Ask someone what they know about Goodwill, and they will likely tell you it’s a thrift store.
And that’s not incorrect. But it is incomplete.
In fact, Goodwill is a source of employment opportunities for many people, especially those who face challenges in getting hired.
“We’re a local not-for-profit organization dedicated to removing barriers to employment,” according to David Rey, CEO and president for Goodwill Industries of North Florida. “We do that through education, training, placement services and career opportunities. We have a vision of a community where every persons finds meaningful employment and career opportunities.”
Rey spoke Wednesday, May 12, at a virtual Chamber at Noon meeting of the Ponte Vedra Division of the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce.
Goodwill of North Florida operates 19 retail stores and 20 donation centers in its 14-county territory, as well as a 19,000-square-foot e-commerce distribution center, and employs nearly 850 people.
Through military contracts, about 33 people with severe disabilities are employed to serve food at NAS Jacksonville and Naval Station Mayport.
In 2012, the organization acquired Landscape Consultants Inc., which employs 45.
“We’re always looking to employ, and offer that opportunity to anyone with a barrier,” said Rey.
But Goodwill is more than an employer. It is also a resource.
It operates free career centers, where people can search for a job, work on a resume, use a computer and apply to positions. Last year, 30,000 people took advantage of these services.
In addition, 300 high school students have gotten work through internship programs in Duval County.
The organization has also added the GoodwillTemps program, a community-based, nonprofit, alternative staffing organization that provides soft skills and industry-specific training, education and employment services.
It offers temporary, temporary-to-permanent and direct-hire opportunities and serves 15 organizations.
“Anyone looking for an immediate position, a quick job right away, we can put them to work,” Rey said.
In Duval County, Goodwill is the lead agency for Take Stock In Children, providing mentorship to about 360 high school students. The program’s success can be gauged by the students’ graduation rate: 98%.
One of its big successes is the Academic Support Through the Employment Process (A-STEP) program. It helps working adults access higher education in order to raise earning potentials and job security.
The program helps to get people enrolled in a vocational school or certification program. So far, almost 190 adults have graduated through A-STEP.
These opportunities are made available due to the thrift stores for which Goodwill is most well-known. Donations to the stores essentially turn into jobs.
“This is all we ask of the community: To support Goodwill by donating their gently used items,” said Rey.
