policymakers.
Goodwill Industries of Arkansas is recognized for reaching out to lawmakers on issues important to Goodwill’s mission of helping people find jobs and become self-sufficient. The agency has endeavored to increase efforts in all areas of advocacy to impact public policy and change. It has advocated on a variety of issues, including AbilityOne modernization, funding for employment programs such as the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and the Vocational Rehabilitation Act, as well as job creation and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
The Little Rock Goodwill is active in coalitions that serve a diverse set of Arkansas citizens, including the Arkansas Recycling Coalition, Capitol Area Zoning Committee, Cities of Service, the Little Rock Workforce Investment Board, the State Workforce Investment Board, and University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Business and Economic Forecast Advisory Committee. In addition, the Goodwill recently became a member of the State Rehabilitation Council. In each of these coalition meetings, Goodwill representatives have discussed how the agency is impacting the state’s environmental efforts by serving as an e-waste solution through the collection and refurbishment of computers as well as how it is impacting people’s lives through support services and job training programs. The agency has also hosted visits with lawmakers and their staff, during which it offered information on workforce development programs designed for people with criminal backgrounds, those with disabilities, and those with a lack of education or job experience; as well as state tax exemption for nonprofit organizations and Goodwill’s role in economic development.
“The team members of Goodwill Industries of Arkansas are dedicated advocates on behalf of Goodwill’s mission of helping people find employment, advance in their careers, and support themselves and their families,” said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. “Their advocacy work with lawmakers advances their programs to help job-seekers and create verifiable social impact for their local community.”
At a reception in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, April 17, Brian Itzkowitz, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Arkansas, accepted the award on behalf of his agency. This is the second time that Goodwill Industries of Arkansas has been honored with this award.
“Our Goodwill organization is honored to receive the Advocacy Leader Award and will continue to be a passionate advocate to ensure that every person has the opportunity to achieve independence through the power of work,” said Itzkowitz. “We hope that our efforts to educate and engage lawmakers furthers our mission of providing job training, skills training and education assistance to people facing challenges to finding employment.”
The reception was part of Goodwill Industries International’s sixth annual Advocacy Day — “Local to Global: Strengthening Our Community” in Washington, DC.
