Goodwill of Central Arizona

Welcome to the Winter Edition of Goodwill’s E-Formant newsletter. The Holiday season is here and the beginning of a new year is approaching.

As we reflect on the success of 2005, we wish to congratulate the 1,200 staff here at Goodwill for their hard work and dedication in making this the most successful year in the history of Goodwill of Central Arizona.

We at Goodwill also wish to extend our gratitude to the generous donors who choose to support Goodwill - every donation contributes to Goodwill's ability to fulfill our mission of creating hope, jobs and futures for individuals in our community.

From everyone at Goodwill, we wish you and yours a safe and joyous holiday season!

Keith

The U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) announced recently the results of the Projects With Industry (PWI) grants competition. Goodwill of Central Arizona was one of five Goodwills in the nation to be awarded this grant.

The Projects With Industry program creates and expands job and career opportunities for individuals with disabilities in the competitive labor market by engaging the talent and leadership of business and private industry as partners in the rehabilitation process.

This program will identify competitive jobs and career opportunities in the community by promoting the involvement of business and private industry through a Business Advisory Council (BAC) and provide advice on appropriate skills and training.

Goodwill will utilize the grant funding to enhance existing placement services to individuals with disabilities in a range of service-providing industries that require entry level computer and customer services skills. This program will be tied to Goodwill’s current Computer and Customer Service Training Program as well as existing Rehabilitation Services.

Thirty-six employers were on-site at Goodwill’s most recent job fair where enthusiastic job seekers eagerly applied for open positions with Valley businesses.

After the event concluded, employers were surveyed as to what they thought about attending a Goodwill job fair, with questions such as “were there applicants appropriate for positions for which you were recruiting?” 89% of employers said yes; “How many resumes from qualified applicants did you collect today?” 128 was the answer from one employer; and “would you participate in this event again?” 100% replied yes!

Goodwill’s job fairs are provided for both job seekers and for businesses looking to fill open positions within their company. By attending one of these job fairs, an employer has access to many sources for employees to fill those open slots – job seekers from the community and graduates of Goodwill’s various training programs.

Local businesses are served through the Goodwill Career Centers which provide assistance with labor force recruitment needs, including prescreening, interviewing, job matching qualiﬁed workers, free job postings, labor market information, and tax credit information.

Goodwill’s Job Fairs and Career Centers provide local businesses the opportunity to recruit quality candidates to fill open positions! For more information call 602.416.6149 or 602.416.6174

Antonio arrived in the Valley of the Sun in the winter of 2004. It was a difficult move leaving his hometown in Tennessee, but this move had inspired him to set some new goals for his future. Finding a job and completing his education were first on his list.

Being a high school dropout at age 16 and having no prior work experience, Antonio came to Goodwill for help. Antonio’s career advisor enrolled him in the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) program with a mutual decision that education be his primary goal. He was then enrolled into Goodwill’s on-site high school, e-cademie.

After completing the school year, Antonio asked his career advisor about assisting him in finding employment. Due to his lack of work experience, he was encouraged to enroll in Goodwill’s Summer Youth Work Experience Program. He requested to be placed at the 16th street retail store. By the completion of the program in August, Antonio’s supervisor, the retail store manager, was so impressed by his work ethics that he was offered a permanent position.

Antonio is currently enrolled in the 2005-2006 school year at e-cademie High School and remains a valued employee at the Goodwill retail store. He has shown great motivation in improving his future and we congratulate him for his accomplishments!

The high school’s Winter Commencement took place on December 8th at the Phoenix Hilton. Over 125 guests assembled to witness the presentation of diplomas to 14 of e-cademie’s students.

Congratulations to the graduating students for their persistence and hard work. This is but the beginning of a bright new future for 14 of our Valley's youth.

e-cademie Basketball. The e-cademie Eagles Basketball team is off to a great start! With a 4–1 record, the team has shown a winning spirit since the beginning of the season overcoming their first three competitors. They then defeated a highly ranked team in triple overtime 60-59 in their first away game, a game that entailed as much excitement as the playoffs.

Although they lost their second away game, one loss has not at all dampened their team spirit. Cheered on by an awesome Eagle Dance Team and supported by their families, teachers, fellow students, and an enthusiastic Coach Leveen, the team is going into 2006 with their “can win” attitudes! The season resumes on January 11th.

e-cademie’s open enrollment continues throughout the school year! Call us for more information: 602.416.6400

I wanted to write to let you know how very much I appreciate the services I have received from Goodwill and the people in the 35th and Northern Avenue office.

I had been self-employed working on special projects since 1992. Returning to the regular workforce could have been challenging, but thanks to the great people at the Goodwill Career Center, things have gone splendidly.

The help I received with a cover letter, my resume, and interviewing skills was outstanding. All three needed a lot of work and the process was empowering.

I talked to over 20 employers at a job fair, applied for five jobs, was offered three and am starting on the most appealing one on Monday. Things could not have gone nearly this well without Goodwill.

Over and above the specific job counseling and computer, fax, etc. services offered, the atmosphere that has been created at the Career Center is extremely supportive. Everyone who comes into the center talks kindly and encourages each other in their job search. Creating this type of atmosphere is a wonderful achievement in 2005 America.

Things reached an apex today when I received my bus pass one day after I received the job verification document from my new employer. This is true icing on the cake.

I am especially grateful to Milan, who has been incredibly patient with me and has offered fantastic ideas. I also truly appreciate the assistance of Diana and Debra.

I am an evacuee of Hurricane Katrina from New Orleans, LA and am very grateful to have access to a facility like this. This center has met my job assistance, internet, and computer needs.

The staff was very courteous and professional. Many, many, thanks to Kathi and Roseann for all their help. I wish there were more centers like this in every state. Thanks again!

I have become an avid shopper of the Goodwill stores ever since I discovered the small old Goodwill at the Baseline and Hardy store. Then came the grand openings of the Camelback store and the two stores on Guadalupe in Tempe and Mesa.

In my shopping I find extraordinary buys to the extent that I, nearly daily, have people ask me where I got certain clothing or home items. I am now a shopper for many of my friends and family that entrust their shopping to me.

In the process I have met managers at the stores. I must point out that Margo, at the Guadalupe & Dobson store stands above all the rest. She stands out to the degree that I’m taking the time to write this letter. In all my experiences with her at the checkout she always has a winning smile, positive attitude, is gracious, and running a well managed store. In Margo, Goodwill has a WINNER and I hope she is recognized as such!!

I wanted to pass along a “Good News” story to you. I attended a meeting at the City of Phoenix Community and Economic Development Department yesterday and was having my parking validated by a very nice receptionist who noticed my Goodwill folder. Her name is Sonia and she wanted to let me know she went through the CSR [Computer and Customer Service Training] class and thought you were a great teacher. She was very complimentary towards Goodwill and all of the services she was provided, especially your class. She asked me to tell you “hello”, and to let you know she is currently working in the temporary pool at the City of Phoenix and will be moving to fulltime at the beginning of next year.