Over the past several years, I have worked with Goodwill and found that they are an excellent community resource. Their staff members not only provide great services that help mainstream their clients back to becoming productive members of community, their staff also provides support for numerous other community nonprofit and for profit organizations.
My experience with Goodwill is rather unusual. I am working with another nonprofit in the area and we are in the process of working towards certification through a state program of excellence. We have turned to Goodwill Industries of No Louisiana as a model and mentor. The incredible lengths the staff and board have gone through to establish thoughtful and well written policies is commendable. They have also thoroughly researched and established clear and concise written procedures for their operations. I cannot think of another organization that would be more deserving of my own personal funds and I would highly recommend them to any potential donor based on Goodwill's outstanding management of funds.
I have worked with Goodwill for several years now. They are a very professional organization. They are very dedicated to their misson. Goodwill is there when you need them, and has helped numerous individuals make a transition into the communituy.
I am an area employer that has worked with Goodwill by hiring one of their clients. They were there for the client and me every step of the way. I hope that more employers would choose to hire from Goodwill.
Goodwill Industries of Northwest Louisiana is a great organization that provides outstanding service and assistance to our community. They have helped so many people in need.
I am a board member and have seen the results of Goodwill's efforts on many occasions. It is interesting to see the amount of assistance and effort that this agency puts into the client's life. There is a lot of caring going on here.
I have worked as a grant writer for Goodwill of North Louisiana, and was impressed by their professionalism, positive attitude, their array of programs to help the unemployed, disabled, prisoners returning to society, and at-risk youth, and their collaboration with numerous other agencies in our community.
Goodwill was excellent in helping me find a employee who was fast, friendly, and caught on quick. I will definitely use them in the future.
Goodwill Industries of North Louisian, Inc. has partnered with the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce numerous times, most notably in the areas of Workforce and Economic Development. Inasmuch as we both cover the same geographic areas, this is a critical alliance. We worked very closely with them in the "Making Work Work" project funded by a grant from the Hitachi Foundation. That agency is always in the forefront in planning and presenting job fairs for the region. Also, their involvement in creating jobs for the local communities is a huge asset.
I am the Homeless Services Director for Centerpoint Community Services in Shreveport, LA. Our agency works closely with Goodwill Industries, utilizing there job training services for our clients. The agency is also active with re-entry in our area and I work closely with the Manager of Workforce Dev on the Steering Committee for re-entry (monthly meetings). The services provided by Goodwill are vital to many of the agencies in our region. Goodwill is truly one of the great nonprofits.
My experience with Goodwill was fantastic. The young man they placed here to work has been a real blessing to me and my customers. Next time I am doing more hiring I will call Goodwill first.
I love this organization! I have done volunteer work in different capacities for the last 7 years. This is an organization that puts its money where its mouth is.
My office the Bossier Parish Ttuancy Office under the D.A.'s Office has entered into a cooperatilve endevor with Goodwill, the Bossier Parish Schools, and the Judges of the 26th. This program is designed to reduce the drop out rate, which ils 40% in the state. The school system identilfies at risk students through their attendance, my office petiltions at risk students and their parents to juvenile court. AT court the juvenile is ordered to complete the Goodwill Program designed for work readiness training. It cost our state approximaly $2million in a lifetime for someone who drops out of high school. This program is is very important to our communityk and our state. It is a pleasure workilng with Julie Bass and her staff.
The management team of Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana serves as mentors to the nonprofit community in our area. They have taught the management team and Board of Directors for the Shreveport Regional Arts Council how to develop many of the new Policies for Board Governance; procedures for implementation; strategies for recording/reporting success and weaknesses; and guidelines for improvement. This is a stellar organization that serves its constituents and its fellow nonprofit organizations well. Additionally, when our organization suffered a devastating fire that completely destroyed our offices, the leadership of Goodwill Industries was "there" for us from Day 1. The staff brought tangible assistance and offered advice about getting back into business right away. With the leadership of John Rankin and Romney guy, we did not lose one day of community engagement.
Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana, Inc. was a valuable partner for many years with the Shreveport Region Office of Family Support, Department of Social Services. Through a performance based contract, Goodwill provided Job Readiness Training and Job Placement Services to thousands of participants in the Strategies to Empower People Program. This program is a federal mandate for citizens who receive federal income assistance (FITAP.) Goodwill excelled in Job Placements each year allowing the participants to move from "welfare to work."
I have been fortunate to have been involved with Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana since I moved to Shrevport in February 1999. I have been involved professionally as a funding organization and personally through donations and as a customer in their stores. I have the utmost respect for Goodwill Industries as a whole and individully for the numerous staff members that I have dealt with one-on-one during the past 11 years. They are very passionate about the job they do. Their heart is in their work and they truly care about their staff and those they serve - no matter which program they may be working at the time. The staff is also involved outside their own Goodwill programs through community coalitions and organizations - they are a great community partner. They are always willing to reach out and help when I have contacted them for information or assistance with an event or program.
I had the opportunity to serve as a member of the Goodwill Industires of North Louisiana Board of Directors for six years. All I really knew about the organization was their ability to accpet donations of many varieties and place those donatiions for resale in their stores. I had been among those donors for many years, but had never visited their retail stores. Having served on several commuinity non-profit boards and working as an administrator in public higher education, I was unprepared for the depth of learning I was about to encounter along with a true education of how to run a true non-profit that is totally dependent upon it's own operations -- no government handouts. Without hesitation, I state that Goodwill Industries of NW Louisiana is the most efficient, effective and ethical non-profit I have ever been associated. Their staff is professional on every level, yet they also possess the compassion needed to help the people they truly serve -- challenged individuals who want to restart their lives and find a job. Being a part of Goodwill changed my life forever. Being part of a hands-on experience of helping others less fortunate than I introduced me to individuals with courage and pride, people seeking dignity through work and independence. Goodwill is so much more than operating a retail store and providing bargains to people on limited budgets -- which it does quite well. It truly changes people's lives through the power of education and jobs. The organization is a local and national treasure.
GOODWILL (TOWARDS MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN) INDUSTRIES OF N. LA, INC. HAS A HISTORY OF BEING A STRONG INSTITUTION IN THIS AREA. THEIR PARTNERSHIP IN LENDING HELP IS CONSTANT. THEY BELIEVE IN THE AREA, THEY WANT TO HELP WHEN NEEDED, THEY ARE AN EVER PRESENT PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. I'VE WORKED WITH THEIR STAFF ON PROJECTS, I HAVE SHOPPED IN THEIR STORES, I HAVE DONATED ITEMS AND WILL CONTINUE TO BECAUSE I APPRECIATE THEIR EFFORTS TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL OF US IN THIS AREA!
Goodwill Industries is an organization that puts its money where its mouth is. I have volunteered for them in their youth program. I also helped out at their annual fundraiser Tour De Goodwill. I have personally witnessed the the hard work and dedication of the Goodwill staff. They seem to do so much with so little. The staff is passionate about the organization in a way that only comes when passion permeates the organization.
As a funder we have found that many nonprofits have been unable to move beyond counting outputs to working towards creating outcomes and having a set of indicators to measure progress on those outcomes. Our Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana is "lightyears" head of most in this most important aspect. How can you create change if you don't AIM at where you focus your work? Goodwill has taken AIM!