Results: Goodwill of Greater Washington served almost 2,500 people in the Washington, DC region in 2010.
Target demographics: Goodwill serves anyone faced with a barrier to employment, including those with physical, emotional, development or other disabilities, as well as people trying to get off welfare, ex-offenders trying to rebuild their lives and veterans who deserve an opportunity after having bravely served their nation.
Geographic areas served: Greater Washington, DC metropolitan region
Programs: Donated goods: goodwill of greater washington's retail stores and donation centers are central to the fulfillment of goodwill's mission to provide jobs, job training and employment services for people with disadvantages and disabilities. In 2014, almost $32 million worth of gently used clothing, furniture, and other household goods were sorted, priced and sold in goodwill's 15 retail locations plus online, saving our customers hundreds of thousands of dollars on quality, low cost goods, while providing the revenue necessary to fund our critical job training programs. In 2014, over 1. 4 million transactions were made and some 638,000 people generously donated these goods, keeping 24. 3 million pounds of donated goods out of area landfills. Most computers are now recycled through the dell reconnect program resulting in the re-use of virtually every part and component. In 2014, goodwill of greater washington recycled over 427,000 pounds of computers and computer parts. Goodwill stores are also a source of mission fulfillment. We don't just provide job training to people with barriers to employment; we also employ them. Many of goodwill's more than 500 retail employees have overcome significant challenges and obstacles to find success in their work.
contracts: one of goodwill of greater washington's most successful business and mission fulfillment operations is its contract services division. In 2014, under the ability one program and commercial contracts, goodwill employed more than 200 people in its 13 contract sites throughout the dc area including the bureau of engraving & printing, the national gallery of art, senate office buildings, bolling air force base and the u. S. Geological survey. Approximately 80% of all the labor hours performed on these contracts are performed by individuals with significant disabilities. Goodwill provides custodial, grounds maintenance, and glassware cleaning services to government and commercial facilities. Goodwill offers its employees hope, dignity, and a future for themselves and their families.
workforce development: in 2014, goodwill of greater washington's workforce development division provided free job training, employment and other supportive services to more than 3,100 people within the washington, dc region at goodwill's four career centers and secured permanent employment for 370 program graduates. Those placed averaged a starting wage of $14. 35/hour. These critical services were funded through the revenue generated by goodwill's contracts operations, the donations sold at goodwill's 15 area retail stores, and through the generous financial support of our individual and corporate donors. The community demand for workforce development services continues to grow due to the recognition of goodwill's success in placing people who have been most challenged in finding employment on their own. The populations goodwill serves are very diverse and face a variety of barriers to employment. They may have physical, emotional, developmental or other disabling conditions; or they may lack an education or english proficiency. Many of the people goodwill serves are ex-offenders trying to rebuild their lives. Others, particularly women, have had difficulty in keeping steady employment due to the challenges of caring for dependents. The one consistent barrier faced by all of the people who walk through goodwill's doors is a lack of marketable job skills. That's why the workforce development division provides employability skills training (job readiness), job placement, occupational skills training, job coaching, and/or retention services. These services help individuals with disadvantages and disabilities enter or re-enter the workforce with confidence and dignity. Our primary goal is to match the skills, interests, and work preferences of our students to the needs of local employers who offer sustainable wages. This is accomplished through an individualized employment plan, mock-interviews, career assessments, internships, work trials, and other discovery strategies. In 2014, goodwill offered its applicants multiple job training and preparation options including a three-week career navigation program, a six-week unarmed security & protective services training in which participants can earn up to 9 college credits at northern virginia community college, and an extensive hospitality training program that led to the successful placement of almost 200 dc residents into jobs at the new marriott marquis, washington, dc. Goodwill of greater washington is also placing a greater emphasis on providing career enhancement and supportive services to its own employees - many of whom face similar barriers to the populations served through goodwill's job training programs. Goodwill's rise coaching program provides employees with access to community services and resources that can help them overcome personal barriers such as transportation, housing, financial management or childcare.
