By Sarah Carlson,
Lifestyle Blogger | www.realhousewivesofmn.com
I was out thrift shopping the other day, when I ended up at one of my favorite stores – Goodwill. As I browsed the home décor aisles, the intercom buzzed with an announcement. As the message ended, the employee said, “Thank you for shopping at Goodwill, where we prepare people for work.”
I was intrigued: How exactly does an organization prepare people for work? I thought maybe Goodwill does it by training its own employees for retail jobs. But I found there is much more to the story!
It turns out that 85% of Goodwill’s earnings go back into the mission, which is – you guessed it – preparing people for work! So how do they do that? I talked to several Goodwill store managers to get a bigger picture of what this mission really means.
“Goodwill has programs that teach job skills for various industries: medical, banking, construction, automotive, retail, and others,” said Amy Vescio, who manages the Champlin Goodwill. She added that some of these programs even give credits that count toward a degree. “I’ve personally seen these programs change people’s lives,” she said. “Especially when participants also take advantage of Goodwill career assistance with resumes, job searches and interviews.” To learn more about job skills training visit Goodwill’s website.
“It’s a big source of pride for me and my team to know that what we make such a difference for people having a hard time overcoming barriers for work,” said Derek Hemker, general manager of the Cottage Grove Goodwill. “It’s inspiring to come to work every day, knowing that we are helping people create that higher sense of independence.”
Hemker emphasized that the donations that Goodwill receives are turned into revenue, which goes right back into the mission. “We truly rely on the community that we’re in, and we are so grateful for that support.”
Just when I thought I’d heard everything I needed to hear, I talked to Dan Schultz, general manager of the Woodbury Goodwill.
His store has one of the leading numbers of participants in a program, where high school students come in for practical work experience. Over several weeks, they work on the fundamentals of having a job – habits, such as arriving on time, dressing for the job, and having positive customer interactions. “One of the greatest aspects of being part of this program is watching the students’ progress,” Schultz said. “In time, they start coming in with confidence, and you can see they’ve really grown from the experience.”
Now that I know where my money goes, I’m even happier to shop at Goodwill and support its purpose. And with new stores opening soon in Monticello and Faribault, it’s clear to see that Goodwill’s mission and its impact on the community are truly a growing success.